“I wisely started with a map.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien
Healing Philosophies
The Integral Health model has four dimensions that exist and co-arise simultaneously:
Integral Health
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1. The Psychospiritual/ Inner Life, our internal subjective experience,
2. The external Biological experience for an individual (i.e. observable and measurable biometrics & behavior),
3. The Cultural and Interpersonal experience (an internal collective space of shared meanings, vocabulary, and values), and
4. The External Worldly experience of Systems (government, social and political involvement, the food and agricultural systems, policies, the environmental and geographical landscape, climate, etc.)
I consider all of these dimensions while working together toward greater health and well-being.
While I do not diagnose or prescribe, I am most aligned with a functional medicine view of health and illness, which I myself used to heal my anxiety and panic attacks. The functional medicine view looks at root causes of health and illness, most of which are modifiable via lifestyle! Because of this modifiability, functional medicine is a very empowering map for healing. By changing our diet and environmental exposures, we are positively altering our genetic expression. In other words, your genes are not your destiny.
Functionally informed
Well-being is more than our physical state of health. It also includes our Environment (local and global), the quality of our relationships, a sense of Security and Meaning. “Wellbeing is a state of balance or alignment in body, mind and spirit. In this state, we feel content; connected to purpose, people and community; peaceful and energized; resilient and safe.” There are ways to be “well” even if you are physically sick or terminally ill. You can live well, die well, and be connected to your values at all stages along the health continuum.
Whole-person Well-being
We are always seeing things through a lens, from a particular perspective. The path to liberation from old habits often involves looking at the worldview through which we are interpreting a situation. It may also involve trying on a new worldview.
Perspectives hide in the language we use to talk about things. So changing perspective often means learning a new language, or way of speaking. I often work with clients on the language they are using, and invite them to play with compassionate, healing ways of describing life.
Perspectivism
My spirituality is primarily expressed through Yoga philosophy and practice, deep reverence for our connection to the Earth, and our interdependence with all living things.
“How we do something is as important as What we do.” In other words, the spirit or intention with which we pursue an activity is as important as the activity itself. If you are running everyday, but with a spirit of punishing the body, your body will hear your thoughts and respond accordingly.
I fundamentally trust that all experiences are a gift for learning about the world and who we truly are.
Spiritually Grounded
While I do not diagnose or prescribe, I am most aligned with a functional medicine view of health and illness, which I myself used to heal my anxiety and panic attacks. The functional medicine view looks at root causes of health and illness, most of which are modifiable via lifestyle! Because of this modifiability, functional medicine is a very empowering map for healing. By changing our diet and environmental exposures, we are positively altering our genetic expression. In other words, your genes are not your destiny.
Functionally informed
Well-being is more than our physical state of health. It also includes our Environment (local and global), the quality of our relationships, and a sense of Security and Meaning. “Wellbeing is a state of balance or alignment in body, mind and spirit. In this state, we feel content; connected to purpose, people and community; peaceful and energized; resilient and safe.” There are ways to be “well” even if you are physically sick or terminally ill. You can live well, die well, and be connected to your values at all stages along the health continuum.
Well-being wheel from University of Minnesota
Whole-person Well-being
We are always seeing things through a lens, from a particular perspective. The path to liberation from old habits often involves looking at the worldview through which we are interpreting a situation. It may also involve trying on a new worldview. Perspectives hide in the language we use to talk about things, so changing perspective can sometimes mean learning a new language, or way of speaking. I often work with clients on the language they are using, and invite them to play with compassionate, healing ways of describing life.
Perspectivism
My spirituality is primarily expressed through Yoga philosophy and practice, deep reverence for our connection to the Earth, and our interdependence with all living things.
“How we do something is as important as What we do.” I believe the spirit or intention with which we pursue an activity is as important as the activity itself. If you are running everyday, but with a spirit of punishing the body, your body will hear your thoughts and respond accordingly.
I fundamentally trust that all experiences are a gift for learning about the world and who we truly are.
