Deirdre Walsh – Integrative Health Coach

Integrative medicine puts the patient at the center of their health “story”. The difference between conventional medicine and integrative medicine is illuminated in the difference between treating and healing. A medical treatment plan includes the types of diagnostic testing, surgical or drug interventions and some options for self-care. An integrative plan looks at the physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental factors that affect a person’s health. It treats each person in a holistic manner with needs of mind, body and spirit at the heart of the plan.

The Bravewell Collaborative is a force to be reckoned with in this area. A philanthropic organization, they live and breathe to stimulate a widespread conversation about  prevention and patient-centered care – and the public-private collaborations that will make that a reality. To quote Dr. Oz: “They passionately want medicine to return to its soul, the altruistic call to service that treats the whole person in the context of one’s community”. Read the rest of this entry →

A kind friend (and lovely soul) sent me a poem this week on how illness and suffering can help us remember our best self – our compassionate, patient and accepting self.  Illness is never a welcome guest. It throws our daily lives into chaos and forces us to strip away the fluff. But we have so much time and energy invested in the fluff that its removal adds yet another layer of anguish to our days. All the things we should be doing . . .  What will I miss? What will I lose? Read the rest of this entry →

There’s been an surge in technology tools for health in the past few years, with some really interesting apps and gadgets coming to market. They hold promise to help people engage closely with healthy behaviors.

The tools can be broken down roughly into four categories:  educate, connect, track, and remind.  The more interesting apps combine multiple functions.  Here are some buzz-worthy health tools I’ve seen at health IT conferences in the last couple of years – through the filter of a non-techy person. Read the rest of this entry →

After taking a few turns through the healthcare system with family young and old, I found myself more and more disheartened with the whole process.  We didn’t see the positive results we hoped for from the rounds of doctor visits, hospitalizations and changes in meds.  This wasn’t because of poor care or lack of commitment, though.  We met a lot of incredibly dedicated and caring doctors and nurses that we will always be profoundly grateful for.

It’s just that none of the medical teams we met ever worked like a team.  Read the rest of this entry →