When The Student is Ready, The Teacher Appears

One thing I really love about being a doctor and a healer is that I have the privilege of helping people overcome illness and pain by creating an overall strategy for wellness. The more I do this work, the more I realize that there are many paths to wellness and we are very fortunate to be living in a time when so many outstanding resources are available to us. From a body/mind/spirit perspective, I wanted to share a few websites that I believe are particularly helpful to those of us who need support, assistance and guidance in healing ourselves and walking that important path which leads to balance, wholeness and happiness.

Debbie Ford is a wonderful author/speaker/filmmaker who has written many books and produced films. She says, “The evolution of one’s own soul is a process. It’s not a quick fix. It’s not a five day workshop. It’s a lifetime process where we let go, discover and then allow for futures to come into existence. Through connecting to our soul, to our collective heart, we can become congruent with our deepest values and our life mission.” I encourage you to check out the inspiring video on the homepage of her website.

Another extraordinary advocate for self-care is author/speaker Cheryl Richardson. She is the author of The New York Times bestselling books, Take Time for Your Life, Life Makeovers, Stand Up for Your Life, The Unmistakable Touch of Grace and her new book The Art of Extreme Self Care.

I would also encourage you to check out Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. She is amazing. This distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine is a world-renowned expert in the mind/body connection. Her work has been foundational in an international health-care revolution that recognizes

Joan Borysenko, Ph.D

the role of meaning, and the spiritual dimensions of life, as an integral part of health and healing. She writes, “Developing mindfulness of the connections between mind and body is a form of intelligence just as important as IQ, EQ (emotional intelligence), or social intelligence. As awareness deepens, bodily sensations provide feedback and guidance about every aspect of your life—from nurturing relationships to enhancing effectiveness at work. By acting on this information you can reduce stress, balance your life, and maximize your innate potential for health, creativity, and spiritual growth.”

I am a firm believer that we all need to support one another in providing resources that can help people on their individual paths. One or none of the amazing women above might become a part of your journey. But simply be comforted by the fact that there are many people out there who can offer advice, wisdom, guidance and tools to help you in your next step.

My Path to Authorship

Well, after many years of considering it, I have decided to take the plunge and write my first (of many) books! I was inspired by my brilliant and beautiful nine year-old daughter whose summer project is to write her own book. I am so proud. Hers is sure to be imaginative, dramatic and magical. My book will talk about my journey from traditional medicine to integrative medicine with an emphasis on helping women to understand their bodies and empower them to become advocates for their own well-being in every phase of life. After treating tens of thousands of women, I believe I have a very unique perspective on the major concerns and setbacks that women face. There does exist a theme among the vast majority of the women who seek my help. They just don’t feel like themselves anymore. Virtually every woman who comes into my office describes a feeling of joylessness, apathy, lethargy, fatique, depression, weight gain, hair loss, low libido or some combination of those symptoms. They think there is something either terribly “wrong” with them or they’ve accepted these symptoms as part of the aging process. It is perhaps one of the most personally satisfying moments in my day when I reach across my desk and reveal that they are like so many women and real help and healing is available. Often, there are tears. And then, the transformation to their “real self” begins. It’s an extraordinary process that is life-changing and empowering. I feel privileged to be a part of it, and I hope my book will help even more women with questions as my patients.