What is Wholistic Health?

As a starting place, for a practitioner to be "wholistic" there must be a genuine acknowledgement of Body, Mind and Spirit as related. My belief is that they are inseparable aspects of the same reality. To use the theological concept, a trinity. This is a multi-directional webwork of relationships. What affects the body affects the spirit and affects the mind. This is true of any permutation you can imagine. At Sage, each of our staff from reception to physician buys into this concept.

There needs to be a willingness to address each of these major areas in more than a superficial way. A complex web does not lend itself to a single program or a uni-directional approach. There needs to be an understanding that relationships are multi-directional and what affects one aspect will affect others in often unforeseen ways. Each strand has intrinsic value and a contribution to make. At Sage we have collected providers of as many different modalities to address as many different aspects as possible. (See our website: www.sageweightandwellness.com) We are open to others as availability and need present themselves.

Wholistic medicine is also integrative. It in not just a collection of different practitioners under one roof. To be wholistic, the model itself must be integrated. At Sage, we talk with each other, have a common record, share information and ideas and act as collaborators with our clients in their transformation to health. At a very real level we have a common mind, common body and common spirit.

These concepts need, themselves, to be more than mental constructs! They need to be integrated into the hearts and souls of those who would serve others. At Sage Weight and Wellness we have recruited an entire staff who not only acknowledge this but put it into practice in their own lives as well as their relationship with our clients.

I do not mean to imply that the "medical model" has no value. It is very valuable but is only one strand. As a strand, its values must be respected, including: the scientific method, "evidence based medicine," technology, and pharmacology among others. Wholistic Medicine is not simply discarding Western Medicine for other "alternatives" which may or may not be superior in a given situation. At Sage, we get this. You will not hear us badmouthing doctors or discounting science. We ARE aware, however, that Western Medicine is only ONE perspective.

Although as an entity, Sage Weight and Wellness has only existed for four years, our staff has been involved for decades. As a physician, my initial choice of Family Practice was heavily influenced by the fact that it recognizes relationships and family systems as important to health. It was the closest thing to wholistic or integrative medicine that existed 30 years ago! I have not abandoned this approach, but only expanded and deepened it. My recent Bush Fellowship, in Traditional and Alternative Treatments for Obesity, my experience and explorations into meditation, yoga, exercise and many other disciplines are evidence not just of an interest but a commitment.

My work with the Episcopal Church Pension Fund through CREDO has further broadened my understanding to include financial, and vocational aspects of health as well as physical and spiritual. Our other staff also have long journeys in wellness which need to be respected, but which I will not detail here.

I welcome questions or comments. Come and see for yourself! I'd love to show you around!