A bridge has been developing between Western medical doctors and those of us who practice holistic, Eastern or ancient healing modalities. The cornerstone of this bridge is the recognition that the process of healing requires more than pharmaceutical drugs – it requires a partnership between doctor, practitioner and the patient, as well as additional resources to help facilitate the body’s limitless capacity for healing. Today, these departments often incorporate traditional medical treatments, acupuncture, energy medicine, massage, psychotherapy, nutrition, and fitness training.

About 18 months ago, I was invited to speak to a group of physicians and nurses at the University of Miami Medical School about holistic medicine and my work with The LifeLine Technique™. The LifeLine Technique™ is a system of healing that integrates 14 different holistic modalities into one comprehensive system, allowing a person to consciously awaken to the true meaning of the symptoms and stressors that exist in his or her life - internalized or disconnected emotions in the subconscious mind. I was apprehensive about this talk. Despite the inroads that have been made between the allopathic (traditional medical) and holistic health communities, most medical doctors are still skeptical. For example, many of them do not believe that diet and exercise can prevent their patients from developing chronic imbalances, such as diabetes; or that the ancient art of acupuncture, which has been used effectively for more than 5,000 years, really works.

The night before the talk, I had a dream. It was filled with visions of rolling landscapes, rivers, and a horizon that extended to infinity. Most striking about this dream was the bridges-they were all breathtaking, and each one made it possible for people to easily move from one location to the next. When I woke up the next morning, I knew that my talk needed to be a dialogue, and why that dialogue was important.

I was welcomed by a group of friendly people who were eating lunch when I arrived. The lunch was sponsored by a pharmaceutical company promoting a pill it said would help lower cholesterol. I made a mental note that the menu of diet Coke, pasta, and pastries was helping to create a ready-made market for this pill! But rather than focus on the differing views that have kept the holistic and allopathic communities at bay, I knew my mission was different.

“I have come here as a bridge,” I began my talk to the group, “a bridge connecting places that would otherwise never meet. Medical institutions, the educational process, the hospitals, and the doctors have a specialty for every part of the body, a truly comprehensive system that focuses on the process of narrowing down signs and symptoms to a single diagnosis.” The person is given a treatment plan that may include some form of medication, surgery, or other treatments to alleviate or eradicate the symptoms.
“My training is in multiple holistic modalities, including Chiropractic, Naturopathy, Acupuncture, Shamanism, Ayurvedic medicine, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Neuro- Emotional Technique and Total Body Modification, which I have integrated into my work. More important, my specialty is understanding the root cause of imbalance in the body that manifests as symptoms, stress, or diseases, and learning to interpret the language when the body speaks with symptoms.”

“Every symptom has a story specific to the individual,” I said. “That’s why the same treatment or the same pill is not effective for every patient.”

The key to understanding the story is dialogue, I noted-dialogue between the practitioner and patient to learn not only what the patient is physically experiencing but also feeling. We must also use dialogue to empower our patients to understand the responsibility they have for their health, and the impact that lifestyle choices have on their quality of life.

After outlining our different views on healthcare, I asked them a question: “What would you like to know from me that can better help you give the best possible care to the patients you are treating?”

Looking back, I realize that I built a bridge by first acknowledging, without judgment, our different views on healthcare so that we could seize the opportunity to learn from one another. This bridge made it possible for us to have dialogue, build rapport, and create common ground to achieve our goal of helping people heal. In my dream, every bridge was different - wood, steel-beamed, suspension, and brick. But each one served the same purpose of bringing people and land together.

The purpose of Integrative Medicine is to build a bridge to vibrant health and joyful, conscious living. By acknowledging our common goals and recognizing the limitless potential of every participant - patient, physician, holistic physician, or holistic healthcare practitioner – to add value to the process of healing, we can revolutionize our system of healthcare, and transform the quality of health of all people for generations to come.

Join Us

Infinite Love & Gratitude Day is an inaugural celebration devoted to demonstrating how small acts of love and gratitude can transform your life and the world.

You can learn more, including how to sign up for an 8-week tele-class with Dr. Darren R. Weissman to study The Power of Infinite Love & Gratitude, on his Web site: infiniteloveandgratitude.com.