The Creation of a New Specialty

Holistic Medicine is the emerging medical specialty that incorporates the art and science of
caring for the whole person in order to treat and prevent disease. It is also dedicated to empowering
patients to achieve optimal health (far beyond merely the absence of illness). Both inside and outside the medical profession, the concept of medicine of the whole person is gathering increasing support. The body-mind-spirit approach integrates many disciplines and modalities, including physiology, biochemistry, nutrition, exercise, environment, emotions, attitudes, beliefs, social relationships, manual medicine, herbs, homeopathy, energy medicine, prayer, acupuncture, meditation, spirituality, and biofeedback.

Holistic Medicine is based on the core belief that unconditional love is life's most powerful healer. At its essence, the practice of holistic medicine embraces a spirit of interdisciplinary and physician-patient cooperation. It balances the mitigation of causes with relief of symptoms, integrates conventional and complementary therapies, and facilitates the experience of being fully alive.

The principles of holistic medicine are:

1. Optimal health is the primary goal. The conscious pursuit of the highest level of functioning is undertaken through balancing the physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental aspects of human experience. The result is a dynamic state of being fully alive. This leads to a sense of well-being regardless of the presence or absence of disease.
2. The Healing Power of Love. Holistic doctors strive to meet their patients with grace, kindness, acceptance, and spirit. Love is life's most powerful healer.
3. The patient as a whole person. Holistic doctors view people as a unique blend of body, mind, spirit and the environment in which they live.
4. Prevention and Treatment. Holistic doctors promote health, prevent illness, and raise awareness of disease in our lives rather than merely managing symptoms.
5. Innate Healing Power. All people have innate powers of healing in their bodies, minds and spirits. Holistic doctors assist patients in accessing their own ability to heal themselves.
6. Integration of Healing Systems. Holistic doctors embrace a lifetime of learning about safe, effective ways to diagnose and treat. They are open to a variety of traditions and select the method best suited to the unique needs and personality of each patient.
7. Relationship-centered care. The ideal practioner-patient relationship is a partnership which encourages patient autonomy and values the needs and insights of both parties. The quality of this relationship is an essential contributor to the healing process.
8. Individuality. Holistic doctors focus patient care on the unique needs and nature of the person who has an illness rather than focusing primarily on the illness.
9. Teaching by Example. Holistic doctors continually work toward incorporating the principles of holistic health into their own lives, which then profoundly influences what the doctor has to bring to the healing relationship.
10. Learning Opportunities. All life experiences including birth, joy, suffering and the dying process are profound learning opportunities for both patients and their doctors.