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The Spirit of Healing

Deborah Simmons, PhD

In this issue of Partners Press we explore different perspectives on the spirit of healing, a fundamental value we aspire to model at PIH of Minneapolis.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the remarkable Oklahoma City National Memorial, site of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995. I remember well the day of the bombing and thinking of it, I felt a shiver go through me. I gave myself a moment to prepare for the unknown of what I would find. It was a beautiful sunny day. I closed my eyes, grateful for the warmth of the sun after a long, cold winter. As I approached the memorial, I became aware of a profound quiet, even though a number of people were close by. At the center of the memorial is a rectangular reflecting pool of flowing water. Along one long side of the pool are 168 empty chairs, symboliz-ing those who died in the bombing. Nineteen smaller chairs name each child who died there. Two massive gates of marble stand at the head and foot of the pool, one marked “9:01” and the other “9:03.” A park ranger explained quietly that the bombing occurred at 9:02 am. 9:01 represents the innocence of the city before the attack. 9:03 represents the beginning of healing.

With just a few words and symbols, the memorial absolutely captured the spirit of healing. In their wisdom and compassion, the memorial’s creators remembered not only those who had perished, but also those who survived the blast, marking their names on the one remaining wall of the original building. An American Elm, named The Survivor Tree, also graces the sight. The Oklahoma City National Memorial reminds us that every one of us must find the spirit of healing at some point in our lives. For this issue of The Partners Press, we invite you to consider the spirit of healing within you and those around you.

The Practice of Holistic Medicine at PiH

Mark L. Hoch, M.D.

I am grateful for the opportunity to describe holistic medicine to you. I write from the perspective of a Past President of the American Holistic Medical Association, a teacher and holistic physician of many years. What is holistic medicine? Holistic medicine is the art and science of healing that addresses care of the whole person: body, mind and spirit. It is a health- based practice that helps one achieve optimal health in all spheres of one’s being: physical, emotional, mental, environmental, social and spiritual.

How does it work for you?

It starts with a comprehensive evaluation of the whole person. This includes what health concerns you have; what they mean to you; what illness and injuries have you had or now experience; what illnesses/problems are in your family; what is your life and social experience; what is the level of functioning of your body systems; what is your emotional and mental state; what environment do you live and work in; what are your daily habits including, diet, exercise, sleep, meditation and spiritual practice; what herbs, supplements and medications do you use; what sensitivities and allergies do you have, and what prior evaluations and treatments were done, and what worked and what did not?

After the history/life story is obtained, further information is gleaned from a complete physical exam. This includes a standard medical exam and other appropriate diagnostics, such as a detailed osteopathic exam or traditional Chinese or Ayurvedic assessment. At this point, an assessment is made in partnership with you. If further testing is needed to clarify a diagnosis or help define what the best treatment would be, this also would be discussed and arranged. A therapeutic plan is then developed to address all the relevant issues.

The 12 Guiding Principles

Client as a person: Establishing who the person is and not focusing exclusively on identifying symptoms and diseases.

Listen to the client: The client's needs and insights are just as important as the physician's. There is no better source of information than you, the source itself.

Whole person: Illness is viewed as a dysfunction of the whole person or system they live in rather than an isolated event or disconnected piece.

Relationship-centered care: The quality of the relationship is a major determinant in the effectiveness of any plan. Active, conscious participation is needed from all parties.

Optimal health: Striving to attain optimal functioning and balance in all spheres of being. This is much more than the absence of a disease or medical diagnoses.

Prevention: Promoting healthy life choices and screening for habits and risk factors that predispose one to health problems in the future. This is common sense and is also cost-effective.

Focus on cause: Discern and address problems as close as possible to their cause. This is much more effective than merely treating symptoms.

Opportunity: Illness, pain, and the dying process are learning and growth opportunities, not senseless, random acts.

Innate healing power: We all have incredible innate powers of healing in our bodies, minds and spirits, and these are to be invoked and utilized as much as possible.

All effective and safe diagnostic and treatment options: If a treatment is effective, safe, of reasonable cost, and makes sense to the client and physician, it is a good option. There is no room for dogma or anything else that stands in the way of truth and compassion.

Walk the talk: Holistic physicians must walk their talk and be a living example of practicing holism in everyday life.

Unconditional Love: This is life's most powerful medicine.

The Moral of the Story?

As you can see there is much more to holistic medicine than conventional, alternative and complementary treatments. It is a way of looking at the world, as well as practicing the best quality medicine we are able to in the moment. From my standpoint, holistic medicine is what all healthcare practitioners would ideally be practicing.

Mark L. Hoch, M.D., is Board Certified in Family Medicine and is a Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. He is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the UMN School of Medicine and Community Faculty at the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the Academic Health Center. He has taught at several family medicine residency programs. Dr. Hoch is a member of the American Holistic Medical Association since 1986, and was President of 2002-3. He was also the lead physician at the Arizona Center for Health and Medicine, a multidisciplinary holistic center in Phoenix. He has training and practice experience in osteopathy, nutritional medicine, Trager, mind-body approaches, Qi Gong and spiritual healing. Dr. Hoch is happy to now be in service at PIH.

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