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About Me

Integrative Medicine Background

Education

  • University of Missouri at Columbia. B.A. in Zoology with Departmental and General Honors, 1966.

  • University of Texas at Arlington. Experimental Psychology as an undergraduate and graduate student, 1973-1975.

  • Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. M.D. Degree in 1979.

  • University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas. Family Practice Residency program based at Memorial Southwest Hospital completed in 1982.

  • University of California at Los Angeles Medical School Acupuncture Course completed in 1992.

  • Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) Healing Therapy Course completed in 2003.

  • Healing Therapy Instructor, graduated November, 2004.

Work Experience

  • Research technician in the Genetics Department at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, 1964-1966.

  • Research technician at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, 1966-1971.

  • Private Family Physician with Burton Silverman, M.D. in Houston, Texas, 1982-1990.

  • Hospice Physician at Hospice at the Texas Medical Center, 1990-1994. Houston, Texas 77030.

  • Family Physician at Durango Animas Family Medicine, 1994-1997. Durango, Colorado 81301.

  • Author of Love is the Link: A Hospice Doctor Shares Her Experience of Near-Death and Dying, published 1995.

  • National speaker on integrative medicine, hospice, end-of-life issues, and near-death experiences, 1988-present. Over 150 talks and workshops given to date.

  • Hospice Physician and Health Care Counselor in Durango, Colorado, 2000-2003.

  • Served as Medical Director of the Wellness Portion of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Wellness at Mercy Medical Center in Durango, CO, 2000-2006.

  • Family physician at Fort Lewis College Student Health Care Clinic in Durango, Colorado, 2001-present.

  • Director of Integrative Medicine at Mercy Medical Center in Durango, CO, 2004-2006.

Certifications

  • Certified Catholic Health Initiatives Healing Therapy Instructor, 2004

  • Family Practice Board Certification. 1982-2007.

  • Hospice and Palliative Care Board Certification, 2001-2008.

  • Fellow in American Academy of Family Physicians since 1983.

  • Texas Licensure from 1979-1994. (I chose not to renew the license when I moved to Colorado in June, 1994.)

  • Colorado Licensure since June, 1994.

Current Professional Affiliations

  • American Academy of Family Practice. 1982-present.

  • Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care Physicians. 2000-present.

Honors and Awards

  • Valedictorian of Raytown High School in Raytown, Missouri, 1962.

  • Graduated with Honors in Zoology at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, 1966.

  • Graduated with General Honors at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, 1966.

  • Phi Beta Kappa, 1966.

  • Outstanding Family Practice Resident at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas, 1982.

  • Outstanding Resident Teacher at Family Practice Residency program at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas, 1982.

Examples of topics of talks given on Integrative Medicine:

  • Spirituality in health care

  • The spiritual, psychological, and physical dimensions of hospice care

  • What is healing?

  • Remembered wholeness: bringing the spiritual and mystical into every day life

  • Menopause as the gateway to creativity and freedom

  • Compassion and healing

  • An update in mind-body medicine

  • Love and health

  • The gifts of volunteerism

  • Love, medicine, and nonlocality

  • Forms of meditation

  • A paradigm shift on the horizon: the role of NDEs in the 'New Medicine'

  • New horizons in medicine: the power of prayer and other influences on healing

  • Integrating conventional and non-conventional modalities into healthcare: a practical approach.

  • Healing: what does it mean and how do I get it?

  • Seniors: Joyfully participating in life: exploring options that health and freedom allow us

  • The impact of psychological factors on cancer and wellness

  • Healing from the shock of trauma

  • Healing and prayer

  • Massage therapy: the research behind the modality

  • Tai chi and health: supporting studies

  • Prayer and healing

  • The benefits of tai chi in people with arthritis

Examples of venues for talks and workshops on integrative medicine:

  • Hospitals

  • Senior Centers

  • Community groups

  • Colleges

  • Cancer centers

  • Radio interviews

  • Consciousness conferences

Samples of Previous Talks:

  • September 28, 2001 in Durango, Colorado. "The Impact of Psychological Factors on Cancer and Wellness," a lecture for the Colorado Cancer Registrars Annual Conference.

  • October 24, 2000 in Durango, Colorado. "New Horizons in Medicine: The Power of Prayer and Other Influences on Healing" at noon conference at Mercy Medical Center.

  • February 15, 2001 in Durango, Colorado. "Integrating Conventional and Non-conventional Modalities into Healthcare: A Practical Approach." Sponsored by the Professional Associates of Fort Lewis College.

  • July 20, 2001 in Durango, Colorado. "Joyfully Participating in Life: Exploring Options that Health and Freedom Allow Us," a keynote presentation at the Senior Center Day of Aging and Wellness.

  • September 22, 2001 in Durango, Colorado. "Psychological Attitudes and Techniques that Contribute to Your Health," a lecture at the annual conference of the Rocky Mountain College Health Association held at Fort Lewis College.

  • April, 2002 interview with Vidula Bhoyroo Safft for Swiss Internet Mind/Body website on "Healing and Prayer." Translated into Swiss and back into English for website in both languages.