I have been thinking tonight about what I believe makes a good healthcare provider. I've been defining in my mind what I think it is that makes the healers in my personal and professional network unique, and what makes me special as an Ayurvedic Practitioner. In my perspective, Holistic Healers are a special bunch, and here's why: we are personally invested in our patients' wellbeing. In addition to the time spent with us in sessions, we freely give much of our own time and energy to help others heal. We rearrange our whole lives to see patients with unforgiving work schedules, provide a sounding board for personal struggles, and allow people to have the experience of being truly heard and seen. With us, you're not "in-and-out" in five minutes. We make special arrangements with patients in tight financial circumstances, even sometimes when we feel the hit to our own wallets. We think about you when you're not in the office, and we genuinely have your best interests at heart.
Personally, if I'm going to choose someone to trust with my healing, I want it to be the person who will tell me the truth about what they see, even when it's hard to hear or makes me angry at them. I want to know that they have only my best and highest good in mind so that I can trust them when they tell me they are seeing progress, and I can't see it myself because the road to whole health has been so long. When I visit a healthcare provider, I want someone who will listen to my concerns, answer my questions, and respect my input about my own healing process. I want the kind of healer who can be contacted when I need a question answered, and who won't make me wait a week for a response. I want the healthcare provider who will cry with me because they can feel my pain and they have chosen to engage in the struggle with me. I want someone who celebrates my triumphs with me and coaches me through defeat. That is the type of person I want in my corner when I need healing, and that is the kind of practitioner that I strive to be.
So know that if you are my patient, I will never give up on you. I will be fully present in each session, giving you the best care that I have to offer. I will make jokes when we have to talk about potentially awkward topics, and my office will always be a safe space for you to express yourself. My office is a judgment-free zone. I will make every treatment recommendation from an energetic space of truly seeking your best and highest good. If I ever believe that you could benefit from the help of another healthcare provider, I will refer you to them without any fears of "losing business" to "the competition". Healing is not about business. Healing is a profession, and I will uphold the ethics of that profession through respecting what I believe is a sacred trust between patient and provider. I will listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and speak hard truths when I believe that you need to hear them. If you are my patient, we are in this together.
What gives me hope about the future of healthcare in the modern world is that I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Many naturopathic physicians, medical doctors, energy healers, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and chiropractors share this same perspective: that we are here to help others in every way possible. I know that you're all out there, and I'm grateful for every one of you. And to all my patients out there reading this: know that I'm extremely grateful for each one of you. I am honored by your presence each time you show up in my office. Thank you.
~ For more information about Michelle Garber and her work, visit www.michelleayurveda.com
~ To make an appointment with Michelle, contact her directly at [email protected]