FAQs
What is a Holistic Doctor?
A Holistic Doctor is a medical doctor who takes an expanded viewpoint regarding healthcare. Holistic means looking at the whole. This can mean exploring diet and nutrition, movement and physicality, sleep, relationships, values, meanings, mental, spiritual and emotional well-being. It is a doctor who embraces the principles of nature, who uses philosophy and creativity to help you achieve optimal well-being.
What is Holistic Medicine?
Holistic medicine has been around for thousands of years. Many of the traditional medical systems are considered holistic, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and Indigenous medicine. It considers not only the individual, but how the individual interacts with the whole, incorporating relationships, the environment, nutrition, emotional and mental well-being. Holism is not hierarchical, meaning one aspect is not necessarily more important than the other, but by looking at the whole, and supporting the whole, a person can not only regain health but well-being too. When we support a part, we support the whole.
What is health?
Health is more than the absence of disease. A person may not have a diagnosis but still not feel well. The wellness industry has been supporting this notion for the last few years. Stress, anxiety, fatigue and chronic disease are all at epidemic proportions. We may be richer in material goods but are we richer in health and well-being? Health is an expression of our life-force, our vitality and akin to a personal sense of aliveness.
We have been bombarded with confusing and polarising “health” messages, which has become more fuelled over the past decade with the rise of social media and marketing. This confusion has led to anxiety and stress for many and a reliance on medication as the only form of health intervention.
Health is something we can take charge of, we can take ownership of, in fact it is one of the most vital resources we have to living a good life.
What is Mind-Body Medicine?
Mind-body medicine is acknowledging the influence and potential power the mind has on the body and the body has on the mind. It is a two-way system, which communicates constantly with each other. It is under-utilised in modern medicine and is one of the most potentially transforming aspects of healthcare. There are multiple techniques to engage the mind-body connection, from exercise to meditation, brain and body nutrition, somatic exercises, poetry, experiential exercises and more.
It is often a critical and missed factor in many people’s chronic disease journeys.
Can I book a GP appointment with Michelle?
Please note that Dr Michelle no longer practices as a regular GP, she specialises in Anxiety Management, Peri-Menopause, Stress and Burnout. Her approach is best suited to those looking to understand the root-cause of their ill-health or struggles. She incorporate mind-body medicine and neuro-biology techniques to support people in innovative eays.
Dr Michelle's 1:1 appointments are on:
Tuesdays in Highett 5 Beaumaris parade, Highett +613
Thursday: at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine +613 9804 0646
email: hello@theholisticgp.com.au
How do I know if I’m anxious?
There are many different types of anxiety, one common one is called generalised anxiety disorder, or GAD, for short. It is characterised by being anxious about a whole raft of different situations, issues, fears or worries.
People commonly experience:
• Excessive worry
• Feeling restless or on edge
• Feeling muscle tension or fatigue
• Being irritable, lack focus or easily emotional
• Have sleeping issues
Anxiety can be related to relationship to others or to yourself, existential anxiety, finances, work, achievements and other matters.
How do I know if I'm stressed?
Stress may or may not come alongside anxiety, however when you feel anxious your body is naturally in a state of stress, but you can feel stressed without feeling anxiety. Stress is akin to pressure and load. Stress comes when we reach our capacity to cope with the load. Stress can impact our bodies physiology, leading to fatigue, sugar, salt and alcohol cravings, lowered immunity, poor sleep, inflammation, muscle tension, irritability, poor focus and an emotional feeling of pressure or tension, to name a few.
It is important to respect how you feel, as one person’s response to a stressful event can be entirely different to another’s.
One of my favourite scales in assessing stress is called the Stress Perception Scale. If you are interested you can click this link and see how you fare.
How do I know if I'm burnt out?
Burn-out is characterised by 3 factors:
• Energy depletion or exhaustion
• Feelings of negativity, cynicism and mental distancing from “one’s job”.
• A reduction in competency and efficacy.
By definition it is related to work, however in my practice I see burn out in women whose main role is home duties, in partners supporting partners enduring long held struggles and students.
The particular difference with burnout, is the feature of exhaustion, and lacking further endurance to cope. It is often associated with stress, but anxiety may or may not be a feature.
Burnout also can be associated with despondency, boredom and despair.
Why should I read the book?
It is a rare person indeed that isn’t somewhat affected by anxiety, stress and burnout, either personally, professionally or a loved one.
In my opinion, I don’t think we manage it well in the medical field and would love to see us embrace this major cultural issue with a wider perspective.
The book is written for you, it is written in a way that you feel like you are in a consultation or on retreat with me.
The stories are gathered over decades of experience to share with you the wealth of wisdom that is held in the heart of so many great teachers, healers, sages, poets and wise elders.
I want to have new skills to use, new ways to own your heart, your body and your mind, new ways to understand the messages your body is giving you. I want to learn how much power and influence you innately have inside yourself to better approach your fears, rebalance your mind and find a path towards your aliveness that can never be taken away from you again.
I wrote the book, in the hope that you find your way.
Can my teenager read The Wonder Within?
I write The Wonder Within with the intention to make it an easy and accessible read for all. I have included a lot of stories to help the reader activate the story-telling aspects of their brain, this allows the reader to gain personalised insights that are relevant to them.
How do I order the book?
Your can order the book here
When will your online course be ready?
Thank you for asking. We are working on it and hope to have it for you ASAP! You can register your interest here and we will be in touch as soon as we launch.
Are you available for speaking engagements?
I am available for speaking engagements. Please email hello@theholisticgp.com.au for all enquiries. Please include your budget, audience numbers, venue details and goals of the event.
How do I stay connected with Dr Michelle?
On this website you can visit; Services, Resources, or connect with Michelle on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn
