Biometric research validates POWER program

In 2018, Center for Council began training roughly 200 police and correctional officers in POWER—Peace Officer Wellness, Empathy & Resilience. Along with Jared Seide and LT Rich Goerling, I helped design POWER to be an intensive 12-week, nationally certified course aimed to support first responders’ physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Both sworn and non-sworn…

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The Importance of Dirt

Farmer tending the crops

I think the health of all things-from microbes to plants to animals to humans-depends on our soil. The importance of dirt, cannot be understated. Bonnie Kaplan, a PhD researcher in Canada has tested soils across her country, and with surprise and dismay found that none of them contains optimal nutrients. Without nutritious soil, plants can’t…

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Addressing America’s Physician burnout epidemic with compassion

Physician health support Dr Ann Seide Integrative medicine

Physician burnout has reached epidemic levels with more than 50% of US physicians reporting symptoms of burnout. Research shows that 24% of ICU nurses tested positive for symptoms of PTSD, 33 % of new registered nurses seek another job within a year and as many as 400 US physicians die by suicide each year – more than twice that of the…

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Tackling burnout on the front line: LAPD case study

Police officer_integrative medicine example program_LAPD Case study

In 2019, the non-profit organization Center for Council heard the call to bring compassion-based training into law enforcement. As the only certified council trainer who is also a physician, I consulted with Center for Council on developing this program. The Peace Officer Wellness, Empathy & Resilience (POWER) Training Program is an intensive and interactive six-month…

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Anti-inflammatory diet, tips & recipes

Anti inflammatory foods integrative nutrition

It is becoming clear that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Dietary choices play a big role alongside stress, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition, and exposure to toxins (like secondhand tobacco smoke) in contributing to chronic inflammation. Learning how to use diet to reduce…

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