My name is Kammi. Almost a decade ago, I started having seizures that did not fit the mold for any specific diagnosis. My spine would lock anytime I rested, leaving me immobile.

I didn’t know what to do at first. I gathered the best doctors in the country, much like some people collect rare stamps, and I sought explanations of the mind-body connection.

My research led me to George Engel’s biopsychosocial model, which he coined in 1977. This highly efficient medical modality is an ideal whole-person, holistic wellness model, as opposed to the more commonly used biomedical model.

The biomedical model is a sick model. The biopsychosocial model promotes wellness by integrating biological, psychological, and social factors.

I achieved a level of healing that shocked trained professionals because I adapted and applied this particular whole-person model, the biopsychosocial-spiritual model.

The exciting news is that a growing body of studies is proving that holistic, whole-person care improves health outcomes. This model is gaining traction as individuals request holistic practices. More practitioners in the medical and mental health fields are adopting practices like the Primary Care Behavioral Health model (PCBH), where therapists and doctors work in tandem in the same clinic. In the United States, there is even an agency dedicated to researching and raising awareness of whole-person care models, the NCCIH. 

However, there are a few things you should know. 

First, although awareness and implementation are growing, they are growing slowly enough that we are not seeing major shifts.

Second, most everyday individuals haven’t heard of these studies and modalities.

I never want another human to suffer and dig the way that I did for information that is out there. It does exist. Whole-person wellness is possible.

Join me in a revolution to change the face of healthcare globally. Imagine what might happen if we raise our voices together.

Could we get the attention of the nation? Of the world?

How might medical and mental health practices change if we rallied together for a better model of care?

References:

Cooper, Z.W., Wolfer, T.A. Conceptualizing the Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Health Influences of Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Application of Primary Care Behavioral Health for Their Treatment. J Relig Health 63, 619–639 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01928-y

Engel G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science (New York, N.Y.), 196(4286), 129–136. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.847460

Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American journal of preventive medicine, 14(4), 245-258.

Herman PM, Pitcher MH, Langevin HM. Making a Case for Whole Person Health. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. 2024;13. doi:10.1177/27536130241293642