Community Medicine Circles: Integrative, Ecological Medicine
View all past recordings here:
Join Dr. Anna O'Malley in exploring the health and resilience that comes from attuning to what we need to be well, and the relationship between caring for ourselves and caring for the Earth.
Open to all, these calls are also a component of Anna's primary care practice within the local community health center. They are an aspect of her initiative to develop models of care both within and alongside our health care system that allow for depth of understanding, connection, and ecological consciousness in our healing work. As in all sectors, healthcare is in need of an ecological paradigm shift.
Our intention is to weave connection, breakdown isolation, improve health and health sovereignty, keep ourselves out of the hospital, and to make ourselves more available for a joyful, vibrantly healthy life.
Each call will focus on how our bodies work, what they need to be in balance, how our choices and relationships (including with plants and the natural world) can optimize our health and our relationship with the Earth. We will consider structural and psychological barriers to changing behaviors, layering in the science on how socioeconomic and racial disparities impact our health, and what we can do about it, in community. Building skills and understanding empowers us to be healthier, and less likely to be dependent on medications that may cause harm. Growing culinary and medicinal plants is a path toward a healing relationship with yourself and the Earth, as well as food sovereignty. This is a community concern--only when we center these conversations on justice and inclusivity for all members in our community do we collectively become well.
These "circles" will be held on Zoom, and we will allow time for questions and sharing following the presentation.
This series is a collaboration between the Coastal Health Alliance and Natura Institute for Ecology and Medicine, and is held by donation. Your support is deeply appreciated and allows us to make this content accessible to all. Thank you!
Please register for each session individually with the links provided.
2023-2024 Community Medicine Circles
September 20, 6:30-7:45 pm
Food as Medicine: From the Soil to the Systems
We are what we eat, and we can literally prevent and reverse disease using nourishing food. We will discuss inflammation, blood sugar, risk of vascular disease, and more, as well as dialogue about how we can nourish and grow our local food systems to ensure everyone has access to this form of healing.
October 18, 6:30-7:45 pm
Cancer–Tending our terrain
In our modern world we are exposed to many things that can increase our risk of cancer. We will talk about ways to decrease risk as well as how to tend our bodies and minds to make our bodies unfriendly to cancer cells. We will discuss ways we can work toward a society that does not cause cancer and a supportive community structure to decrease our collective risk.
November 15, 6:30-7:45 pm
Chronic Fatigue/Long COVID
We are living in a very challenging time. Many of us are suffering greatly. Rates of suicide are on the rise, especially among young people. Join us for an exploration of some of the ways we can support our mental and emotional wellbeing from an integrative medicine perspective, as well as when and how medicines and different types of therapy can help.
December 20, 6:30-7:45 pm
Sleep, Rest, and Turning inward
Good sleep is essential for our health, immune function, wellbeing and longevity. Join us in a conversation about how to improve our sleep and our wellbeing, without medications.
January 17, 6:30-7:45 pm
Stress Management/Adrenal Support
There are so many sources of stress in our lives, some of which we cannot change. Toxic, sustained stress causes harm and illness. We will discuss ways to unwind, relax, and manage our stress, and support our adrenal system.
February 28, 6:30-7:45 pm
Women’s Health/Reproductive Health
Women’s bodies are amazingly complex; the ability to bring life into the world (and to choose whether and when to do so) reveals just how intricate our systems are. Join is in exploring this ability, with special focus on supporting fertility.
March 20, 6:30-7:45 pm
Self-care, community care
Taking care of ourselves is a radical act. Slowing down and prioritizing your wellbeing ripples out and benefits those around you and all of life on this planet. We will support each other in strategies to make this real in our lives, in community.
April 17, 6:30-7:45 pm
Healthy Digestion and Elimination
Bringing nutrients into our body and letting go of the waste is central to our health. Problems in this function have major health effects. Join us to talk about supporting these essential functions, naturally.
May 15, 6:30-7:45 pm
Cleansing and Repairing
Spring is such a wonderful time to refresh, to lighten, to renew. We will look at how periodic cleansing can support our overall health, and how living close to nature including the wild greens of spring support this.
June 19, 6:30-7:45 pm
Movement as Medicine
Our bodies are made to move…and being sedentary accelerates aging, increases risk of dementia, diabetes, heart disease, all things degenerative. Let’s explore how we can get moving into this medicine.
Thank you for all you are doing to care for yourself,
your community, and the Earth.