Integrative medicine is a rapidly growing field, highlighting the importance of combining conventional medical treatments with complementary and alternative approaches to achieve holistic health and well-being. This assertion is supported by an article published in Integrative Medicine Research, which found that the number of publications on integrative medicine doubled from 2012 to 2021.
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH ON THE RISE
As the demand for more holistic and patient-focused care continues to increase, so does the demand for exceptional educators who teach at integrative health-focused institutions. The faculty members at ACHS embody the essence of knowledge, mentorship, and inspiration. Their dedication and expertise help to shape the educational landscape for students seeking a comprehensive education in integrative health and wellness.
This week we highlight 4 distinguished faculty members who go above and beyond inside and outside the classroom. These seasoned professors share their backgrounds and what the advancement of evidence-based, integrative health and wellness education means to them.
MEET OUR EDUCATORS
Jacqui McGrath, ND
Professor
Dr. Jacqui McGrath teaches a range of graduate and undergraduate courses at ACHS in Herbal Medicine and Integrative Health. She particularly loves teaching stress management as it's at the core of integrative health and allows her to share the hopeful science of neuroplasticity and positive psychology with students. Botany is another favorite subject because it allows her to ignite students' wonder about our alliances with botanicals and nature itself.
Dr. McGrath reminds students it's never too late to become the healthiest version of ourselves and that we are wired for resilience and healing. She believes self-compassion is essential for optimal health and wellness and is the doorway to establishing self-care routines that fill our cup and allow us to serve others.
Dr. McGrath began teaching at ACHS in 2017. Her interest in integrative health started with her mother's cancer diagnosis in 1981. Her mother was a nurse, and the diagnosis motivated her to learn from cancer survivors about nutrition, energy medicine, and more. She survived and soon had a following of others wanting to learn how the body can heal itself if given the right conditions. When Dr. McGrath found the field of naturopathic medicine, she knew it was an ideal path to continue her mother's legacy of sharing a scientifically based holistic approach to healing.
Integrative practitioners are fueling a revolution in today's healthcare landscape and I'm thrilled to be a part of it here at ACHS," states Dr. McGrath. "We are helping transform conventional healthcare in a myriad of ways, substantiating the importance of a mind-body-spirit approach with our successes in helping people heal from complex, chronic, and sometimes "incurable" illnesses with natural means.
Jimmy Godard, BS, MS, MBA, DM
Assistant Professor
Dr. Jimmy Godard has been teaching business, marketing, and research courses at ACHS since the fall of 2022. He is driven by the guiding principle: "The more I learn, the more I realize I do not know.” This philosophy has driven his commitment to education and research, a journey that began in high school and extended through his college years. He finds that imparting knowledge to others enhances his understanding and creates a sense of fulfillment. After a 26-year tenure in the financial sector, he is now drawn to academia, specifically to teaching business and marketing, and the public sector as he is now the Chief Technology Officer for the State of Oregon.
Dr. Godard's passion for business and entrepreneurship and his admiration for success stories drive his commitment to educating future entrepreneurs. He aims to shift the narrative from viewing success as a rare occurrence in business to recognizing it as the norm, thereby reducing the frequency of business failures.
Dr. Godard's background in the Caribbean, where his grandmother utilized traditional herbal remedies, underlines his belief in the efficacy of integrative health care (IHC). This is underscored by the National Institute of Health's acknowledgment and validation of ICH as a viable approach to healthcare. He believes "the practice of comprehensive, personalized healthcare delivery emphasizes psychological, social, individualized, and holistic health domains." While Western medicine often focuses on symptomatic treatment, he feels IHC crucially adopts a holistic approach, addressing the medical, behavioral, environmental, and biological aspects of health.
Learn more about Dr. Godard and his recent trip to Ethiopia, where he and his team provided critical aid to communities in need.
Lisa M. Warman, BS, MLS E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP
Associate Professor, Director of Peer Tutoring
Professor Lisa Warman has been on the faculty at ACHS since the fall of 2018. She is a professor of English Composition and an E-RYT 200 and RYT-500 yoga and meditation teacher. Her students taught her that integrative health is the most important reason they come to ACHS. Almost all stated they sought an integrative method for themselves or someone they know.
Professor Warman began her career as a yoga teacher because she wanted to learn more about the esoteric nature of the practice. Going to class and moving through sequences led her to know there is more to yoga than asana, so she enrolled in yoga teacher training. The practice of yoga has transcended from teacher to student for thousands of years, and she feels privileged to continue sharing the discipline.
The epithet Professor Warman shares with students is "one who loves to teach and lives to learn. I honestly love teaching; it is the essence of who I am.” She finds it impossible to choose a favorite class and feels it's more about the students she teaches than the content. Whether teaching yoga, meditation, breathwork, English Composition I, or English Composition II, the class in front of her is her favorite.
According to Yoga Alliance (2023), "In the United States, 38.4 million Americans (11 percent) practiced yoga in 2022, up from 36.7 million in 2016." While these numbers are impressive, statistics show that underserved communities are often excluded. Professor Warman's goal for 2024 is to share the practice with those who don’t have access.
Lori Holdren, BS, MA, PhD
Dean of General Education
Dr. Lori Holdren began teaching at ACHS in 2018. When she was an undergraduate, she first majored in marine biology but soon switched majors after discovering she was much better at mathematics than biological sciences. Following acceptance to the University of Arizona in Tucson, she was granted a teaching assistantship, where she developed a passion for teaching. Upon graduation, she began her career as a college professor in mathematics.
Dr. Holdren has enjoyed teaching Quantitative Reasoning (MTH 101 & MTH 201), Strengthening Reasoning and Writing Skills Online (PHL 101), and Assessment and Integration of Research Online (RES 501). However, she has a particular affinity for MTH 101 because she loves hearing students say, "I finally get this!" and "Math isn't as bad as I thought!"
Although Dr. Holdren focuses on mathematics and general education, she finds fulfillment in teaching students working towards a degree in integrative health. She believes "integrative health allows for a broader look at a person's health and well-being, offering a blend of care options to best meet an individual's needs."
FORGING A PATH TO SUCCESS
Our ACHS educators are contributing to the proliferation and expansion of holistic medicine. A 2018 article titled Integrative Medicine as a Vital Component of Patient Care determines that integrating integrative medicine into patient care will likely reduce patient distress, pain, and associated hospital costs. However, low caregiver knowledge of integrative medicine options may be a barrier to reaching this goal. This highlights the importance of increasing access to integrative health and wellness education, a role proudly filled by the staff and faculty at ACHS.
Sources:
Song, E., Ang, L., & Lee, M. S. (2022). Increasing trends and impact of integrative medicine research: From 2012 to 2021. Integrative Medicine Research, 11(4), 100884. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9424573/#Gannotta, R., Malik, S., Chan, A. Y., Urgun, K., Hsu, F., & Vadera, S. (2018). Integrative Medicine as a Vital Component of Patient Care. Cureus, 10(8), e3098. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6173273/
Yoga Alliance. (2023, November 15). First of Its Kind Global Study of Yoga Reveals Stress Management and Mental Health Are Driving Growing Interest and Participation, Yet Many Underserved Communities Are Largely Left Out –. Yoga Alliance Blog. Retrieved January 16, 2024, from https://blog.yogaalliance.org/2023/11/15/press-release-yoga-in-the-world-research-study/
