This Doctor Doesn't Want You To Rely On Him (And He Has A Great Reason Why)

Is going to see the doctor really good for your health? Or, should we be seeking other people to help us heal? The correct answer is the latter. I recognize this is a weird thing to hear from a doctor. And it’s imperative to note, I have no disrespect for the empathetic, caring, and compassionate people who share my profession. But in my experience, I’ve determined the best advice I can give to patients is: Don't rely on your doctor alone.

Unfortunately, along with many of my colleagues, I succumbed to burnout from the health care system, or more accurately named, the "medical industry," that seems to care more about profits than people. It was time for a fresh prescription for health, for both myself and my patients. And so, I left a "good" corporate job, took a leap of faith, and created my own practice: FRESH Med.

I try to be a pretty good doctor, but I’m better when I'm part of a larger team. What’s special about our team is that most of us are dual-trained, including me: I’m board-certified in both internal and integrative medicine. So, if you come to me with a challenging case of irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid condition, or diabetes and think I practice only conventional medicine, you might think, Dr. Graham is just going to send me off with a script for a pill. But if you know integrative medicine is "the name of my game," then you’ll know I prescribe a holistic prescription to health for all my patients. If you work with our team of experts, you can rest assured that your care embodies the best of both worlds: conventional and complementary medicine. We practice collaborative, evidence-based health care.

In positive psychology, we learn that "other people matter," meaning we cannot do it alone and we need each other to thrive, both personally and professionally. Creating your own health care super team, or family, allows each one of those people to truly focus on their strengths to give you the best care possible.