On Invalidation: How being told “nothing is wrong” turns a patient into an Integrative and Functional Medicine Doctor
Dr. Gelane Gemechisa explains how she came to integrative and functional medicine and why she joined the District Center for Integrative Medicine.
There must be more to medicine than managing symptoms…
I stepped into my office and closed the door behind me after what felt like a sprint through 20+ patient appointments. As I dropped into my chair, disappointment lingered like a cloud, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was bothering me. My day had been a normal day in the life of a “modern physician:” managing hypertension and diabetes, the occasional thyroid disorder, and chronic pain. The source of my dissatisfaction was clear: even on the best day, I was still just managing symptoms. Patients temporarily fared better, but were not truly improving, not truly healing. This can’t be all there is to medicine.
Integrative and Functional Medicine: A passion born out of personal experience
As the child of an immigrant family that embraces traditional therapies, my interest in integrative and functional medicine long preceded my desire to be a physician. But my conventional medical education in the United States didn’t tap into that interest. In fact, it was not until I experienced my own health issues as a doctor that my belief in an alternative approach to medicine took on new urgency.
What started as mild tiredness at the end of a workday evolved into constant debilitating fatigue followed by a frustrating burst of energy late in the evening and difficulty falling asleep. Tired, achy and in a perpetual brain fog, I saw my primary care physician who did the usual labs and physical exams.
Typical medicine’s response to my dis-ease: “There’s nothing wrong”
As I expected and feared, the results of my tests were stone cold normal. My physician told me nothing major was wrong. He sent me on my way with some basic lifestyle change suggestions.
Despite already knowing the workup and advice I would and did receive, I still remember how invalidating it felt to hear those words: “There’s nothing wrong.” But I knew that something wasn’t right. My non-diagnosis was a complete let down and a dismissal of what I was experiencing physically. My nagging conscience insisted something really was wrong and could be fixed. That fleeting thought I had about my patients sitting in my office came rushing back: There must be more to medicine than this! And now, I’m the patient that needed that new approach!
A conversion: From patient to practitioner
After months of researching, I decided to try an integrative practitioner. The clouds soon parted and manna fell from heaven. Okay, well, not quite, but it felt pretty darn close to that. My doctor started by listening to my story, the whole story, of how I’d arrived at the place I was with my symptoms. She ordered a comprehensive advanced diagnostic test based on my history and, bingo, there in plain view were all the abnormalities I was feeling reflected in numbers and graphs. Validation! Knowing the problem is half the solution and I remember truly feeling better with just the knowledge of what was causing my symptoms. I started on a detoxification and rebalancing plan through nutrition and supplementation. I experienced significant improvements within a few weeks. More importantly, the long-term positive trend continues to this day!
Practicing the right approach to medicine at DCIM
Though my path was difficult, I am grateful to have faced firsthand what it’s like when conventional medicine simply falls short addressing a health problem. Fueled by this experience, my goal in working with patients is to first and most importantly understand the whole person. My practice of medicine must allow the time and the resources to understand everything that is contributing to the presentation of a patient’s symptoms. Equally important, I need the space to appreciate the experience of those symptoms. Only after creating a shared understanding of the full picture, can doctor and patient embark on the healing journey, allowing and assisting the body to find its true path. I am here because of DCIM’s commitment to these principles.
Looking forward to working together
I believe the ultimate ambition of the body and mind is to be well. For whatever reason, we occasionally allow more immediate demands or desires to sabotage this goal. My role, as a partner in your return to well-being, is to unmask and clarify where these areas of interference are and what can be done about them. I very much look forward to the opportunity of working with you on your goals to restore robust health in your life.
More about me
I am a board-certified Family Medicine physician and certified life coach, treating patients with a variety of conditions including hormone dysfunction, autoimmune disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and degenerative musculoskeletal disorders. I employ an approach to understanding both symptoms and the experience of the symptoms that allows for a dynamic partnership to help restore wellness to the whole being.
To begin your return to well-being, together, we will first gain a clear understanding of your current state of health including the use of cutting-edge diagnostics to determine the root of the problem. Just as one’s health does not deteriorate overnight; a true reversal of the disease process will also take time. However, it truly is better to do what is meaningful rather than what is expedient, especially when it comes to health. I joined DCIM because of their commitment to and embodiment of this tenet.
I am thrilled to be part of your journey toward restored well-being, and I look forward to working together to bring about your most robust, thriving health!
Education and Credentials
Medical Education:
Education
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Family Medicine Residency Training
- University of Maryland School of Medicine: Degree in Medicine
- Drexel University: B.S. in Biology, Minor in Psychology
Training
- Board Certified by American Board of Family Medicine
- Functional Medicine Training: Institute for Functional Medicine
- Certified Life Coach, Life Coach Training Institute, San Diego, CA
Clinical Experience
- Full spectrum Family Medicine at a Federally Qualified Health Center with chronic disease management focus
- Integrative Medicine with experience in bio-identical hormone replacement, mistletoe therapy and stem cell therapy
- Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group- Lead physician for Adult and Family Medicine, Marlow Heights Medical Center
Personal Interests
- Functional Nutrition
- Anti-aging Medicine
- African Traditional Medicine
- Psychology of belief, Maps of Meaning
- Travel, singing, history
About DCIM
The team at District Center for Integrative Medicine specializes in helping patients get to the root cause of their conditions. If you’re looking for 1-on-1 help from naturopathic doctors who care, request a free consultation today!
