LGBT Integrative Health Resources

5 LGBT Integrative Health Resources

As more and more research shows the benefits of alternative medicine, hospitals and medical schools around the country are increasing their use of integrative health, a medical approach that combines the “whole-body” view of holistic medicine with the research-based practice of traditional medicine. Integrative health has many proponents who believe that viewing the patient as a whole person instead of focusing solely on the disease can create lasting health benefits and encourage self-care through mindfulness, exercise, nutrition counseling, and stress reduction.

At LGBT community centers and medical facilities around the country, many of the most promising aspects of integrative health are being implemented in ways that include:

• Support the health of LGBT youth through integrative approaches
• Help HIV-positive community members manage their treatment
• Encourage decisions that promote long-term physical health and mental well-being

5 Integrative Health Centers for the LGBT Community

These five resources are only a few of the community centers already providing excellent integrative health services to the LGBT community, and you can bet that we’ll see more as the integrative health field continues to grow:

1 Quest Center for Integrative Health

Originally founded as a support center for people living with HIV and AIDS, this Portland, Oregon community health center now provides a wide range of integrative health services for the LGBT community. From chronic pain treatment to mental health services, Quest Center’s psychologists and social workers focus on community health and evidence-based practice to provide services to patients, regardless of whether they’re insured or not. Quest Center for Integrative Health also offers yoga and acupuncture, as well as alcohol and drug recovery programs aimed at helping at-risk populations.

2 RECLAIM Integrative Health Services

RECLAIM is a Twin Cities center for LGBT youth, offering a wide range of integrative health services to support mental and physical well-being. Integrative health professionals, including therapists, nutritionists, and chiropractors, meet with LGBT youth to promote self-care and physical health through a variety of integrative health approaches, preparing young members of the community to cope with the stress of coming out, building confidence through open conversations in one-on-one and group settings. RECLAIM focuses on using integrative health to show LGBT youth how mental and physical self-care can improve their lives during what can be a very difficult period in their lives.

3 Trillium Health

Trillium Health, based in Rochester, NY, started out as AIDS Care and has since transitioned to provide even more integrative health options for members of the LGBT community. Trillium provides on-site rapid testing for sexually-transmitted infections, primary care for members of the community, and supportive services, including transportation and housing. By approaching well-being from an integrative health perspective, Trillium is able to support the LGBT community’s health through outreach and specialty care, moving beyond simply treating and managing diseases and into encouraging the health of the community.

4 Whitman-Walker Health

Based in Washington, DC, this community health center has specialized in treating the LGBT community since 1978. Like many other integrative health providers, Whitman-Walker clinic began as a leader in treating HIV and AIDS, and has since expanded its practice to include integrative services like therapeutic massage, reiki, and diabetes management. Whitman-Walker is also the home of the Mautner Project, which addresses care disparities for LGBT individuals dealing with cancer and educates other care providers on the unique healthcare challenges facing the LGBT community.

5 Howard Brown Health Center

As one of the country’s largest LGBT healthcare providers, it’s no wonder that Chicago’s Howard Brown Health Center provides integrative health services to complement its medical treatment options. In addition to primary medical care, community services, and support groups, Howard Brown Health Center provides an array of information for patients to connect to integrative health services that support ongoing mental and physical health, healthy aging, and chronic disease management. Through the Lesbian Community Cancer Project and Broadway Youth Center, Howard Brown Health Center provides services to underserved members of the community dealing with a wide variety of health issues.

It’s clear that integrative health is becoming a major part of medical practice, and it’s encouraging to see so many LGBT community centers and health providers researching ways to incorporate a whole-person approach into treatment and counseling. As more clinics address the need for LGBT-specific healthcare, we’re sure to see a wider range of integrative health approaches that go beyond whole-person and look to examine the role of self-care and wellness within the community. What other LGBT Community integrative health centers should we showcase?