The Modern Alchemy of Western and Transpersonal Medicine

Event will acquaint health-care professionals with transpersonal techniques, including shamanism

A “transpersonal” approach to medicine that addresses the spiritual dimension, allowing clinicians and patients to experience health and illness as dynamic and transformative processes — for both doctor and patient — is the subject of the day-long October workshop “The Modern Alchemy of Western and Transpersonal Medicine,” that will explore bridging modern western medical traditions with age-old spiritual practices such as shamanism. 

Transpersonal medicine refers to healing that arises from sources beyond the self and the western medical tradition. The workshop will include demonstrations that will elucidate how such transpersonal approaches as shamanism can be incorporated into western patient-care settings, such as hospitals and hospice settings.

Presented by Yolo Hospice, the event will be held on Sunday, Oct. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Stonegate Country Club, 919 Lake Blvd., Davis, CA. Breakfast will be provided by Yolo Hospice partner Comfort Keepers; lunch will be provided by Yolo Hospice partner Carlton Senior Living, Davis. There is no fee for attendance, however, attendance will be limited. The courtesy of an RSVP is required. To RSVP, please contact Yolo Hospice at 530-601-5778. 

The workshop is intended for health-care professionals and others supporting patients in the palliative and hospice care arenas, as well as those seeking to explore the use of transpersonal medicine for patients, to alleviate their emotional, existential, and spiritual suffering endured by their loved ones. It will be an overview of the need for an expanded model of healthcare — a transpersonal model — and how it functions differently from biomedical and biopsychosocial models.

The event will center on a presentation by two nationally respected palliative and hospice care physicians, and three experienced practitioners of transpersonal medicine. It will offer attendees new approaches to helping patients of all ages experiencing life-limiting conditions, by addressing both existential suffering and symptom management, these innovative but age-old approaches will be presented with real case examples. 

Participants will have the opportunity to experience transpersonal methods of healing during several experiential activities, to better understand how this highly effective approach works with patients.  Attendees will be given practical suggestions and concrete examples of how to incorporate these approaches into their work with their own patients.

Presenters will include:

David Steinhorn, M.D., F.A.A.P, a nationally known specialist in pediatric critical care, palliative care and hospice medicine. In 2011 and 2018, Steinhorn was honored with the American Academy of Pediatrics Service Award and, in 2019, he was honored by the Academy with the “Pioneer in Integrative Medicine Award.” Widely published in peer-reviewed journals, Steinhorn is a frequent lecturer nationally and internationally, and holds several patents. He currently is professor of clinical pediatrics at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C.

Patrick Macmillan, M.D., F.A.C.P., is associate clinical professor and Chief of Hospice and Palliative Care at the University of California, San Francisco, Fresno. He is board certified in internal medicine, psychiatry and hospice and palliative medicine. Macmillan has an extensive list of honors, including the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Teaching and Humanism Award. Macmillan completed the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition training and continues to study and practice shamanism. 

Jana Din, co-founder and director of the Tao Center for Healing in Sacramento and a shamanic healer, teacher and national speaker, has provided over 100 healing services for critically ill children, their families and the clinicians who care for them, in a unique collaboration with Dr. Steinhorn. It is her privilege to provide shamanic healing in hospitals, hospices and around the nation, to help patients, families and healthcare providers discover the spiritual meaning in the challenges and experiences a person faces when seriously or terminally ill. 

Itzhak Beery is a leading international shamanic teacher, healer, speaker, community activist and author of three Amazon bestsellers books. Since 1995, he has bridged the spiritual and practical wisdom his indigenous teachers entrusted in him with a powerful contemporary approach relevant to our stressful and unbalanced modern times. He is on the faculties of the Kripalu Center, New York Open Center, The Shift Network, Sounds True, CoSM, Faiths Seminary International and is a staff teacher at the Omega Institute where he was a Hermitage Program honorary guest.

The Reverend Anna-Maria Lopez is a founder of the Centre for Harmony Healing. She is an ordained spiritual leader, shamanic teacher of The Pachakuti Mesa Cross Cultural Shamanic Arts for Personal and Planetary Renewal and has an active hospice and palliative care ministry. Lopez has been walking the path of Shamanic Healing for over 30 years. She has used native prayers, drumming, sound therapy and hands-on healing prayers of compassionate comfort for patients and their families. Lopez works closely with Dr. Macmillan.