What is Project HEAL America?

Summary

Healthcare as we know it today is not meeting the needs of the American people.  It is focused on a diagnosis instead of the cause of an ailment, it is a system for profit causing out of control costs associated with our healing and there is an over dependency on pharmaceuticals and invasive surgeries.  Project HEAL America is an initiative started through our non-profit holistic healing center, The HEAL Center, located in Ojai, California.  Through this non-profit we have developed a ground-breaking and unique integrative healthcare model that we want to bring to the world.  Project HEAL America is a vehicle not only for us to share this new model, but also to provide a platform for Americans to share their stories of healthcare (learn more at ProjectHealAmerica.com).  Our mission is to do all we can to see a healthier, happier humanity!

This campaign is to raise funds for training our practitioners, securing a space large enough to implement and pilot this innovative model while collecting the data we need to show it's success.  We need lab equipment to show diagnostic improvement, space for our team approach to healing to function within and we need to hire the appropriate trainers to ensure that our Western (doctors, nurses, physical therapists, etc.) and Eastern (acupuncturists, naturopaths, herbal remedy specialists, etc.) healing practitioners are all well-versed on natural healing techniques and integrative medicine, learn to operate as a team without self-importance, and engage in their own analysis of their ego, emotional triggers and personal needs.

We believe that together we can create a new healthcare for humanity!

Project specifics

Who we are: The HEAL Center

The HEAL Center is a holistic healing and learning center in Ojai, California.  We have 25+ holistic healing practitioners who provide our clients with natural methods of healing, balancing, and growing.  We see the effects of healing naturally on a daily basis, but realize that we are needing to bridge the gap between our system and the standard Western method of healing, which is what led us to design a system that can bring technological advancements and time-honored methods of natural healing together.

Project HEAL America

This project’s intent is to unite people in our shared desire to see healthcare transform into a system that supports true healing.  We believe that true healing is attained by finding the cause of an ailment as opposed to simply diagnosing and treating it in isolation from other issues within the being.  We also believe that our healthcare system cannot be driven from greed, power, conflict of interest, or ego.  

To unite people together we are asking for people to not only support the development of this new system, we are providing a platform for people to share their stories of how they healed naturally, how the current system failed them, or both.   Learn more about this initiative and submit your story at ProjectHealAmerica.com. 

Our new model of healthcare: HEAL Center for Integrative Health and Wellness

We have developed a model of healthcare that combines both Western (Doctors, nurses, clinical psychologists, nutritionists, physical therapists, etc.) and Eastern (acupuncturists, energy healers, naturopaths, herbal medicine practitioners, ayurvedic practitioners, etc.) modalities together to work with the whole of a person as a team to determine what they need physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to be the healthiest they can be.  This system is designed to be replicable in its business model, practitioner training model, team treatment approach and healing approach.  There are many integrated models out there, however most of those are built from or are contained within a Western model--the very model we know is not working.  We are not bound by the requirements of the typical Western system that prevent true change from occurring.

What it is like to come to the HEAL Center

When someone comes to our center they will be greeted warmly and treated as an equal in their healing.  A person may come to us for physical ailments, emotional or mental ailments, for personal growth, advice on their relationship or career or they may not know exactly why they come, they are just drawn to be there.  The first approach to our healing partnership is an initial consultation.  During this meeting the patient is asked about their mental & emotional state, their physical health, their career, their relationships with colleagues, friends and family, their upbringing and their life in general.  By engaging in this collaborative analysis between the patient and practitioner we are looking at the whole person, noticing patterns and beginning to make connections between all aspects of their life.  This information is then shared with our team of practitioners who will then determine the best course of action for that individual person's healing.  The patient is a team member along with the team of practitioners and can choose to take all suggestions, some, or none of them; the team will support the patient's decision regardless of what it is.  The healing for the patient is approached from the aspect of looking for the cause of the ailment followed by the use of any of the following: education, physical remedies, mental and emotional healing and clearing, or energetic balancing.  The amount and length of appointments will be dependent on each individual with constant recommendations and support from the team.

We Find the Cause of an Ailment Through a Team Approach

Our Team of practitioners look for the cause of ailments, not just diagnose an isolated issue and treat it with a band-aid cure or invasive pharmaceuticals and surgeries.  

Through this healthcare model, clients will engage in an intake process where they speak about their mental, physical, emotional, and energetic well-being along with speaking about nutrition, family, career, social life, spiritual journey, and personal history. Based on that initial consultation, the team of health practitioners will give recommendations of a health and healing plan that includes a multitude of healing modalities.

For example one person may come to the HEAL Center for lower back pain and could receive a recommendation to engage in any of the following: emotional clearing, x-rays, Myofascial Release, MRI, acupuncture, relationship counseling, nutritional coaching, etc. The client then has the choice to take some, all, or none of the recommendations made.

Within this process clients may receive a diagnosis for a medical concern, however, once again there will be no pharmaceuticals or invasive surgeries recommended and all treatments will be holistic, natural, and non-invasive. We believe the root cause of most illnesses, conditions, and dis-ease within the body is a result of a combination of emotional, mental and nutritional health.  We look to see what is not functioning within you to find the cause of your physical, emotional, or mental distress, therefore finding the cure.

Although we are firm with delivering only natural approaches to healing we do understand that there are times that pharmaceuticals and surgeries are needed so we will be prepared to refer clients to other facilities as needed.

Holistic & Natural Treatments

A holistic model means that we explore all aspects of a person.  Our team will ask about a person emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically.  They will ask about a person's relationships, home life, career, upbringing, nutrition, life journey and so on so  that they can determine how your life is affecting your health.  Once this is explored the team can then determine the best course of action for you to heal.  Examples of the treatments available will include naturopathic medicine, physical therapy, nutritional counseling, Chinese medicine, body alignment and mechanics, myofascial release, herbal remedies, energetic healing, meridian balancing and stabilization, emotional release, mental support and countless approaches to a natural way to treat the whole person.

Built on a Holistic Foundation

There are several features in this medical model that sets it apart from other systems. Where many systems are built on the foundation of a Western medical model and add in a few holistic approaches and practitioners into their current system, this model is built from a holistic foundation bringing Western practitioners in as equal team members, blending techniques and approaches to bring about a collaborative approach to health and wellness.

Unique Business Model that Keeps Self-Importance at Bay

Another unique feature is that this model does not support a hierarchy. All members of this model, including a medical doctor, receptionist, registered nurse, or holistic healing practitioner are of equal standing. Practitioners in this model are equal team members regardless of their training or degrees. We believe that perspective keeps self-importance at bay so that real work can be done. Indulgence of the ego does not contribute well to balance within an organization. After speaking with a local Naturopath she explained that she was involved in an integrated model that stemmed from the Western model.  When she arrived for her first day in this system a doctor pulled her aside and said, "Do you see that line?  Don't cross it; this side is for naturopaths and this side is for doctors."  We see how damaging the ego can be and it is our goal to temper that as much as we are able to ensure that our patients and colleagues are all treated with dignity and respect.  Within this model there are different roles people play and “executive” decisions must be made, however there is no personal importance attached to the roles we play along-side each other.  Our business model is a flower of life sphere, where all are equal, connected parts of a whole that together make an organization run.  Our front desk staff has a vital of a role as our doctors and we keep that reality in check.

A final unique feature comes through our practitioner training program. All practitioners, Eastern and Western, along with all staff members must be trained in the language and basic understanding of treating someone holistically. We have developed a series of trainings that provide a basic understanding of concepts such as the body’s meridians, Chinese medicine, using herbs, tinctures and remedies, the myofascial system, intuitive coaching, energetic healing, emotional releasing, etc. The uniqueness is that in addition to technical trainings we are requiring all of our practitioners and staff to go through the same personal healing methods we take our clients through - engaging in a process of healing old emotional baggage, personal triggers and needs, and receive ongoing support on their own journey.

We have designed three phases of development for our model.  

Phase I is our training and pilot phase, which this Indiegogo Campaign is funding.   Phase I is the most critical phase in that it:

• Sets up and validates our Western & Eastern practitioner training model 
• Solidifies our practitioners operating as a true team to support client healing
• Provides the ability to collect diagnostic data to show our system is effective
• Demonstrates our unique "spherical" business model that removes self-importance and ego from our system
• Allows us to pilot our system to work through intended and unintended intervening variables that may prevent our model from becoming replicable

Once we have our model in a position that it has proven effective, has operated successfully, and can be replicable we can then not only expand our operation, but we can begin promoting the vision around the country and potentially around the world.  

Phase II is where we integrate and expand into areas such as:

• Natural birthing
• Transitioning services
• Natural dentistry
• Growing our own medicinal herbs
• Long-term care for those moving through tough life experiences
• Expanding our Integrative Training Model to be offered to the public
• Developing a training and business model manual so that others can replicate the system

During this phase we will begin our income-based fee scale where those living below the poverty line will have the ability to receive services according to their income.  Our current HEAL Center offers donation only clinics twice a month and these will expand into our integrated system as often as we are able.

Phase II will also offer our training model to those outside of our system.  As we stated above, our training model provides a common understanding and common language for understanding and working within a system of natural treatment.  In addition, it brings practitioners through an analysis of their own ego, self-importance, emotional triggers, and personal needs.  By self-examining these personal aspects practitioners are better able to meet patients with humility and compassion.

Phase III allows us to expand even farther into developing retreat centers that will allow us to bring this model, the wisdom that it brings, and the self-healing techniques it offers to the masses.  We will expand into services for the homeless and at-risk.  It will also expand into physically building these centers around our country and our world.  

What We Need & What You Get

We are asking for $111,000.  These funds are to go toward training our practitioners, securing a space large enough to implement and pilot this new model while collecting the data we need to show it's success.  We need lab equipment to show diagnostic improvement, space for our team approach to healing to function within and we need to hire the appropriate trainers to ensure that our Western and Eastern healing practitioners are all well versed on natural healing techniques & integrative medicine, learn to operate as a team without self-importance, and engage in their own analysis of their ego, emotional triggers and personal needs.

As you can see in the pie chart below we allot a significant amount of our funding toward project management and marketing & promoting our model.  We want to be transparent about the reality that if we want to see this model become replicable around the globe we need to make sure that people know about it.  That takes time, effort and manpower.  We are committed to seeing this happen and encourage you to view the specific biographies of the team we have pulled together to make this happen.  

If we do not reach our goal through this campaign we will still be moving forward with our vision.  Nothing will stop us, however, it may be significantly delayed as we work to raise the necessary funds.  We will do as much as we can with the funding we receive.  As we see it, we can start small and build slowly or we can bring our vision into a reality through the phases we have developed.  Regardless of our funding we know this system will come to fruition eventually, it is, however, based on the funding that determines how steadily we move forward.  We do not believe in moving faster than our slowest parts need to develop, but we do also realize that we cannot move forward even with our slowest parts--those that need to develop with calculated precision-- if we do not have the funding to do so.

The Impact

Project HEAL America and this campaign are all about changing the current model of healthcare and proving to the world that ego, profit, isolated diagnoses, and invasive pharmaceuticals and surgeries do not have to be standard protocol.  We are here to impact all of us.  Although we are only one team, we can reach far and wide with what we have developed.  We also know that to affect a true change of the system, the wayshower cannot come from within the current system; there is too much tradition, ego, and bureaucracy that will hinder the type of change we are looking to bring about.  By us creating change outside of the system we have the freedom we need to show its effectiveness without barriers.

We are willing to help others develop similar systems in other towns and since we are a non-profit organization, we are more interested in seeing this happen than lining our pockets by holding things close to the vest.  

Risks & Challenges

We have been very realistic about our implementation of our system.  We believe our greatest challenges will be:

• Learning to operate as a team, not due to ego, but due to logistics and communication.  It is difficult to organize efficiency to the level that moves into true performance.   Although we know that we will reach the performance stage, we understand that when dealing with multiple personalities, multiple opinions, and multiple clients there are always bumps along the way.
• Without intending confrontation or to ruffle feathers, we understand that there may be pharmaceutical companies or medical organizations who are threatened by what we have created and they may not want to see us succeed.  We are taking this into account by making sure that we are documenting, measuring and operating with the utmost care and professionalism.  We see our transparency about everything we are doing–financially, treatment-wise, or as an organization–as our saving grace to allow us to continue operating as the intended model outlines.
• One other challenge will be to grow at a pace that can ensure integrity to the model. As we stated above, we can only go as fast as our slowest parts can move. Growing too fast can damage an organization and warp the intended model so we are moving forward conscious of this potential risk.   We know people want this model of healthcare, but realize that we can only serve the amount of people we have capacity to assist with honor and integrity.  Since we are not for profit, we are not interested in quantity, we are interested in quality.

Other Ways You Can Help

We know not everyone has the ability to contribute financially, so here are a few ways you can help:

• Help us spread the word!!  Post our video on your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Blog, or really...anywhere!  We need to have people see what we are doing!  Email friends and family about this, talk about it with people and get them excited about the changes we are making. Use the hashtag #ProjectHealAmerica
• Use the Indiegogo share tools to share with others!
• Visit ProjectHealAmerica.com and post a video about how you have healed naturally or how the current system did not work for you!
• Print fliers from our website ProjectHealAmerica.com and hang them in your town!