Meet Michelle Thompson, MD | Functional Medicine Doctor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Thompson, MD and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.

The Presence Process, A Journey into Present Moment Awareness by Michael Brown

The Presence Process is a book that takes the reader on a spiritual journey. The book offers two approaches. One, by reading the book to understand the process. The other takes the reader on a ten week experiential practice. The book provides guidance on how to practice living in the present moment. Through the practice, the reader may notice their thoughts, feelings and behaviors, as though they’re on the outside looking in. The reader may develop a deeper sense of empathy, and an understanding of the connected human experience.

This book has had a profound impact on my life. It took me on a journey of self-discovery. Practicing present moment awareness revealed subconscious emotional imprints from my childhood that influenced my thoughts and behavior. I read the book at a time when I wanted to create a better quality life experience, and to be in control of my thoughts, emotions, and behavior. By practicing present moment awareness, I gained insight into how and why I functioned on autopilot, driven by cemented emotional reactions. I noticed that my behavior pattern of perseverating on past experiences, particularly those associated with feelings of grief, anger, and guilt. I noticed that I spent a lot of mental time in the non-existent future, worrying.

I immersed myself in the practice, which required will power and commitment. The experience revealed that by being intentional, I was able to transform my perception of my life experiences. I developed a heightened awareness of myself and my environment. I felt a deeper connection with my family, friends, peers and patients. I gained insight into my emotional triggers, and was able to then transform my reactions into controlled responses.

As a Functional Medicine doctor, I now understand how thoughts and emotions lead to illness, which is the physical manifestation of imbalance. By practicing presence, we help the body heal itself. We modulate the stress response, so that it’s triggered only when needed in emergencies, not everyday life.

The Presence Process has taught me that I can control my life experience. I now spend more time observing my thoughts, so that I’m less reactive. I’ve had improved personal and professional relationships. Instead of being a passenger in my life’s journey, I now proactively create my life experiences. By doing so, I spend more time in the presence of joy and peace.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

As a geriatrician and a hospice and palliative care specialist, I’ve cared for the sickest of the sick, and those at the end of life. My expertise required having in-depth conversations with patients about their health journey. Even when I had to tell patients that they were dying, they expressed appreciation and gratitude. I realized that during those moments when patients are most vulnerable, they want their doctor to spend time listening to them, explain what’s wrong, and how to fix it. If they couldn’t get better, they wanted an honest conversation about what to expect.

After many years of wanting to do more to help patients get better, I found functional medicine. The transition from traditional to functional medicine required that I anchored into my passion of doing what’s right for patients as a clinician, educator, and advocate. I’ve learned that patients come to me seeking answers to their medical conundrums.  They want personalized care. They hate being shuffled around to various specialists. They want to live a healthier lifestyle but don’t know how, or where to begin, and need guidance. Often, when patients seek help from functional medicine doctors, it’s because they’ve lost hope in traditional care.

Today’s healthcare process robs both the doctor and patient of a quality experience because of time constraints. Critical thinking for a complicated patient requires time to understand not just the their medical history, but other psychological and social influencers of their care. This includes their nutrition, stressors, exercise, sleep habits and environment. Being able to practice functional medicine is exciting for me and my patients. Patients have time to tell their story, express their symptoms, and regain hope. I have time to explain why they’re ill, what we need to do to get them to feel better, and what to do to sustain better health.

My mission is to teach as many people as I can about how to be their own doctor. Imagine life with less allergies, less colds, less aches and pain, less or no medication. Imagine more energy, a clearer mind, and a better mood. Imagine being able to create that experience. Finding a functional medicine doctor like myself is a worthy investment. It takes time to heal, but at the end of the journey, you get to be that person who says, ‘I never knew I could feel this good!’

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

There’s so many things to do and places to eat in South Florida, I have many options for friends with different interests. We can do something easy going like yoga on the beach, Jazz in the park, or drive an exotic car to the keys. For my friends who prefer more of an adrenaline rush, I’d present options like an Everglade airboat tour, parasailing, flyboarding, paddle boarding, or jet skiing. It’s easy to find music of every kind, and what I truly enjoy about Florida is live outdoor music. There’s always something happening.

I tend to prefer intimate restaurants and ethnic foods. Falafel Bistro (mediterranean) and Meal in a Pie (South African) are hidden gems. Others include Bombay Darkar (Indian), Joy’s Roti (Caribbean) and delicious plant based options like The Fresh Carrot of Surfside or Love Life Cafe.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m grateful for all my life experiences. I am particularly grateful to my family. They’ve been my greatest champions. They also presented me with some of the most difficult challenges, and therefore the best lessons learned. Love from my family, friends, colleagues and even strangers, have been the beacon that’s held me together. Their love continues to give me the strength and courage to live out my passion, caring for those in need. I have to also give credit to Illness, hardship, and loss. Each of those experiences functioned as a catalyst for my personal growth.

Website: https://epochemedical.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-thompson-md-0a938494/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

Image Credits
Photo by Simpson Photography