Saying goodbye...

Tomorrow is my last day at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Throughout my time I have been struck by the commitment, goodwill and passion of the people at this organization. Blue Cross NC is a mission-driven payer, a not-for-profit, and our leadership thinks of our members and employees first and foremost.

The reason for my departure is simple – I’m called to create something new in this world. I have always been a lover of nature, a believer in the power of place to heal and a person who seeks to maximize the potential of modern medicine by integrating it with other healing modalities. I’m starting a healing farm in North Carolina to offer intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization services to young adults struggling with behavioral health disorders.

In my work at Blue Cross NC, as I looked at the treatment landscape in my local community, I didn’t see any day programs that I would feel comfortable sending my kids to if they needed care. If my children need intensive behavioral health care, I want them to be outside, I want their humanity affirmed and I want the care they received to be holistic AND evidence-based. And if I want that for my kids, I want it for everyone’s kids. What is ailing us these days is multi-faceted and treatment must reflect that reality. I felt called to step from being a physician leader to identifying and practicing in the world as a healer and interactive program-builder, with a holistic patient care approach informed by my medical training and my practical understanding of our many ills.

So far, I’ve been vague, so I want to specify the core tenets of my approach to behavioral health care.

1)?????Nobody heals alone. Humans are social animals and traditionally ostracism was a death sentence. Behavioral health disorders worsen in isolation. We need each other and we are at our best when we live in environments of mutual support and collaborative growth. Communities of healing are necessary, and families must be engaged with care.

2)??????We were designed to live with nature. The fact is that early morning sunlight drives circadian health. Time in forests and natural areas decreases depression and anxiety. Much of our wellness depends on fruitful relationships with the natural world, which we can symbiotically shape to meet our needs while enhancing its health.

3)?????Movement heals. There is ample evidence that behavioral health symptoms are improved by exercise. Yet so few treatment regimens focus on this need. Without engaging the entire body, we are unlikely to achieve healing that lasts.

4)?????We must honor the inhale. We have solid evidence that breath-focused practices support thriving. They are little-used and under-valued. As a culture we focus on “the exhale” – what are we producing? What “value” are we driving? What are we putting out there? But unless we pause to take a deep breath and settle, we will not be able to truly shine our light.

5)?????Nutrition is central to wellness. You have probably heard a lot about the gut-brain connection and the importance of the microbiome for mental health. We cannot heal without giving our minds and bodies appropriate fuel. Nutrition, sleep, breath, light and movement are foundational needs.

6)?????Sleep deprivation is toxic. As a physician, I was taught that other people should sleep 8 hours and I should sleep as little as possible while remaining highly productive. Sleep is the body’s time for cellular regeneration and memory consolidation, it is non-optional, and we devalue it at our peril. You cannot heal without sleep and a commitment to sleep should be a cornerstone of any treatment program.

7)?????Technology should be a tool. Technology platforms, including this one, are designed to become master rather than servant. Right relationship with technology (phones, computers, social media) is critical to having time available for movement, sleep, and nutrition, and to having a sense of mastery over one’s life. ?

8)?????A focus on the basics does not conflict with evidence-based care. Without addressing fundamental human needs for sleep, movement, nutrition, community, and sunlight, we cannot expect other interventions (psychotherapy and medications) to be effective. They might help a little, but they won’t reach their full potential. Let's do it all and watch people thrive.

Building a program that fulfills all of this is a dream come true and a privilege, and I pray that I will meet the challenge and exceed my own lofty expectations. As I build the farm, I am also starting a private practice, more info at www.noradennismd.com and am open for consulting engagements for entities interested in the North Carolina behavioral health market – please DM me.

Last of all, the name. Ever since I was a girl, I loved the word jubilee. While the common meaning is a big celebration every 25 years, the biblical meaning is as follows: Jubilee is the year at the end of seven cycles of shmita (Sabbatical years) and, according to biblical regulations, had a special impact on the ownership and management of land in the Land of Israel. According to the Book of Leviticus, Hebrew slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven, and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest. Jubilee Healing Farm is not a religious endeavor, but it is informed by the value of creating a space for freedom from old wounds and manifestation of a merciful and inclusive future. Let it be!