Want to be part of an evolving experiment in community-building? Share your feedback on these simple proposals and explore opportunities to connect with values-aligned providers.

Decentralizing referrals and strengthening community through collaboration and reciprocity.

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Synopsis of This Post

The Health Explorations Collective has brought together diverse wellness practitioners who have found meaningful connection through shared dialogue, sparking interest in deeper collaboration and community building. To support this, facilitators are creating conditions that empower participants to connect and collaborate within a decentralized, participant-driven network. One need is making it easier to find others with aligned values and complementary skills, which an upcoming private tool will help facilitate. In the meantime, you’re invited to share your feedback below to help shape the foundations for connection through shared terminology and basic participant information.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

At our initial roundtable gatherings for the Health Explorations Collective, practitioners from a diverse range of wellness modalities came together to connect with like-minded peers. These professionals have skills in a broad spectrum of practices including yoga instruction, osteopathic medicine, somatic healing, herbal medicine, corporate wellness, respiratory therapy, nutrition research, health coaching, diabetes coaching, meditation, psychotherapeutic techniques, trauma release, and Reiki.

What We’ve Been Learning

Participants described a heartfelt sense of resonance arising from authentic sharing and attentive listening. Many also expressed a desire to carry that shared energy forward into developing collaborations, forming working groups, and creating opportunities for continued exploration and co-creation.

How We’re Moving Forward

When I first convened this effort, I didn’t know what direction the group might take or what they would feel called to build together. Now that a clearer picture has emerged, Mark and I have been working behind the scenes to help pave the way for practitioners to collaborate more easily and effectively — supporting both their individual initiatives and the cultivation of thriving, interconnected communities.

This doesn’t mean we are directing the group or assuming responsibility for its outcomes. Rather, we’re committed to finding shared purpose and creating conditions for people to come together in ways that support individual and collective thriving. Decentralization and empowerment is key to that effort.

Facilitating Collaboration

While there are multiple threads emerging, one fairly basic need I’ve heard so far is a way for resonant practitioners to find one another. It makes sense to have direct pathways for values-aligned providers to connect and refer clients and students for complementary services and, in some cases, to grow those connections into meaningful collaborations.

At the next meeting, Mark will introduce a fully private tool that is complementary for current participants and takes only minutes to begin using. It will immediately decentralize gathering and connection, reduce administrative overhead, and remove potential bottlenecks such as my manually sending emails and sharing meeting documents.

In the near term, it will offer a simple way to share what you have to offer and discover others with aligned values and complementary skills. Over time, participants will be able to request it to fulfill more functions as needed.

Steps to Make it Happen

We’re about a month away from having a tool in hand to help facilitate what we choose to do together. In the meantime, I’d like us to begin shaping a process for connection that is as simple and effective as possible.

While it is gathering and authentic sharing that are key to building lasting communities, we also need ways to efficiently handle practical needs — such as identifying providers with specific skills and specializations.

With that in mind, I propose that the first steps are:

• Agreeing on classification terminology (which can easily evolve over time)

• Documenting basic information about you

You’re Invited to Begin Now

Please comment or reply with your thoughts on the following as we begin shaping a simple foundation for connection and collaboration:

1. Do you recommend any changes to the Basic Information to share among colleagues?

2. Do you recommend any changes to the 11 health and wellness categories?

3. Do you recommend any changes to the specialization categories?

Scroll down to review the proposals — I look forward to hearing your thoughts. In the meantime, feel free to begin drafting your description, and join us on the 5th.

Sincerely,

Shelly Thorn

Basic Information

1. A one-sentence description of your skills and offerings

2. A brief expansion (2-4 sentences) further describing your work

3. Preferred contact email

4. Websites or other informational sources

5. Practice category or categories

6. Specializations

Health & Wellness Practice Categories

See here for examples of services in each category.

1. Medical Diagnosis or Assessment

2. Other Clinical Care

3. Mental & Emotional Health, Trauma Healing

4. Health & Lifestyle Coaching

5. Bodywork, Manual Therapies

6. Movement, Fitness

7. Mindfulness, Somatics, Nervous System Regulation

8. Vibrational Healing

9. Energy & Spiritual Practices

10. Other Modalities

11. Business, Marketing, Provider Training

Specializations

The tool will allow keyword searches, so specialization categories simply add another layer — making it easier to highlight specific areas of expertise.

CONDITONS

1. Addiction, Dependence, Withdrawal

2. ADHD, ADD — Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Inattention, Impulsivity or Hyperactivity

3. Allergic Reactions — Allergies to Food, Anaphylaxis (Severe, Potentially Life-Threatening Allergic Reaction), Anaphylactic Shock

4. Anxiety, Depression, Distress — Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Mood Swings, Irritability, Worry, Psychological Distress

5. Arthritis

6. Asthma

7. Autoimmune Diseases — Celiac, Crohn’s, Dermatomyositis, Guillain-Barre, Hashimoto’s, IBD, Lupus, Myasthenia Gravis, Pernicious Anemia, RA, Type 1 Diabetes, Ulcerative Colitis, etc.

8. Blood Disorders — Anemia, Thrombocytopenia (Low Levels of Blood Platelets), Raynaud’s Phenomenon (Constricted Blood Vessels)

9. Blood Pressure Issues — Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, Orthostatic Hypotension

10. Bone Health Issues, Osteoporosis — Bone Loss, Osteoporosis, Osteopenia

11. Brain Function & Development Issues — Cognitive Impairment, Memory & Focus Issues, Confusion, Brain Fog, Learning Disabilities, Dementia, Brain Damage, Encephalitis (Brain Inflammation), Encephalopathy (Brain Disorder or Disease), Lesions, Alzheimer’s Disease, Autism

12. Cancer, Tumor — Cancer, Plasma Cell Neoplasm (Tumor)

13. Cardiovascular Disease, Heart Problems — Atherosclerosis, Vasculitis, Heart Inflammation, Cardiomyopathy, Blood Clots (Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism), Heart Attack, Stroke

14. Chronic Pain

15. Diabetes, Blood Sugar Issues — Blood Sugar Issues, Insulin Resistance, Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome

16. Dizziness, Vertigo — Dizziness, Vertigo, Light-Headedness

17. Eating Disorders

18. Emotional Impairment — Emotional Regulation Impaired, Emotional Numbness, Blunting of Emotions, Sensitivity, or Empathy; Alexithymia

19. Endometriosis

20. Fatigue, CFS, Fibromyalgia — Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Diminished Energy, Lethargy, Apathy, Drowsiness, Somnolence

21. Fluid Retention — Swelling, Edema

22. Gallbladder Issues, Injury

23. GI / Gut / Microbiome Issues — Gastrointestinal, Digestive Issues, Dysbiosis, Stomach Pain, Bloating, Constipation, Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting, Ulcer, Gastritis, IBS, Stomach Paralysis

24. Growth, Development Delays, Issues

25. Hair Loss, Alopecia

26. Headaches, Migraines

27. Heart Rate Issues, POTS, Heart Palpitations — Arrhythmia, Irregular Heartbeat, AFib (Atrial Fibrillation), Tachycardia, Reduced Heart Rate Variability (HRV), POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), Heart Palpitations

28. Hormonal System Issues — Endocrine System Issues, Thyroid Disorders, PCOS, Early Puberty, Androgen Deficiency, Gynecomastia, Demasculinizing, Feminizing, Serotonin Syndrome

29. Infections, Shingles

30. Inflammation, Chronic — Chronic Inflammation, Rheumatic Diseases

31. Joint Issues — Joint Pain, Arthropathy, Arthalgia

32. Kidney Issues — Kidney Injury, Renal Failure, Uremia, Interstitial Nephritis

33. Kidney Stones — Nephrolithiasis

34. Liver Issues — Fatty Liver Disease, Liver Failure

35. Metabolic Syndrome: See Blood Pressure Issues and Insulin Issues

36. Muscle Contractions, Spasms, Tremors — Muscle Contractions, Spasms, Involuntary Movements, Ataxia, Tremors

37. Muscle or Connective Tissue Concerns — Muscle or Connective Tissue Disorders, Weakness, Pain, Myalgia (Muscle Pain)

38. Nervous System / Neurological Injuries & Disorders — Numbness & Tingling, Tics, Nerve Damage, Demyelination, Transverse Myelitis (Disorder of Spinal Cord), Paralysis, Narcolepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Opsoclonus Myoclonus

39. Pancreas Issues, Pancreatitis

40. Psychological, Psychiatric Health Issues — Aggression, Hostility, Agitation, Abnormal Behavior, Risk Taking, Mania, Bipolar Disorder, Hallucinations, Delusions, Paranoia, Psychosis, Violence, Thoughts about Killing

41. Reproductive Issues — Menstrual Issues, Fertility Issues, Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Premature Birth, Birth Complications, Birth Defects, Newborn Complications, Harms to Breastmilk, Perinatal & Postnatal Depression, Harm to Baby’s Development

42. Respiratory Issues, Flu, Pneumonia, Covid — Respiratory Infections or Diseases, Flu/Influenza, Covid, Cough, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Croup, Dyspnea (Shortness of Breath, Gasping for Air), Apnea (Temporary Breathing Cessation), RSV Disease, Lung (Pulmonary) Issues, Pulmonary Fibrosis

43. Seizures, Convulsions, Epilepsy

44. Sexual Dysfunction, Low Sex Drive

45. Shoulder Injury (SIRVA), Injection Site Injury

46. Skin Issues — Skin / Dermatological Issues or Conditions, Irritation, Rash, Atopic Dermatitis, Eczema, Systemic Fibrosis

47. Sleep Issues — Insomnia, Sleep Disorders, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

48. Stress, Isolation — Chronic Stress, Major Life Stressors (death, divorce, financial crisis, etc.), Isolation, Loneliness

49. Testicular, Prostate, or Male Fertility Issues — Testicular or Prostate Health Issues, Sperm Count or Male Fertility Issues

50. Trauma, PTSD

51. Vision Problems, Eye Issues — Vision Problems, Blindness, Eye Issues, Ocular Shingles

MODALITIES

Practice categories should capture the primary information needed. Modalities are likely less important to call out than conditions, though a few may still be useful to include for identification. Here’s a first draft—curious to get your thoughts.

Medical

• Midwife

• Surgeon

Mental & Emotional Health

• Family Constellation Therapy

• Subconscious work

Bodywork, Manual Therapies

• Chiropractic

• Craniosacral

• Lymphatic drainage

• Massage

Mindfulness, Somatics, Nervous System Regulation

• Meditation

• Somatic modalities

• Yoga, gentle and individualized

• Yoga Therapy

Other Modalities*

• Executive coaching

• Life coaching, relationship coaching

• Muscle testing

*Note that many modalities are already called out in the 11 Health & Wellness Categories including Movement, Vibrational Healing, and Energy & Spiritual Practices.