Ep 87 Finding the Right Fit with Alex Stalberger

Interview with Owner and Founder of Well Connected Twin Cities, Alex Stalberger sharing her Provider Interview Guide to help you and your family find the right provider fit. 

As an emerging integrative health coach in November of 2017, Alex quickly discovered that supporting the healing of a human and running a healing business were very different things. She quickly began gathering professionals to connect, support, and learn from each other. These gatherings started humble and would become the collaborative force behind Well Connected Twin Cities. 

Together with health and wellness practitioners across the metro we are spreading the message of empowered wellbeing–Alex’s original motivation to become an integrative health coach.

When she isn’t developing the next phase of Well Connected Twin Cities, she’s most likely chasing her tiny humans, attempting to keep her house plants alive, or convincing her partner they should rescue a dog. . .  or a goat. 

Well Connected Twin Cities is connecting you with local health and wellness professionals in your community. Discover what's possible by surfing the directory, taking a class, or attending the next event.

http://wellconnectedtwincities.com/
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Transcript

Cynthia: Hello, and welcome to 2023 and the Well Connected Twin Cities podcast. I'm your host, Cynthia Shockley, and today we've got our owner, our founder, Alex Stalberg, here to talk through s. Some of the things that actually she and I have been dreaming about getting focused on for this quarter, one of 2023. Alex and I have been meeting on a weekly basis so beyond the podcast just figuring out.

What is the greater intention with Ball Connected and how can we utilize this podcast to really align with those intentions that mission? [00:03:00] And we've really come to this place of deciding Q1 2023. We're going to be focusing in on family care. Finding the right fit for your family whether it's a family of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, beyond , it's so important to have the right kind of care, the right kind of provider, and it can be a daunting task.

So Alex has actually talked on several different platforms about this and actually created a. Guide for people to interview their providers with the right questions, with the right mindset to understand how to approach it. So I'm really excited for us to dive in for her to share some of her wisdom and for us to hopefully provide some insight and some hope into that whole process of finding the right fit for you and your family.

So, hi Alex. 

Alex: Hi Cynthia. . Yes, I've been looking forward to this conversation. It's [00:04:00] such a big one and it comes with a lot of emotions, finding the right provider, feeling confident in our care choices. For so many different reasons, right? Whether we are experiencing a complex condition or if we have a set of values that we haven't dug deep and really gotten clear on, it can be hard to know why a fit doesn't feel right, and all of that makes a difference.

In our body's ability to respond to care it can have a difference in medical outcomes due to mind body connection. There's a whole host of reasons why finding good provider fit is so important, but at the foundation of it all, don't, we just wanna feel confident and empowered. To own our health experience, which is the whole reason well connected Twin Cities exist in the first place.

Mm-hmm. . So this is a very foundational conversation and when Cynthia and I were talking about, you know, how come the podcast. Really be amplifying the [00:05:00] core message, like the reason why connected exist. , it was like a no-brainer. , Cynthia. We were like, duh. This has to be the first conversation. How are we making our decisions and choices?

How do we know what our options are? And how do we actually get around to choosing with confidence? Such a big, big topic. 

Cynthia: And it's not something that we're typically taught. We're kind of taught this idea of you call or make an appointment, or you just show up at the hospital and then you're just assigned a person and you just have to trust what they say and take these meds, do this thing, and you just.

Question it, and you go home and you just try to apply it. And so this is a very different way of approaching your care because it's about you recognizing yourself as the authority of your body, of your mind, of your spirit. And this provider is here to help you, not to direct you. 

Alex: Yeah. Really a [00:06:00] partner.

You're hiring a partner. Yes. You are paying. A partner, , let's be clear. You are hiring them . That is, yes. 

Cynthia: You are the owner of this being and you're hiring some support . 

Alex: Yeah. And that comes with boundaries and expectations and roles and priorities. And sometimes those are respected and sometimes they aren't.

And so, define what your own boundaries are and to then have the courage to take action on them. No small feat, no small task. And I hope that by the end of this conversation, you at least have one takeaway of a, a practical example of how you can bring this empowered feeling into your provider relationship, whether you have an established provider and you're like, Yes, I want that.

Or I like when you use this language with me, or I prefer this type of conversation when we are discussing my treatment plan. I mean, those things can happen in an established provider relationship not just interviewing a new provider. So I hope [00:07:00] everybody listening, all of you listening can take a nugget away to feel just that.

Mm. Power . Cause you have it. You have it, and you deserve. 

Cynthia: Yes. Well, Alex, I wonder if you can walk us through, cuz there will be a link to the PDF available in the show notes, but let's also just kinda walk through what this provider guide details, what inspired you to bring this forward and create something concrete.

Alex: Yeah. Well, first and foremost, I it through coaching. So if you are new to this podcast or you new to well Connected Twin Cities. My background, I'm an integrative health and wellness coach, so I've been on the phone with hundreds of different people supporting them in creating their own healthcare plan, whether that's foundations of health that they do at home.

Helping them to discover their own healthcare values and make a plan for themselves to move forward in action with their providers. A health coach is not somebody who tells [00:08:00] anybody what to do, but instead is a really functional mirror for that person to ask the right questions to get at the root of what it is that is motivating them or is holding them up.

Um, just so you know, that is what, that's the expertise in excellence I come with and have applied to the tool that is well connected, twin Cities, and it shows up in this guide you, I wonder if you can identify the themes, but it's really important because what other space? Is giving us the permission to reflect on some of these questions, and I think that's one of the biggest reasons.

The first thing that you'll see in this guide is why interview? What is an interview? People don't know that is a thing that you can do or a write that you have. Not all provider websites. Offer the bike button where you can book a discovery call or book that 15 minute free consultation, especially if you're going to a larger clinic.

They may not advertise that but that is absolutely something you can ask for, and that's what this is. So when I talk about provider fit interview, it [00:09:00] is the opportunity to speak with the person that will be providing care for you. Outside and before a, an official established relationship, an official established client, patient, doctor relationship, because you are basically interviewing them to understand will they be a good fit for you?

Because let's face it many clinic websites, you go to see your options and what are you looking at? You may see a. and some letters behind that name. If you're lucky, you see a very brief blurb about the person and their excellence or their specialties. But this guide goes into what things beyond those letters, behind their name matter when we're talking about care.

So why interview? It's because it gives you the chance to ask the questions that are most important to you, and this guide helps you define. And so first and foremost, what is a provider interview? It's that time and space you get before paying for their time, basically before entering into an official relationship.

It's [00:10:00] the interview process. 

Cynthia: And it's great because this guide it, it breaks it down, right? So it starts with the why and then the what of what that provider interview is. And then it actually has a list of several questions that you can r. Really use as a blueprint. And of course you're gonna have your own questions that come up or questions that you personally have because of certain diagnoses or medical history or just personal experience.

But I love that there's already just. A list of questions that you can already lean on with this guide. I wonder, Alex, are any of these ones that stand out to you as something that you've either maybe had experience with or something that you feel like is definitely something someone needs to be asking their provider?

Alex: Well, this may seem basic, but let's start there, right? You have the right to see a provider who speaks a [00:11:00] language that's most comfortable for you. And so asking that provider if they offer or speak the same language as you, like your preferred language is really important. I want everybody listening to feel and know in their core that that.

So important and absolutely a right. So be sure even if you speak multiple languages and that provider and you speak or like that's your second or third even language know that getting something in your preferred primary language does have an impact on the way that you are able to communicate the things that will be communicated.

The comfort level too. So asking that question, cuz you may be surprised at what type of supports might be available. So I just wanna start with that , knowing that that is something that's important and within your rights to have. I also think it's really important, we like to look at the credentials as human beings and be like, oh yeah, more letters is better, but like, I mean, more is good, right?

it reminds me of when my, when as a [00:12:00] child, my little sister, she was four years younger than me and I remember. Loving to give her lots of pennies in exchange for her quarters because she thought that was the best deal ever. So anyway, uh, yeah, I was just, yeah, I may have been not the best big sister. Oh, I 

Cynthia: think that's a classic big sister move cuz I definitely did that with my baby brothers as well.

Like convincing them more is better even though I'm getting the larger bill or. 

Alex: Right. Like, oh yeah. Or it's crispr yeah. All that good stuff. Mm-hmm. . Um, but that, I mean, think about it, credentials more. More isn't always better. More does more, doesn't not always mean better. And when did they get the credentials is something that's really important because just because they received a credentialing.

Yes. Providers have to keep up with com continuing education, but to ask how do they keep up with the latest the medical world is so, Changing, like it's changing all of the time. Medical research publications are often behind what's actually going on in the active research world. So just to [00:13:00] know is that provider ver like super engaged in how the world of integrative medicine continues to evolve and move because it's moving quickly.

and it's good to know that. So especially if that is a value of yours, like you wanna know all of your options. And if integrative medicine is a part of your core value, which I'm guessing it is cause you're here asking them how do you stay on top of integrative health and medicine? And really knowing what all of those options are, ask the question because they may be really honest with you.

Maybe that's not one of their. Priorities and okay. At least, that can be a part of your decision making process. But I think that's really important too. We look at the letters and think that that's all that matters, but talking to them about their habits of learning, what do they love to learn about?

That's another great question too, that you're allowed to ask, like, what are you really passionate about? What makes a great patient fit for you? That is different [00:14:00] in the same expertise areas in the, so in the same discipline, people are fascinated and engaged in different ways. They are human beings. Yes, of course they're gonna do a great job, right?

But they are going to be fascinated, engaged differently based on their personal preferences and the things that fire up, fire them up. And it's great to know if what you're looking for happens to overlap into a passionary of theirs, you're gonna receive a different quality of care because you're aligned in your vision and values.

You know, I, just feel like some of those questions don't come immediately to mind when we think of questions that ask our provider during a 15 minute consultation. You gotta really choose your questions . Yes. And it's my. Oh, go ahead. I was just saying those ones really stand out, right? Because you're getting beyond, you're getting beyond the credential and you're definitely getting beyond the bio. if you're lucky, you might see a little bit of what their specialty area is or what they've done research in, in the past[00:15:00] but to ask them, what type of patient makes a really great fit for them.

You might be really surprised at what they have to say about that. And they're also going to understand you a little bit different because you're asking the question, how many people do you think ask that question of them? Zero , they're gonna remember you. They have 15 minutes with you and every other patient throughout their entire day.

You think they're gonna remember you after you asking that? Yeah. Yeah. They are. They're so, you're already building rapport and you haven't even established patient. Great. I love 

Cynthia: that. I love that. And it's just that reminder that you're talking to a fellow human being, right? And despite the roles that you're playing, patient versus doctor versus provider, whatever it is, it's being able to still connect on that human level so that as you're getting care, it makes a huge difference to, to know that the provider knows you as a human being, knows your heart, knows your [00:16:00] mind.

Cares about you so that when they're making these decisions and calls, it's with you in mind and not just whatever the protocol is or whatever, is the kind of basic training, right? So it's, nope, this is actually for my pal, Alex, that I really wanna make sure I'm taking care of. And one of the questions actually that stood out to me, because gosh, I get so, I think most people get really weird about talking about money out loud.

It's one of those taboo topics, they always said never talk about money. And so it actually puts patients at such a disadvantage because, it's hard to ask , Hey, after insurance, what's my fee gonna be? What's my bill gonna look like? How do I utilize money? We have F s A, we have h s A, but

how does that work? Do they just give you a receipt? Do they process it? Being able to ask these questions and know that you can actually before procedures, Ask how much it's gonna [00:17:00] cost. You don't have to just accept it. You can actually shop around and you can go to different providers, different clinics and say, Hey, what's that bill gonna come out to?

And it's within your right to ask those questions, even if it makes you feel a little weird at first. , 

Alex: you can't see me, but I am like, yes, nodding absolutely yes, yes, yes. And okay, so something for you all to really hear and put in your. Many currently a lot of the providers listed, so this is January, 2023.

Many of the providers listed that are solo providers or work in small clinics that you see listed on well connected Twin Cities as a resource may have limited capacity to take insurance, and that is just. Where they're at. It's also good to know if they say no, they do not take insurance, there are additional options for you.

So there are providers can give you a s what they call a superbill, right? It's an [00:18:00] itemized receipt for every single thing that they are doing. With you, and you get to then submit that to insurance. But because it's a super bill and it's all itemized, insurance companies can cover pieces and parts of that, and the the provider can support you in knowing that.

So know that if somebody says, no, I don't take insurance, that doesn't mean , that like your options are absolutely closed. It does mean that there's gonna be a bit more work. But this is a whole other conversation. There's a reason providers aren't taking. You know, insurance is dictating the type of care that they're able to provide, and they're not able to provide it at a quality of care that they feel is ethical and valuable.

And so that, that's a different conversation, but that there's a good reason, but they're also here to help support you in the r the financial reality of that care model. So that's something that most people don't know either, that you can get a super bill and submit that yourself to insurance for partial coverage, and often providers can help you through that.[00:19:00] 

Cynthia: And I actually didn't know about the superbill until just now, and that is brilliant that you can itemize everything out and still get at least part of it covered the, all these things no one teaches you, gosh dang . 

Alex: Yeah. Yeah. And I am on the hunt for anybody local that their job is to provide that one-on-one support.

For insurance coverage. So if that's your job or you know somebody whose job that is, would you email me? Okay. That's all. 

Cynthia: Thank you. Or if you have a dream and a vision and you wanna start a business like . 

Alex: Yeah, we need to talk about this a whole lot more. There's so much here, there's so much here. It's not go, it's not going away.

It's gonna continue to become more and more mainstream. And dealing with money is so important. We talk about money is a piece of wellbeing because if you're not financially confident, it is influencing your whole nervous system. That is a health concern, baby health concern, . So yes, 

Cynthia: financial wellbeing [00:20:00] is something.

I did not think about until I started my integrative health coaching training.. If you're financially stressed, you probably aren't getting good sleep. You probably aren't eating right cuz you're stressed, it's just affects everything, 

Alex: everything, everything.

Mm-hmm. minded, constantly of that stressor. It is so unhealthy and. . Just wish I had enough hugs to give in the world for everybody experiencing that. It's really, it's real. So the connection between health and wellbeing, your physical health and your financial health, it is a very real connection. but that's not what we're here to talk about. That's for a future conversation. There's so many conversations. , 

Cynthia: Just making a bullet list of all the future conversations. Keep 

Alex: listening. more coming . But coming back to 

Cynthia: this provider guide, I also really appreciate Alex, how you have these questions to ask the provider, but also then after that interview process, or even during it on your own, some [00:21:00] questions to ask yourself, right?

Because some questions are just an internal processing for you to figure out. And so I love that you lay out, Some of these core questions about personal value would you mind speaking to some of that and how you came up with this list? 

Alex: Yeah. Yeah. So these questions to reflect on your, like within yourself is to support the further defining your healthcare values so you can speak to them really clearly, understand which one of those are maybe highest priority and where your boundaries are, because we all have preferences, but where is the line between, this is a preference and this is a.

This would be a nice to have, and this has to happen so I can feel safe, confident in my care, and actually have the space and capacity to heal. So this questions, questions to reflect on yourself. Everybody's gonna take these in different directions. If you're a journaler, this is a great thing to journal about or just.

Spend [00:22:00] some time and reflection, have a conversation with a loved one about some of these more complex ideas. And I would love to go through most of them honestly, because yeah, they're so very important. The first, the very first one that I think people need to consider when they're looking at care fit.

Lemme back up. There's something. What impacts our health is so much more than maybe just what impacts us physically, where we live. The types of conversations we get to have with people, the amount of support that we feel in our relationships. All of those things are really important. Our access to certain services and resources, those are called social determinants of health.

They're, they're social. Some of them are within our control. Some of them are outside of our direct line of control, but they all have an impact on the way that we access care and that our bodies will receive that care. And so I think it's important to recognize where we have power in, in and can be empowered in some choice.

It's understanding [00:23:00] like, Our ability to relate with the person in front of us does have to do with both of our experiences. So you may have heard the term culturally competent care, right? That's the idea that persons can be under, like their culture is understood at a level that you are able to feel safe, seen, understood.

Really, your, what that translates to physically is that your nervous system, , is not on high. You're not waiting for that person not to understand you. You're not waiting for that. You're not feeling defensive, right? You're not hearing words that you're translating in your head because they're not preferred.

Speech patterns or words that you would use or feel comfortable with. They may not be offensive necessarily, but they're not words of comfort to you. So language that you identify with, right? Those things they might for some might fall into category. It would be nice to. For some, it's a need to have, and I think it's important for everybody to [00:24:00] reflect on that.

What is a need to have for you? Because having a provider who maybe identifies with the same or similar cultural background, sexual orientation, gender identity, those things can make a big impact in the way that your body's nervous system is ready to receive care and feel supported. So I wanna, I, I think.

Empowering you to consider beyond the credential. What else are you looking for? What else would make your body feel calm, at ease and really prepared to heal? So that one comes up? That's a big one. Because I think in this country, at least, and in our cities, right, it's historically, Ben, you go to an expert, they give you care plan, and you do.

You know, if I'm unwell, I'm giving my power away. You have the answer. I don't. And that is not the case with an integrative care model. The [00:25:00] integrative care models tells us that our preferences for care are so important. They're actually in the center of a care plan. So our providers need to understand our preferences for care, because that maximizes our body's recept.

To receiving support and help, and it's actually gonna maximize our medical outcomes and that it's possible to do that in healthcare. Mm-hmm. ? Yes. That's what we're evolving toward. Woo. Can I get a woo woo woo woo. 

Cynthia: And I gotta say everything that we share through El connected a part of our mission that Alex made very clear is, We're providing evidence-based information.

This isn't just, oh, we heard around the block that this is a trend. No, this isn't just a feeling. This is, I mean, yes, there are feelings. Yes, we have intuition, but there's also data. There's science. People in the integrative space are doing research to see what is truly beneficial to each individual and their [00:26:00] care and their health outcomes, and.

This is what the science is saying, that cu culturally competent care some of these questions that you can ask your provider, these are really important to the big picture of you having the best outcome possible. And so I just hope that also can sink in that their science out there to back everything here.

Alex: Yeah. So in my conversations in a health coaching conversations, right, having to. Describe what you've just said. This is evidence-based, this is science. There are a lot of complex science and research going on right now. But to simplify it, to simplify it, right, to deliver this the easiest way, think about it like the placebo effect, right?

If you don't believe something's gonna work on any level, it's gonna change your chances of that thing actually working. Whether it's a sugar pill or the real thing, right? Like we understand that and then, or think about it chemical. , you have a chemical experience. Every thought that you have sends a chemical cascade.

 That [00:27:00] creates our reality. So if you are having a thought of doubt, Of feeling unsafe or nervousness. You're feeling that because your body created a chemical experience that told you you're feeling that? Mm-hmm. , like it's, oh, 

Cynthia: and the cascade. Like living in that state of fear or? Doubt. Then, you've got the cortisol, you've got the adrenaline, and these hormones wreak havoc on your ability to use your executive functioning

 Your brain isn't functioning at its best, so the chance of things going wrong also increases. You really do create your own reality through your responses. 

Alex: It's amazing. To take it. Just one. I'm just gonna one little step further. Let's go. Go step further. So a patient provider interaction that made you uncomfortable for any reason, whether that was an intention by the provider or totally unintentional experience, maybe it was the environment could be anything.

That negative association that happened in any degree, [00:28:00] your brain, is programmed to protect. Right. That is that it's its mission. It loves you. Your body loves you so much, it's going to try to protect you from that. So imagine your provider, is telling you, Hey, this lifestyle adjustment or this protocol will make a positive impact in your health experience.

Okay? But you've just associated , that treatment protocol with that negative space, that negative Interac. . When you do that at home, your brain is associating those things as unsafe. Whether or not that's a conscious or subconscious association, our brains in our body are so good at protecting us.

That is a, there, there is an additional element of, influence. There. That's just an illustration and a demonstration of how finding a safe provider, an environment that feels aligned with your values, has an impact on your healthcare outcomes. And, and of course that's variable.

How big of the outcome. , I can't tell you that , but we do [00:29:00] know this is how our brains and our bodies are functioning. This is at the core of how they work, so how can we work with that? You know what those questions may be a. Simple way to take some empowered steps to minimize the impact.

, some of us have more choice than others when it comes to the providers that we're working with. So how do we maximize that? So anyway, back to the provider guide, Cynthia. Okay, here 

Cynthia: we go. , 

Alex: that is just such a big takeaway, right? To remember. . We're not just doing things to do more things. We're understanding how our brains and our bodies work and we're working with them.

Mm-hmm. , because when's the last time we truly partnered with our.

Cynthia: Yeah. Gosh, it's so important. It makes such a huge difference. And with this provider guide, there's also then the application, because great, you know these questions, you know the blueprint, but now what's the actual step-by-step process? So [00:30:00] the next part of this guide is how to set up the interview.

Alex, do you mind going through and just verbalizing, some of these steps, any extra tips you might have? 

Alex: Yeah, yeah. So this part is pretty quick, right? First and foremost, finding. Interview option or their discovery call option. Some providers might have that on their website, some providers might not, so it might take a phone call to request that.

And you'll have more luck if a clinic doesn't advertise that they do this. You'll have more luck requesting a 15 to 20 minute time slot for this interview. So ask for that. Make sure you're asking that confirming that it's outside of a scheduled appointment time that you won't be charged for this time because you're just looking for provider fit.

You're not looking for any medical advice, it's just to confirm provider fit. So I would say I, most of the time people are pretty receptive to that idea, especially if you're [00:31:00] asking for a pretty small amount of. And you are very clear that it's to determine provider fit. Of course, I can't speak to all clinics you might be calling, but it is worth calling them and asking them.

So, and then prepared to make the most of your time, 15 minutes is so short. And so it, of those list of questions that you are considering asking, circle your top two, top three. Like really prioritize which questions you want to make sure are answer. That are most important to you because you may not get through all of the questions that you've prepared.

It is important to prepare and of course you wanna get a feel for their personality because the human to human interaction is important. But just keep that in mind when you we're Minnesotan, you know, we're Midwestern, we wanna like, oh, hey, how are you? You know, maybe minimize there. A piece of that is really important, right?

You wanna sh you know, shake off into the cobwebs. Start with stating your intention [00:32:00] instead of saying, Hey, how are. Start with stating your intention. Hi, I'm calling because fit is really important to me. So I just have a few questions to ask you that'll help me get an understanding of if our values are aligned and if this will be a really great fit.

Is that okay? Ask for permission. Is that okay if I ask you a few questions? You know that asking of permission can really break down some walls and barriers that they have maybe coming into the call. Cause maybe they don't get a lot of these. So that's my hot tips, right?

How do we use psychology for our favor? , ask permission for you to begin and then dig in and Take your time immediately after that phone call. So if you only have 15 or 20 minutes, give yourself a half hour 45 because you want a little bit of time to prepare and ground yourself before you make the phone call.

You'll want a bit of time to reflect and write down your experience afterward. So things to notice is how does your body feel? What are like that intuitive nudge that you might have? Does it feel like a good fit? You don't know why, but you just feel it. Your brain is making connections [00:33:00] before our conscious mind can understand what those connections are.

That is intuition, right? . Like you have a knowing beyond our conscious understanding, and like some of those nudges are really important. So write them down even if you don't understand them, and then give yourself time to come to a decision. So how many people are you interviewing? , what's that process like for you to come to a decision?

Are you somebody that needs to sit with it? Are you somebody that needs to talk it out? Are you somebody that I don't know? Do you need to take a bath? I don't. I don't know what your process is. But how this is a big decision. So give yourself or make that plan to give yourself the appropriate like time for you or like that set of actions that's gonna help you come to the most confident decision as possible.

So those are some of my hot tips. 

Cynthia: Yes. And. As you wrote here, so wonderfully give yourself credit just to celebrate that you scheduled these calls or had these calls. It's not [00:34:00] easy. It's a little scary for the first time to ask for what you need to take a stand for yourself, especially if it's just.

Something, especially in the medical space that you've never been told you can do, and so this is your permission right here, right now, to stand up for yourself, to trust yourself, to ask for what you need. You are worthy and you are just. So critical and so important to the success of your care, like it's on you.

And so I think that's, this is great that there's a document, there's a podcast, whatever, however you absorb information. We got you. We are here with a little review and I do know that something well connected offers. Is a little extra support for those of you who really feel like this is the great unknown, right?

Like, how do I even build the confidence to have this conversation, Sometimes they're just barriers that we can't anticipate being on the other [00:35:00] side. So if you need a conversation and you need some additional support, I do know that we've got coaches available to help you understand what your fit is, right?

If Journaling's not your jam, but having a conversation is, we can go through some of those values, see what makes sense to you. Can you tell us a little more, Alex, about what that process looks like to get signed? 

Alex: Yeah, that process is, it's a 30 minute call, so it's not a lot of time commitment, but during that 30 minute call, a coach gets to sit down with you and hear what is it that you're looking for?

What do you think it is that you're looking for? What's worked for you in the past? What I like, what's really not felt aligned and right. So really they utilize, it's very similar. This guide is based on that conversation. To understand what is most important, if you got to choose only one, you know what makes the top of your list.

Just helping sift through all of the emotions and thoughts that come with finding a good fit and provider. And that guide that [00:36:00] coach is guiding the conversation to help you identify the things that are gonna be most important. , like I said, the coach is not telling you what you're doing. They are a mirror and showing you we're, they're reflecting back the values that you're describing so that way we can be really clear on them and so on The well connected Twin Cities website.

And actually it's easier on the emails because we'll get it up on the website, , we'll get it up on the website right now. It's really easy to book in our email, so hopefully you're signed up for our newsletter that comes out weekly. And on the bottom of each of those emails, it's this call to action.

If you are feeling like this is overwhelmed, you're not sure where to start there's a button right there to click to book, a 30 minute call to have that discovery conversation. And what's really cool is that you do get at the end of that call, the coach then goes back Writes down basically all the highlights on what you discussed and gives you like some, based on what you said, some suggestions for fit.

These are the things to look for, [00:37:00] suggested questions to ask when you're at the provider's office based on the discussions and values that you said were most highest priority for you. So you really do get a customized guide that's your own that you can take then to these interview. or use that as a guide when you're meeting and researching and looking for a fit that's right for your family. 

 gosh, it makes a big difference, especially when you start to build out or expand a family. You're now responsible for another person's whole body and being And having an ally in that health journey because it can be so surprising that you can be looking for so many different providers all of a sudden at the same time.

I just wanna recognize that. , that process is a lot. , I, I see you, you are not alone in that process. If you are one that's struggling to find care or you're just kind of going along with the care that seems most convenient because you don't know any other options like that is very normal. [00:38:00] there is another way. And we wanna be here to support you, so maybe that's you. Maybe it's somebody you know, would you share this podcast with them? Let them know that there's something more empowering than there are people that are really excited to be able to partner with them and support them.

Cynthia: Yes. And, one of the values of well connected is to make sure that this is accessible and. We've got the podcast we've got the guide, we've got the email newsletters and the coaching calls. But if you wanna dive in and get more of a big flavored taste.

I know we also have on January 14th reimagine routine, this day, long event where you can. Meet a lot of local wellness practitioners who take this integrative approach. It can be a way to have a taste of everything and also choose your own adventure. You can choose to sit back and shop around the marketplace a lot of local [00:39:00] goods to support local businesses, but also to listen in on panels with all these different practitioners.

I think there's over 25. Local wellness professionals who are gonna be at this event from doctors to health coaches to shamonic, healers to reiki. I mean, it's gonna be a, a taste of everything. It's a buffet of wellness. 

Alex: is a buffet. Taste and see, come to discover. Absolutely. Come with an open mind and just really celebrate in c.

You know, that's, that's really when I designed this event, that's really what it was in mind. Can we celebrate all that's available to us and be reminded that we are surrounded by people that see the same vision that we do, that it's possible, right? To have care that we align with believe in. And that is truly integrative, right?

Ghana, the days of being told this is the only way and here is the day. , providers are asking you, what do you feel would be best for you, your body, your [00:40:00] family and let's work to make that happen. That is coming. And for many practitioners in the right here in the Twin Cities, that is an a way that they are providing care right 

Cynthia: now.

 And I know something really unique about this event is you can sit back and listen, but also there's experiential workshops so depending on, how you plan your day, you can either join in for the workshops for some hands-on application to learn how to take care of yourself and add something new to your routine.

Or there's also. Actual one-on-one healing sessions if you're more of a private person and you wanna actually sample a specific healing modality. So it's got a little of everything depending on what you feel comfortable with. Again, taking that integrative approach. I mean, talk about walking the walk.

This event is, Clearly an integrative health focused event, which is just definitely something worth celebrating. . 

Alex: Oh, Cynthia, you said it way better than I could. Yes, that [00:41:00] is, it is a celebration. It is a reflection. It is in-person experience of what the online resource aims to be for all of us locally and hopefully in the future.

Cynthia: Yes, and I know we've got, for this first quarter, the focus is, care for your family. And we are gonna go through in January a little bit of just the setting of intentions like we said, being able to make those empowered choices for you, for your family. In February we're just gonna be specifically interviewing people who have family.

Practices that are maybe through different lenses or different approaches. So we're really excited for that. And then in March our focus is more on the mind body connection. We'll be interviewing actually like a psychologist with their patient and getting to hear what that interaction's like. We're gonna be also just hearing about that mind body approach for the whole family, for, children as well.

Because, [00:42:00] gosh, I just remember my mom always. Our family needs to be healthy because the weakest link is. , what makes the family fall apart, right? If there's a weak link in the family who isn't taking care of themselves, has a health disaster of some sort, it affects the entire family. And so I think it is really important to acknowledge.

Yes, it's January, like New Year's resolution. It's so exciting, but. What are the small things you can do day to day to make sure you're taking care of yourself? What are these small things you can do in your patient, uh, provider interaction to ensure you've got the right support , when stuff hits the fan, right?

 How do you make sure you're surrounding yourself with the right people so that you and your family can continue to be strong links for each other and stay strong throughout. . 

Alex: Absolutely. And we wanna hear from you, right? If you're listening and you wanna hear more [00:43:00] practical tips on this or more conversations about that, this is a conversation and a dialogue.

This is . This is really putting your needs in the center too. So please make yourself known. Email us, let us know what it is that you're loving, what it is that you're looking for too in conversation, because. We are built around what our community needs. It's one of my favorite parts of well-connected Twin Cities is that we can be dynamic and we can be responsive and in my opinion, that's what we need to be.

Because our needs are always shifting. So I just invite each of you. To consider this an invitation to be actively engaged in this community, because that's what it is. Yes. You might be listening to the podcast, and if you were to speak to us right now, we may not be able to hear you, but we do wanna hear you

Uh, you know, we do, we do wanna hear from you. So please say, Hey, please connect with us and, and let us know what's going on, what's [00:44:00] going on with you, what's going on in your family? What, what do you find most challenging, and how can our local community. Integrative health enthusiasts really be here to, to support you and see you succeed.

Hmm 100%. Oh yes. Ah, 

Cynthia: well, Alex, always, always such a pleasure. We'll make sure that in the show notes we've got links to everything, all the resources we discussed here today. If reading is more your jam and just so excited for all the things to come in 2023. 

Alex: Absolutely. Absolutely. Download the guide.

Share it with somebody that you know is looking for the right fit for them. That's the invitation here. Can we spread this? Good news of empowerment? Let's go do great things together. High five. High five