Health by your design
Integrative healthcare that puts you in the driver’s seat.
Health by your design
Integrative healthcare that puts you in the driver’s seat.
THE HEALER WHO NEEDED HEALING
Barbara de la Torre, MD
In my video series, A Healer’s Self-Care Journey, I made a vulnerable admission. I’m recognizing the early warning signs that my health needs more attention, and this time I’m not waiting.
Nine years ago, I learned the hard way what happens when you ignore your body’s signals until they become a crisis. That experience taught me the same lesson I try to share with others: early intervention is everything.
Now I’m noticing familiar patterns – fatigue, headaches, and the feeling of giving more than I’m replenishing. But instead of pushing through like I did before, I’m stepping back to practice what I preach.
PRACTICING WHAT I PREACH
This month, instead of teaching classes or workshops, I’m demonstrating what healing looks like for a healthcare provider trained in both medical systems. I’m using the same methods I recommend to others: consistent qigong practice, Korean Hand Therapy for self-treatment, mindful nutrition, and the lifestyle changes that support real healing.
I’m documenting this process on YouTube—not because I have it all figured out, but because healing happens in community, and sometimes we need to see someone else taking the first brave step.
For practitioners reading this, you know the challenge of giving everything to your patients while your health gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. We’ve been trained to put ourselves last, but we can’t give what we don’t have. We need to pave the way for our communities and forge a new path to heal ourselves and the ailing healthcare systems.
THE HEALER WHO NEEDED HEALING
Barbara de la Torre, MD
In my video series, A Healer’s Self-Care Journey, I made a vulnerable admission. I’m recognizing the early warning signs that my health needs more attention, and this time I’m not waiting.
Nine years ago, I learned the hard way what happens when you ignore your body’s signals until they become a crisis. That experience taught me the same lesson I try to share with others: early intervention is everything.
Now I’m noticing familiar patterns – fatigue, headaches, and the feeling of giving more than I’m replenishing. But instead of pushing through like I did before, I’m stepping back to practice what I preach.
PRACTICING WHAT I PREACH
This month, instead of teaching classes or workshops, I’m demonstrating what healing looks like for a healthcare provider trained in both medical systems. I’m using the same methods I recommend to others: consistent qigong practice, Korean Hand Therapy for self-treatment, mindful nutrition, and the lifestyle changes that support real healing.
I’m documenting this process on YouTube—not because I have it all figured out, but because healing happens in community, and sometimes we need to see someone else taking the first brave step.
For practitioners reading this, you know the challenge of giving everything to your patients while your health gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. We’ve been trained to put ourselves last, but we can’t give what we don’t have. We need to pave the way for our communities and forge a new path to heal ourselves and the ailing healthcare systems.
My Approach
Bridging Two Worlds as a Healthcare Provider
After 20+ years in healthcare and extensive training in Eastern practices, I’ve discovered something powerful: when people understand both systems, they become their own best health advocates.
A Foundation Built on Integration
Second-generation physician, visual artist, and immigrant. Born in Buenos Aires to a German mother and Argentine father, I grew up in a home where four languages were spoken and cultures blended. I’ve had a foot in both worlds of Eastern and Western medicine since I could remember.
My mother was a physician in family medicine, but she was also a trailblazer forging a new path into Chinese medicine, becoming the first woman president of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. I learned early that being a pioneer means challenging the status quo.
I’ve lived in duality all my life—as an artist and as a scientist, as an immigrant and as an American. This perspective taught me that the most powerful solutions often come from bridging different worlds rather than choosing sides.
Western Medicine and Eastern Wisdom
Western medicine excels at crisis intervention and diagnosis. Eastern medicine excels at prevention and root causes. Why choose sides when you can use both?
As a board-certified Family Medicine practitioner and Medical Acupuncturist, I spent most of my career in corporate medicine before running a private practice on an entirely integrated model. That practice became the seed that would blossom into Third Opinion MD.
But here’s what I’ve learned: you can’t teach what you don’t live. That’s why I’m returning to my own healing journey—to prove these methods work, starting with myself.
RETURNING TO WHAT WORKS
I’ve been studying qigong since my late twenties, exploring it with different masters before finding the school where I completed my master certification over seven years of consistent training and practice. This training was based on a renowned Daoist medical qigong lineage dating back over 2,000 years—and it saved my life, filling the knowledge gaps from my dual training in Western and Eastern medicine.
Nine years ago, when I was struggling with severe health challenges, these practices became essential to my recovery. Qigong was one of the key practices that restored my health – I went from being unable to jog to running a 15K within six months through consistent practice.
Now I’m returning to this same foundation – not because I’m in crisis, but because I’ve learned to recognize the early signs and take proactive action. This is what sustainable self-care looks like for a healthcare provider who understands both systems.
Why I’m Documenting This Journey
Too many healthcare providers struggle in silence, prioritizing everyone else’s health over their own. We’ve been trained to think self-care is selfish, but we can’t give what we don’t have.
In my YouTube series “A Healer’s Self-Care Journey,” you’ll see me using these same practices I recommend to others – daily qigong, Korean Hand Therapy, mindful nutrition – proving they work by living them myself.
This isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing what it looks like when a healthcare provider finally puts their own health first, and building community around authentic self-care.
BUILDING COMMUNITY AROUND AUTHENTIC HEALING
Real healing happens when healthcare providers model the self-care they teach. That’s why I’m documenting my own journey – to show what it actually looks like when someone with medical training puts their health first.
This isn’t about perfect guru wisdom. It’s about proving that sustainable healthcare practice starts with practitioners who walk the walk. When we take care of ourselves, we serve our patients better and create healthier healthcare systems.
My Mission: Transform healthcare from the inside out by empowering healthcare providers and motivated individuals to tap into their inner healing wisdom. Sustainable healthcare starts with people and systems that make self-care and prevention a priority and with purpose.
For healthcare providers who’ve been trained to put everyone else first, and for motivated individuals ready to move from passive to active health management, this journey is for all of us.
RETURNING TO WHAT WORKS
I’ve been studying qigong since my late twenties, exploring it with different masters before finding the school where I completed my master certification over seven years of consistent training and practice. This training was based on a renowned Daoist medical qigong lineage dating back over 2,000 years—and it saved my life, filling the knowledge gaps from my dual training in Western and Eastern medicine.
Nine years ago, when I was struggling with severe health challenges, these practices became essential to my recovery. Qigong was one of the key practices that restored my health – I went from being unable to jog to running a 15K within six months through consistent practice.
Now I’m returning to this same foundation – not because I’m in crisis, but because I’ve learned to recognize the early signs and take proactive action. This is what sustainable self-care looks like for a healthcare provider who understands both systems.
Why I’m Documenting This Journey
Too many healthcare providers struggle in silence, prioritizing everyone else’s health over their own. We’ve been trained to think self-care is selfish, but we can’t give what we don’t have.
In my YouTube series “A Healer’s Self-Care Journey,” you’ll see me using these same practices I recommend to others – daily qigong, Korean Hand Therapy, mindful nutrition – proving they work by living them myself.
This isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing what it looks like when a healthcare provider finally puts their own health first, and building community around authentic self-care.
BUILDING COMMUNITY AROUND AUTHENTIC HEALING
Real healing happens when healthcare providers model the self-care they teach. That’s why I’m documenting my own journey – to show what it actually looks like when someone with medical training puts their health first.
This isn’t about perfect guru wisdom. It’s about proving that sustainable healthcare practice starts with practitioners who walk the walk. When we take care of ourselves, we serve our patients better and create healthier healthcare systems.
My Mission: Transform healthcare from the inside out by empowering healthcare providers and motivated individuals to tap into their inner healing wisdom. Sustainable healthcare starts with people and systems that make self-care and prevention a priority and with purpose.
For healthcare providers who’ve been trained to put everyone else first, and for motivated individuals ready to move from passive to active health management, this journey is for all of us.
Certifications and Credentials
Board Certified in Family Medicine with over 20 years of combined medical education and experience.
Three years of additional training in psychiatry, six years of experience in primary care, and 10 years of experience as an urgent care physician dealing with chronic, urgent, and emergent situations.
Board-certified in Medical Acupuncture
Fellow of the American Academy of Medical
Acupuncture and contributing faculty.
Master Level certification in medical qigong.
“Working with Barbara was the first time I felt like a medical professional truly saw the whole of me, not just my lab results or symptoms. Her systems-based approach blended medical expertise with Eastern philosophies in a way that helped me understand my fatigue through a completely different lens. She offered thoughtful, personalized care that made me feel seen, supported, and genuinely understood. It was a rare kind of experience—one rooted in presence, curiosity, and deep care.”
SPEAKING: HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Healthcare transformation starts with healthcare providers who prioritize their own well-being. I speak to healthcare organizations, professional associations, and practitioner groups about bridging Eastern and Western medicine for sustainable practice.
My presentations focus on:
- Practitioner self-care as the foundation of quality patient care
- Integrating Eastern medicine principles into Western healthcare settings
- Building resilient healthcare teams through authentic wellness practices
- Moving from practitioner burnout to sustainable, fulfilling practice
Current Focus: While I’ve stepped back from public workshops to focus on my own healing journey, I remain available for speaking engagements with healthcare professionals and organizations that align with authentic practitioner wellbeing and healthcare transformation.
The video shows my presentation on “Modern Maladies” – including physician burnout – and how integrative approaches address root causes rather than just symptoms.
YouTube
A Healer's Self-Care Journey
Following my authentic journey back to prioritizing my own health using the same Eastern medicine principles I teach. This isn't about perfect guru wisdom - it's about proving that sustainable healthcare practice starts with practitioners who walk the walk.
Three types of content:
- My Personal Journey - Solo reflections and real-time updates on my healing process
- Practitioner Conversations - Honest discussions with fellow healthcare providers about challenges we rarely admit
- Learning/Discovery - Real results from testing different approaches, sharing what's working and what isn't
For healthcare providers who've been trained to put everyone else first, and for motivated individuals ready to move from passive to active health management.
