Our Members: Savannah Lees-Haley

Savannah Lees-Haley // Moral Support and Balloon Liaison

Hi there...my name is Savannah. I study art history at Cal, but following my wonderful experience in the Integrative Medicine de-cal in Spring 2003 I began to take an interest in the healing arts as well. There is an intuitive simplicity that comes with some of the healing practices that have been outmoded by Western medicine and I think it's important to remind ourselves, our friends, our family members, and our communities that people can be responsible for their own health. I'm interested in the way that people heal themselves and each other and in finding the links between traditional medical practices from around the world. Each and every one of us is a healer and the sooner people realize it, the happier and healthier we will all be! Laugh, breathe, stretch, hug, dance...find your own medicine and spread it around.

Our Members: Augen Batou

Hello, my name is Augen Batou and I am majoring in Integrative Biology here at Cal. I've always been interested in medicine and healthcare. I'm hoping to go to Med-School and become a surgeon. I have always been open to both natural healing and western medicine from my fathe (he's a Pharmacist). I joined SIM to learn more about natural healing and use it for my future practice. I think that there needs to be an essential balance of Western and Eastern medicine in our modern health care, and as a future doctor, I hope to fuse both worlds into my practice.

Our Members: Rick Smith

Rick Smith is new to the Bay Area and studies community development, social change and poverty at the School of Social Welfare. For Smith, integrative medicine is more than just an intervention from expert to patient, but forming communities that promote healthy living. His mother managed a laboratory at an Osteopathic clinic, where he learned the benefits of good diet, exercise, deep heat treatments and low velocity spinal manipulations. In the Peace Corps, he worked on the vast steppes of Outer Mongolia training English teachers and got to experience moxibustion, herbal remedies and the healing power of horse milk. In Washington, DC he worked with state and local governments with their strategic plans to renew communities and promote living and working near home. He practices yoga daily and is a reiki master in the Usui tradition. Before coming to Cal, he was a registered Reiki volunteer at the George Washington University Hospital with Reikipartners.org. He loves cooking organic, vegan and at times raw feasts, biodynamic wine and nature in moderation.

Our Members: Rob McClintic

Rob McClintic // Network Optimizer

I currently serve as a UC Martial Arts Medical Co-Chair with Dr. Frank Choy where we facilitate physicians and health staff to provide medical aid for Cal's martial arts tournaments.

I am certified as an acupressurist from the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley. Lately studying Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine has complemented my studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Taoism. In my former life, I served as the Emergency Services Coordinator for the USCA where we provided training in First Aid/CPR, earthquake safety and self defense. I used to work with St. John's Ambulance Service in Wales as a paramedic. Before that, in military search and rescue, we dealt with a variety of ailments particular to a tropical climate primarily. In my youth, I acted as a first responder and was first on the scene in numerous emergency situations. I received extensive triage training and volunteered in hospitals frequently.

Previously, I spent time as a counselor and a mentor dealing with a wide variety of problems on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. My earliest experiences in health care came in the form of volunteering at a hospice when I was a child where we visited with many terminally ill patients providing support and comfort to them. I grew up in Ojibway territory and spent summers in Pomo and Hopi country. I speak some Mandarin, Japanese, and Spanish. I received a Bachelor of Arts from Berkeley in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Our Members: Ryan McNeely

Ryan McNeely // Minister of Information

Hi, I'm Ryan. I am so proud to be a Senior leader of SIM, and Minister of Information this year. My passion for healing has grown out of my participation with SIM, which began only a year and a half ago. Looking back, I cannot believe how much I have learned about healing practices from around the world -- and much of my knowledge stems from being with the healers in this heart-centered circle. I have also found a few gems for classes on this campus: Native American Medicine, Buddhist Psychology, Ethnobotany, and especially Medical Anthropology (Cohen and Schepper-Hughes are both deeply or even deathly passionate). I took the last Spring semester off of Call to study Chinese Medicine at the Acupressure Institute on Shattuck, and have grown a private practice. Doing Acupressure and massage with my clients is a meditation. Being acutely present with our bodies is extremely rewarding. Being a conduit for universal energy feels magical. Being silent and present with people is beautiful -- the constant urge to connect through voice melts away. I support friends in cleansing their toxic bodies with whole raw foods as I cleanse my own. Thanks to brother Mo for all the support! I enjoy talking about Buddhism and Native American life-ways, philosophies for enlightened action. Tabling and meditating on Sproul rocks! I am thankful to be with a circle of peers who support one another no matter what aspect of healing she/he is exploring, form healing with raw eggs, to energy medicine, to allopathy/biomedicine. I'm writing my Senior Thesis this semester and preparing for our perceived Real World. I am looking forward to graduating, expanding my practice, and promoting local healers. Let the good word flow!

Our Members: Ruth Bosco

Ruth Bosco // Decorations and Entertainment

My name is Ruth Bosco, and I am majoring in Anthropology at CAL. Even though my main interest is in healing, I am taking Anthropology for a liberal education and am specifically interested in the concepts developed in medical anthropology. I seek to understand the roots and branches of healing, what kind of medicine can cross all language and cultural boundaries (I think it's love), and to understand people and where they're coming from so I can trust myself to help them. That's it for now... peace!

Our Alumni: Lily Rose Hartwig

Lily Hartwig // SIM Mama 2004 - 5

Hello, my name is Lily. I'm a senior at UC Berkeley, studying Integrative Medicine with a focus on creative approaches to psychological healing in the ISF department. I've been interested and involved in Integrative Medicine for a good 8 years. I love working with herbs and vitamins, because I think proper nutrition is one of the most important things we can give to ourselves. I think that painting, dancing, singing, and writing are powerful tools to celebrate life with and are definately good for the psyche! I am a Certified Massage Therapist with a focus on Esalen massage (characterized by its long flowing strokes), CrainoSacral Therapy, Lymph Drainage, Somatic Healing, and Energy Medicine. I also find myself dabbling with essential oils and creating natural beauty products and potions. Oh, yeah, and I love to garden...dirt is healing. Love and Light, Lily

Our Alumni: Jennifer Lin

Jennifer Lin // Member 2004 - 5

Jen's write up in 2004:
I'm a fourth-year MCB-Immunology major at Cal with a self-declared minor in the physical, spiritual, and social implications of bioactive compounds. Raised in a traditional Chinese medicine environment, I rarely visited our allopathic physician for my ailments. Instead, I was taught to aid the body in healing itself with a range of herbs, foods, and physical exercises. My roots in Eastern medicine have lent to my interest in other forms of "alternative" medicine. However, I do have an appreciation for the technological advancements in Western medicine and their applications and I plan on applying to medical school next year. I hope to integrate Western and Eastern therapies in my future practice.

Aside from this awesome organization, I'm involved with DanceSafe, a harm reduction coalition that emphasizes drug education within the rave and dance community. At the UCSF Gallo Center, my research project is a genetic analysis of the neurological effects of alcohol. I'm also an organic chemistry tutor for the SLC and a peer advisor for the MCB UAO. I love trance, indie rock, delicious nutritious foods, books that take me to another world, and beautiful breezy days in the Bay Area.

Our Alumni: Shawna Cooper

Shawna Cooper // SIM Coordinator 2004 - 5

Shawna, Canadian born, has been involved in holistic practices her whole life. She is committed to providing people with the skills, information and tools to powerfully transform their lives through taking responsibility for their own healthcare. Shawna is a certified HolisticHealth and Nutritional Counselor and Applied Kinesiology Practitioner. She has taught Applied Kinesiology and Color Therapy at The World School of Massage and Advanced Healing Arts in San Francisco and is presently working towards an Interdisciplinary Studies degree at Berkeley with a focus in integrated healthcare. She currently resides on the Peninsula with her husband.

Our Alumni: Chris Bubba Restivo

Chris Restivo // SIM Fun(d)raiser

Howdey, my name is Christopher James Restivo, but being referred to by such a long name is no fun, so Chris will do. Growing up the idea of being a doctor and helping people was so compelling, until falling sick at the age of ten and experiencing first-hand what "modern medicine" had to offer. The years after were as much of an internal struggle as a physical one. Could this really be the height and achievements of western medicine? It seemed much more like torture to me. Coming to CAL with no real academic plan was probably the best thing that has happened to me. Not to say there were no interests, but no rigidity would be more accurate. Soon enough, and much thanks to this club, the annual conference, and the great friends made along the way, I did discover that there were ways to heal that weren't so invasive, ways that actually made sense (and I could study them in school!). Now, an ISF major in my fourth year, I'm studying these approaches to health with the goal of becoming healthy enough myself to one day be able to help others in their return to health.

Our Alumni: Brita Popma

Brita Popma // Member 2001 - 5 // Coordinator 2003 - 4

Brita's 2003 write up:

Hey Folks! I am a junior here at Cal majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies (namely, Healthcare in Developing Countries). I was lucky enough to discover this group my first semester through the de-cal held in the spring -- some classes really do change your life! Natural medicine, and the general awareness of alternative practices used throughout the world, has become a true passion of mine and I am excited to have the opportunity to share these interests with other members of our community. I hope to one day be a midwife and use alternative practices (herbs, massage, energy work, etc.) to their greatest capacity. I welcome you to our group and hope to meet you all soon!

Our Alumni: Brieanna Cross, Founder

Brieanna Cross // Founder

In 1999 I announced in one of my classes that Students for Integrative Medicine was having its first meeting on the grass outside after class. Little did the audience know that there was really no such club, only the seed of a dream. I was in my second year and I had tried many pre-med clubs without finding one that felt like home. Knowing that there must be others out there that shared my interests in integrative medicine, I decided to start a new club. Luckily, enough people came to the meeting that day to get the ball rolling. Over the next few years we began building a foundation and now it warms my heart to see that the club has evolved into an established group. Keep passing on the torch, new and aspiring healers are walking all around you.

Currently I am in Osteopathic medical school at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo, CA. I am the Integrative Medicine Club President this year but I will soon be moving on to work in hospitals for my third year rotations. I am also involved in a Bay Area wide group, Student Starfish, that is an online community grassroots movement to connect students that are studying health, healing and medicine. Check it out: www.starfishpartners.com, under the "provider services" tab.

I love studying Osteopathic medicine because I learn the science of medicine and the art of hands-on healing. Osteopathy teaches me to look at the patient as an integrated whole, to take into account one's life context. We are taught that the body is a unity of body, mind and spirit. As an Osteopathic physician I will seek to strengthen the health and vitality of my patients, as well as treat their disease. Through Osteopathic manipulation I can learn how to change the structure of the body to facilitate physiological function. I love Osteopathy because it teaches me to listen to my patients through my fingertips. If you have any questions about Osteopathy, Touro University, massage, or just need someone to talk to who managed to find her path among the many options in integrative medicine, please feel free to write me at: brieannacross@gmail.com.

Follow your heart and it will lead you to become the healer that you truly are.
Enjoy the journey.

Blessings
Brieanna Cross

Our Members: Elli Smith

Elli Smith // Discotechnician

Hey duuudes, my name is Elli. I've always considered myself to be a healthy individual until one day when I read an Ayurvedic book that described health as more than the mere lack of disease. Interesting I thought, and quested on to read that instead health is described as a constant interaction / evaluation process to continually improve oneself. That seems a little more fitting now doesn't it?

What I have discovered in my search for a constantly healthier and happier life, is that most of the current path of western medicine is leading not, in fact to health, but instead to a cream covering, pill popping facade that hides the majority of people's true medical problems. The map back to health, in my opinion, is subjective to each individual, but can be written in part by integrating the workd of a variety of healers who specialize in maintaining people's health.

All metaphors aside, I believe that these so-deemed alternative practices will be the only viable means to a healthy future for us human folks and earth, the small blue and green planet we inhabit. But remember that before you save the world you have to help yourself and the ones around you; and laughter is always the best medicine.

Our Members: Brett London

Brett London // Coordinator

Hi. My name is Brett London. I am a recent graduate from UC Berkeley (Fall '05). I have been a member of Students for Integrative Medicine since 2002. My involvement with this club began in my freshman year with my interest in medical ethnobotany, the medicinal use of plants. As I pursued my interests, I met like-minded peers, whose interests extended into the healing arts. My experiences with "integrative" doctors, scientists, and healers exposed me to innovation within the medical field, service within my community, and opportunities for research. Because I was reluctant to choose only one discipline to study, I decided to create my own major. I was an Interdisciplinary Major with a concentration in Social Development and Integrative Health Practices. I wrote my thesis on the role of spirituality in bridging the gap between modern medicine and Native American medicine and philosophy. The quality of my education has been rooted in my interactions with my peers, my family, and my community. I have laid a personal foundation upon which to further my studies in medicine.

Currently, I am focusing on integrating both conventional and traditional studies into my understanding of medicine. I am applying to medical school and working for the Global Education Action Network (GLEAN), a non-profit organization that leads exhibitions to remote places in the world, where young students conduct research, interview, film, photograph, record, and learn from people living traditional lifestyles.