Fellowship class of 2007
I started my own practice in 1989 as an invasive cardiologist. Over the next decade, my practice thrived but I became disillusioned: I was seeing the "same" blockages day and night and was working too many hours. In 2003, heart disease hit my home and I felt inadequate as a cardiologist, wife and friend. To gain more knowledge on prevention I attended the 2004 Nutrition and Health Conference. Here I met Dr. Weil and I first heard about "integrative medicine." I immediately enrolled in the 2 year fellowship program and graduated in 2007. This program changed my life professionally and personally. It equipped me with evidence based knowledge on health and healing, inspired me academically and led me on a path of teaching others the medicine of the future.
The fellowship provided me with the credentials necessary to be a true integrative physician. I had the good fortune and honor of working as an integrative cardiologist at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Center for Health and Healing for three years until 2015. In 2016 I joined a new practice, Hackensack Meridian Integrative Health and Medicine. This is a wonderful new service where I can practice true integrative medicine. I work with a team that includes a health coach, nurse practitioner, dietician, acupuncturist and health psychologist.
The past 10 years have seen tremendous strides for me personally and for integrative medicine as a whole. Besides my clinical work, I have been speaking at community outreach events passing along the benefits of integrative medicine. I have been teaching fellows at UACIM through modules, lectures and dialogues. I am also a board member and the current Vice Chair of the American Board of Integrative Medicine. Board certification has added to the validation of integrative medicine as a recognized specialty.
My self care practice probably started when I was a young girl watching my Giagia cook and gardening with my family. I grew up in the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle even though I was raised in Jersey City! Real food has always been an important part of my life and family events. Exercise has also been a necessary part of my life and I became a late bloomer runner and yogi. I found that exercise both energized me and calmed me. I also have a regular meditation practice and have recently been trained by Benson Henry Institute in the "Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART)" program. During a medical consultation, I often make the time to teach my patients the relaxation response. Share this youtube with friends, family and patients.
Follow me on twitter: @DrKominos Check out the website: www.meridianhealth.com