MidLife Changes

Twenty-four years ago, I graduated from medical school. Since then, I've had the privilege of experiencing medicine from many different perspectives: community-based research, teaching medical students and residents, working in a group practice, and owning a direct primary care practice.

About five years ago, I found myself at a crossroads. Between the pandemic, burnout, and the growing divide around science and healthcare, I realized I needed to step back and reconnect with why I became a physician in the first place.

That journey led me in a different direction. I trained as a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner and began looking at physical symptoms through the lens of the nervous system and trauma. It changed the way I practice medicine and reminded me that every symptom has a story. Helping patients understand that connection has been incredibly rewarding.

But over the past few years, I started hearing another call—the call back to primary care.

I became certified in menopause care through The Menopause Society and gradually began incorporating more medical care into my practice. The more I did, the more I realized how much I missed the relationships that come from caring for patients over time. I missed helping people navigate not just one problem, but their entire health journey.

So I've decided to bring direct primary care back to Rx4Trauma.

This membership model allows me to practice medicine the way I always hoped I could—with longer visits, better access, and enough time to truly listen. It gives me the freedom to focus on prevention, education, and partnering with patients rather than racing through a schedule dictated by insurance companies.

When I first named my practice Rx4Trauma, I imagined it as a "prescription for trauma"—a place where nervous system regulation and healing could help people whose physical symptoms were deeply intertwined with their life experiences.

I still believe that.

But I've come to realize that many of the people who walk through my virtual door have experienced another kind of trauma: medical trauma.

They've felt dismissed, unheard, rushed, or told that their symptoms were "just stress," "just aging," or "just in their head." They aren't only looking for answers—they're looking for someone who will listen.

That's the kind of physician I want to be.

My hope is that Rx4Trauma becomes more than a medical practice. I hope it becomes a place where patients regain confidence—not only in their health, but in their relationship with their doctor and, perhaps, even in the healthcare system itself.

So if you know anyone who might be interested, please share and send them my way!

Thank you.

In sickness and in health!

Sital Bhargava