Rachel Naomi Remen, MD

Symbols, Rituals, and Archetypes: Speaking the Language of the Deep Unconscious Mind

The “affective domain” is the learning domain concerned with values, calling, and meaning, and is the basis of authentic community and sustained action and commitment. Although the affective domain is widely recognized as the foundation of direction, purpose, and deep satisfaction in work and in life—as well as the basis of spiritual hardiness in meeting with obstacles, difficulties, and stress—traditional models of education are not designed to accomplish such learning.

Join Michael Lerner in conversation with Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, about her journey balancing her life as mystic, scientist, and educator.

Rachel Naomi Remen, MD

Rachel  is clinical professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Health and Illness at Commonweal. She is one of the pioneers of integrative medicine and relationship-centered care. As a clinician, she was a therapist to end-of-life people and their families for more than 30 years. Dr. Remen is the founder and director of The Healer’s Art curriculum for medical students, which is now taught in more than half of American Medical schools and medical schools in 7 countries abroad.

She is co-founder and medical director of the Commonweal Cancer Help Retreat Program, one of the first integrative care support groups for cancer patients in America. Dr. Remen’s bestselling books, Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal and My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge and Belonging, have more than a million copies in print and have been published in 21 languages.