When the Tests Say You're Healthy But You Feel Broken

Key points

Health includes physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.

When physical safety, social connection and spiritual meaning in life are not met, it can manifest physically.

Sharing what matters most to you with your healthcare team can improve your care and the results.

Understanding that you are more than just your physical body is the first step toward true healing.

Maria sat across from me, her medical chart showing encouraging numbers — normal blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. By medical standards, she was healthy. But her eyes told a different story.

"I've done everything right," she said. "I exercise five times a week, I eat organic food, I take all my vitamins. But I feel empty, like something is wrong – and I’m tired all the time."

As we talked