Dr. Larry Berkelhammer is a retired mind-body medicine psychologist. He has lived well with several chronic medical conditions since childhood. For decades he endured the frustration of not knowing the causes of his physical problems. Then, well into adulthood, he was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases and a primary immunodeficiency disease. At the same time, he was told there were no known cures for any of them and that pharmacological treatment for some would make others worse. A long-time mindfulness and internal martial arts practitioner faced with this reality, Dr. Berkelhammer became curious about the power of those practices to improve health and well-being. He trained with several world leaders in psychooncology, psychophysiology, psychoneuroimmunology. He also trained for many years in the internal martial art of tai chi chuan under T.T. Liang and later under William C.C. Chen. Since the spring of 2018 he has been training in internal wing chun within the Chu Shong Tin lineage under Sifu Nima King at Mindful Wing Chun.

After treating patients for 19 years in private practice, Dr. Berkelhammer retired and spent his time writing, teaching and serving non-profit organizations that serve people with chronic medical conditions. Dr. Berkelhammer’s teaching appears in his two books: In Your Own Hands: New Hope for People with Chronic Medical Conditions (Self-Efficacy Press Jan. 2014, 98-0991243709) and Doctor’s Partner: The Self-Empowered Patient (Self-Efficacy Press Dec 2020).

In Your Own Hands: New Hope for People with Chronic Medical Conditions serves as a guide to help those living with chronic illness, as well as their caregivers, learn to live with conscious intention to maximize health and wellbeing.

Doctor’s Partner: The Self-Empowered Patient serves as a guide in how to take charge of your medical care. This book describes all the things that the most savvy medical patients do to receive optimal care.

Several years of presentations, interviews, and articles are available on his extensive website: https://larryberkelhammer.com.

Tag Archive for: Dr. Larry Berkelhammer

Video: Be an Equal Partner with Your Doctor

Trust your doctors because they are the medical experts at diagnosing and treating you. If you don’t trust a doctor you work with, find one you do trust. Empowered patients have good working relationships with their doctors.

Video: Safety of Diagnostic and Treatment Procedures, and Being an Empowered Patient

It is bad for your health to go to appointments and procedures because you have to; always choose to. Have to is disempowering. Choose to is how empowered patients act, and that attitude is associated with increased wellbeing. In diagnostic…

Video: Authentic Self-Expression at Medical Office Appointments

At medical office appointments, ask questions about anything you want to understand better. If you have any type of apprehension about a recommended treatment, ask questions that will allow you to make informed decisions. Before undergoing any…