Compassion in Practice: Faith Stokes’ Approach to Whole-Person Care

In this episode, we sit down with pelvic health physical therapist Faith Stokes to explore what it truly means to practice compassionate, whole-person care. Specializing in complex and chronic pelvic pain, Faith shares how integrating lifestyle medicine transformed her approach to physical therapy—shifting her focus from isolated symptoms to the full spectrum of sleep, nutrition, movement, stress, and social support that shape a patient’s capacity to heal.

Throughout the conversation, Faith reflects on the pivotal clinical moments that changed her practice, including recognizing hidden undernutrition in high-performing patients and understanding how trauma can silently influence recovery. She discusses how standardized lifestyle screening can reduce stigma, why nutrition often becomes the unexpected starting point for healing, and how trauma-informed care can be woven into everyday clinical encounters without requiring patients to relive their experiences. Her insights highlight the power of modeling, mentorship, and asking better questions—especially for trainees learning to navigate real-world complexity.

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with practical strategies for integrating lifestyle medicine into any specialty, along with a renewed appreciation for self-compassion—both for your patients and yourself. Whether you’re a student, trainee, or practicing clinician, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the pillars of lifestyle medicine are meant to support healing—not weigh it down.

Learn more about the work ACLM is doing for the next generation of healthcare professionals: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/student/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with ACLM Online!

Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠