Our Mission

Finding Balance, is an affiliation of practitioners and teachers dedicated to the enhancement of the delivery of clinical health care. Our mission is to help individuals and health care systems find and apply meaning and value to the delivery of health care. This is goal is accomplished through:

• Programs dedicated to the health and well-being of the clinician.
• Interventions in the clinical workplace designed to enhance the overall sense of well-being and communication, thus enhancing the experience of the practitioners, system leadership and patients alike.
• Providing programs for couples and families in a medical life.
• Providing programs that allow relaxation and recreation for the clinician and the opportunity to re-create their careers.
• Providing techniques to manage stress and enhance "emotional intelligence".
• Provide curricular content and training to medical school, residency and fellowship faculty and trainees.
• Provide tools and products for office practices and individuals to help facilitate personal growth and enhance their health.
• Providing links and information about other individuals, groups and reading resources applicable to the growth of healthier healthcare workplaces and practitioners.

Since it’s creation, Finding Balance has served thousands of physicians, nurses and their families to achieve their personal, professional and organizational goals. Organization clients of Finding Balance include: Kaiser-Permanente (nationwide), The Cleveland Clinic, The Hill Physicians Medical Group, The Scripps Clinic, University of Minnesota and other nationally prominent medical organizations.

A satisfied customer:
"A few years ago I was treated by a physician in his late forties whom I had known for some years. He was widely respected and highly dedicated to his patients. But he looked terrible: overweight, tired, pallid. I told him so. His "doctor" image deflated as he visibly sagged. He mentioned some pressures: a malpractice case, some problems in his office, the daily race to keep up. He said he just had to get through the next few months and he would be fine. Instead, he died of a massive heart attack within the year, leaving behind a beautiful family.

This is an extreme but not isolated story - I work with hundreds of physicians in my role as CEO of Hill Physicians Medical Group. I see too many symptoms of burn out. It was serendipity that I happened to meet Lee Lipsenthal, M.D., one Sunday afternoon in Berkeley (of course) where he was teaching a course with Dean Ornish, M.D.. It was this chance interaction that ultimately led to Lee presenting his Finding Balance in a Medical Life Programs at Hill. The initial reaction by our physician leadership was dubious; four years later the quarterly program is consistently sold out. And, at the request of physician participants, a parallel program has been developed for practice staff with similar rave reviews.

The medical profession is unique, particularly as practiced in the U.S., with the extraordinary challenges and demands made upon its members. I sometimes refer to this as "John Wayne medicine," but Jimmy Stewart in High Noon is probably more accurate; the lone stalwart sheriff going up against the seemingly unstoppable bad guys. If we get it right in reorganizing health care to become a team effort, maybe in another generation we won't tax our practitioners as we have. But for now, Finding Balance provides just what the doctor ordered."

— Steve McDermott, Chief Executive Officer, Hill Physicians Medical Group
An Independent Practice Association in Northern California composed of 2,600 physicians with 350,000 HMO patients.
[To Top]

Who we are
Lee Lipsenthal - CEO & Co-Founder
Finding Balance was co-founded by Lee Lipsenthal, M.D., a recognized leader, teacher and pioneer in the field of provider wellness. He is internationally known for his research work with Dr. Dean Ornish, in preventive cardiology. He is also well known in the field of Integrative Medicine and past President of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. Dr. Lipsenthal is a member of the American Medical Association's "Physician Wellness Committee" and has authored many professional and popular publications on healthcare provider wellness medicine. He is a frequent invited workshop presenter and speaker at healthcare conferences and media engagements, both in the U.S. and overseas. He speaks to over 5,000 physicians annually in keynote addresses, workshops and other formats. He is also the author of Finding Balance in a Medical Life.

He received his BS from George Washington University and his M.D. from Howard University, both in Washington, D.C.. He completed his internship and residency at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. During his residency he developed the first multi-disciplinary cardiac rehabilitation in Philadelphia. This program involved stress reduction, exercise and nutrition teaching.

He then went on to become Director of CardioVascular Services for the Benjamin Franklin Clinic in Philadelphia as well as a staff physician at The Pennsylvania Hospital. In this role, he developed treatment programs for patients with heart disease or risk of heart disease; he developed corporate wellness programs for national companies and consulted on patients with cholesterol disorders at the hospital.

Through his years in the profession, Dr. Lipsenthal observed that the health, morale, and work satisfaction of many physicians were often worse than that of their patients. Inspired by this realization, he developed the "Finding Balance in a Medical Life" program. The program is based on Dr. Lipsenthal's wealth of personal and professional experience. He has traveled the world as a lecturer/consultant and has developed and implemented nationwide research projects in disease prevention. Dr. Lipsenthal's programs have been adapted by major medical groups and his curriculum is being delivered at medical schools and residency programs nation wide.

Dr. Lipsenthal serves on the American Medical Association's "Physician Wellness Committee" and is Past President of The American Board of Holistic Medicine. He is the father of two children and married to a physician, giving him a unique understanding of balancing a medical life.
[To Top]