As more patients and clinicians explore a variety of approaches to wellness, prevention and healing — breathwork, meditation, massage, tai chi, acupuncture, energy healing and more — to improve physical, mental and emotional well-being, a generous $10 million gift from the Shah Family Foundation has established a new center to advance transformative practices that support healing. As part of the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Center for Comprehensive Healing will envision, model and share whole-person health approaches that honor physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
“Our bodies have the innate ability to heal, and sometimes when we are sick, we rely on supportive treatments to tip us back into health. Likewise, we use these treatments preventatively to maintain our health and wellness,” says Jill Shah, Shah Family Foundation president. “The Center for Comprehensive Healing will support research to help us better understand how a person heals. It will also support access to healing modalities in communities in Boston where there are currently a dearth of offerings. Lastly, it will provide a plethora of education opportunities for health professionals to access the latest research and personally experience healing modalities. The Center aligns with our Foundation’s local focus of supporting education, health and wellness in communities in Boston.”
A Growing Need for Comprehensive Healing
To achieve its mission, the Center will identify, investigate and fund healing practices and develop approaches to bring evidence-based methods to patients and practitioners. Areas of focus will likely be wide-reaching. This work is especially timely, with more than half of doctors in the United States recommending complementary health approaches to their patients and a growing number of patients are using interventions to complement or replace pharmacotherapies and surgery, both preventatively and in the treatment of chronic conditions.
“We want to be bold, to expand access to quality healthcare in the physical, mental and emotional realms and champion a thoughtful approach to holistic health,” says Maurizio Fava, MD, chair of psychiatry for academic medical centers for Mass General Brigham. “The new Center for Comprehensive Healing will give us the tools we need to explore the most successful interventions and share those discoveries with clinicians who can use them to make a difference for patients around the world. We are grateful to the Shah Family Foundation for their support and partnership.”
As research into integrative medicine grows, much of the Center’s work will focus on educating providers on evidence-based approaches. This includes convening clinicians to share research and offer hands-on exposure to integrative healing practices. The Center will also collaborate with community health centers to increase access to these practices and act as a trusted resource for health and wellness media professionals.
Leading with Experience
The Shah Family Foundation provides funding and expertise for collaborative models that drive innovation in healthcare, education and community. The Center for Comprehensive Healing reflects the Foundation’s commitment to advancing innovative healthcare solutions that intersect with education and community support.
“Through the new Center for Comprehensive Healing, we will bring the most advanced scientific methodologies to understand integrative therapies, from the ancient to the novel. Our work will seek insights to empower individuals, families and communities to improve their health, and we will prioritize democratizing access to the most effective of these therapies.”
A. Eden Evins, MD, MPH, the Cox Family Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and founding director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Mass General, and Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH, the medical director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Mass General and medical and education director at the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, will serve as the Center’s co-directors. The pair bring extensive experience and leadership in research, teaching, clinical care and community involvement in psychiatry and integrative health to their roles. Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli, PhD, will join the leadership team as research director, bringing her expertise in understanding the brain’s role in psychiatric disorders and promoting the translation of this knowledge into clinical practice.
“Through the new Center for Comprehensive Healing, we will bring the most advanced scientific methodologies to understand integrative therapies, from the ancient to the novel,” Dr. Evins says. “Our work will seek insights to empower individuals, families and communities to improve their health, and will prioritize democratizing access to the most effective of these therapies.”
“The visionary generosity of the Shah Family Foundation empowers us to broaden the horizons of health and deepen our scientific understanding of the conditions necessary for optimal recovery,” says Dr. Mehta. “By advancing our knowledge of the body’s innate capacity for healing, we aspire to pioneer transformative solutions for individuals living with chronic pain and illness.”
On January 23, 2025, the Center’s efforts were launched with an Advisory Board meeting, bringing together thought leaders, researchers and clinicians across the health and wellness landscape.
Visit the Center for Comprehensive Healing website for more information. To learn more about how your support can make an impact, contact us or make a gift.
