About Dr. Michael Uphues
The Return of Relationship-Based Care
Medicine was never meant to be rushed. It was never meant to be reduced to numbers on a screen, algorithms, or prescriptions written in haste. At its highest level, medicine is sacred, a relationship formed over time, built on trust, listening, and a genuine commitment to another human being’s well-being.
Dr. Michael Uphues practices medicine the way it was originally intended.
make your life more precious
An Osteopathic Foundation
I am a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), with advanced fellowship training through A4M (American Academy Anti-Aging Medicine), AMMG (Age Management Medicine Group). I am board certified by the ABFM (American Board of Family Medicine), the NBPAS (National Board of Physicians and Surgeons), and FNMB (First Nations Medical Board). And also a certified clinical and regression hypnotherapist from the Hypnotherapy Training Institute in California.
While both D.O.s and M.D.s are fully licensed physicians, osteopathic medicine carries a distinct philosophy:
The body is interconnected. Function follows form, i.e., structure and function are integrally related. Mind, body and spirit are inseparable. And the human body possesses the innate ability to heal itself when given the optimal conditions.
Family Medicine, in my view, is not a narrow specialty. It is the doorway into understanding the entirety of a person’s life, across every age, every body system and spiritual life, emphasizing a holistic approach to patient care built upon a collaborative relationship between doctor and patient.
I do not see myself as a technician managing symptoms. But rather as a clinician, listening deeply, thinking broadly, and treating the whole person.
What Has Been Lost and What Must Be Restored
Modern medicine has, in many ways, drifted from its roots.
Appointments are shorter. There is a physical barrier between doctor and patient in the form of a computer. Metrics have replaced meaning and redundant excessively verbose medical documentation has taken the place of a brief note where the emphasis is on interaction between physician and patient and not how much one can write/self populate into a medical record. Healing begins with a patient being heard, listened to and understood.
Physicians increasingly function as technicians rather than clinicians.
The intimate, longitudinal doctor–patient relationship, once the foundation of medical practice, has been diminished. I believe that relationship is sacred in the purest and most serious sense of the word.
Healing begins with being heard and understood, with having the time to explore not only symptoms, but context of those symptoms, family dynamics, stressors, diet, hydration, exercise and movement, lifestyle, belief systems, emotional state, mental state, a sense of purpose, and spiritual life.
Patients frequently say the same things after their visits:
“I felt listened to.”
“That was not your typical doctor visit”
“I felt genuinely cared for.”
That is not accidental. It is intentional.
Health as Personal Responsibility
I believe health is predicated upon personal responsibility. No physician can create wellness for someone else. But a physician can guide, educate, challenge, and walk alongside their patients.
The foundation of wellness includes:
- Whole foods, mostly plants, smaller portions.
- Intentional movement and physical activity
- Exposure to natural light
- Breathwork and mindfulness
- Structured recovery
- And a connection to a higher power, Spirituality, in my practice, is never imposed, but it is welcomed and discussed at length at whatever level an individual chooses to engage.
My ideal patient is not seeking a quick fix. It is someone willing to strive, physically, mentally, emotionally, intuitionally, and spiritually, toward becoming the best version of themselves.
Not perfect. But constantly striving for improvement day after day. I work with thoughtful individuals, high-performing professionals, and those who are spiritually curious, anyone ready to take ownership of their health and growth.
A Calling, Not a Career
My passion for medicine began in childhood, inspired by my pediatrician, Dr. John T. McEnry, a physician whose attentiveness and presence left a permanent imprint.
I sought not merely to become a doctor, but to become THAT kind of doctor.
Throughout my career, I served in medical missionary work in Guatemala, Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, and the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2006, offering care where it was most needed, without expectation of return.
Those experiences reinforced a simple truth: Medicine is not a business model. It is a calling.
In February 2020 I felt called once again and responded instinctively to treat as many COVID patients as possible with repurposed drugs, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and herbal medicines. I had to hire another physician and we successfully treated over 9,000 patients who were suffering from COVID.
Always a Teacher. Always a Student.
I consider myself an optimizing healer and a teacher, but most importantly, a lifelong student.
I study continuously.
I refine constantly.
I learned not only from science, but from the patients I am privileged to serve.
Because medicine evolves, so must the physician.
“Medicine should never lose its intuitive human touch. Medicine is not just science. It’s a fusion of science with human intuition, gut feel, instinct, and spiritual connection. It’s an art. My responsibility is not only to treat illness, but to walk alongside my patients as they reclaim their health and transform into the best versions of themselves.”
— Dr. Michael Uphues
If you are seeking a physician who practices medicine for the right reasons, who listens carefully, thinks deeply, and approaches health as a whole person’s journey, you may have found the right place. Reach out to me today, and I’d love to begin your new health journey!