We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mara Raden a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mara, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?
When I first began to plan for Raden Wellness, my initial instinct was to handle everything myself. I was taking on too much responsibility, including aspects of the business that weren’t my speciality. I handled the build out of our first location, marketing, staffing, patient care – the list goes on and on. From this, I’ve learned that medical training does not incorporate the necessary tools to thrive in the business world or start your own practice. I’m strong in science, but I lack in operations and administration – hiring the right team of experts, gathering support from business advisors, and embracing change, allows the business to continue to flourish.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Years of experience working in an ER and ICU helped Dr. Mara Raden come to the understanding that Western medicine as we know it is wonderful at providing acute care, but not so great at treating diseases at their root causes. Her search for solutions to chronic illness led to study environmental medicine, ozone therapy, and integrative approaches to health. Today, she specializes in innovative IV therapies and longevity medicine — empowering her patients to live happier, healthier, and more energetic lives. From working with corporate executives to create healthier work environments to guiding individuals along their unique wellness journeys. Dr. Mara is disrupting the status quo and ushering in the future of medicine. —
Growing up in South Florida, I always had a strong interest in health and wellness. With a family full of healthcare providers, I always knew I would one day work in the industry in some capacity. After completing a rigorous 9 years of education, I graduated with a PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree and went straight into a clinical role in a large hospital setting.
While I greatly enjoyed the one-on-one care I was able to provide patients, I became increasingly frustrated with the conventional model of matching “the ill to the pill.” Preventative care and lifestyle solutions were rarely ever discussed with patients. I began to use my lengthy commute each day to further my education and understanding of integrative medical approaches. During those 2 hour drives I would listen to lectures through an integrative fellowship in precision medicine, peptides, ozone therapy, and other innovative approaches to health. I knew there was a better way to patient care. Today, I empower my patients to live happier, healthier, longer, and more energetic lives through nutritional IV therapies, regenerative medicine, and other preventative health protocols.
In 2017 I, along with my husband, Dr. Donald Raden, MD, FAAOT, founded Raden Wellness, a progressive integrative medical practice. At Raden Wellness, we provide what traditional medicine often misses: a clear and complete picture of a patient’s health down to the cellular level. Through thoughtful investigation, comprehensive medical testing, and 100% personalized protocols, we guide our patients along their journey to true healing and optimal health.
While other medical practices utilize “standard lab panels” for every patient, we believe that because each individual is unique, so should each set of lab tests. This allows the team to look at the bigger picture and assess everything from imbalances in hormones, nutrient levels, and toxic loads to immune dysregulation and mitochondrial health, any of which may be causing your symptoms.
Since the practice’s inception, we have grown the practice to include over a dozen full-time practitioners ranging from Physicians and Naturopaths to Psychologists, Nutritionists and Integrative Physicians that specialize in Oncology, Psychiatry, Cellular Medicine and Hormone and Gut Health. Over the last year, we’ve expanded our practice beyond our physical location, including building a thriving corporate wellness program, providing at home services, and keeping consistent communication with patients wherever they are via telehealth.
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When I was 16 years old I was diagnosed with Mononucleosis, an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (or Mono, as most people know it.) I was very sick and being treated with conventional medicine. I was told that, even though I was so sick and my spleen was enlarged, that, with time, I would “be fine.” I recovered but, fast forward to 10 years later I was still having bouts of horrible fatigue and brain fog. I once again turned to conventional medicine for help and was told I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was prescribed a pharmaceutical stimulant. Through my personal research, I learned that I had Reactivated Epstein-Barr. I then started a regimen of peptides and IV therapy to modulate my immune system. These, including other lifestyle changes, are protocols I continue to do today. The experience proved to me the undeniable power of integrative medicine and strengthened my belief that everyone should have access to it.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
At Raden, we empower our patients to invest in their health. We guide our patients in their journey, giving them a wealth of science-based knowledge regarding their health. We’re allowing everyday humans to make small to large changes in their lives – not waiting for illness to happen. Primary prevention is key.
As a company overall, we have meshed the barriers of healthcare and hospitality – a layer that has historically been left out of medical settings, including a wellness curator that acts as a personal guide and concierge towards patients. From this, we have been able to engage a wide variety of patients from all walks of life, and have been able to personalize their journey.
I have watched our patients become more and more engaged in their health. Their success in taking the steps towards overall wellness enables our success and watching them thrive is frankly remarkable. Since the onset of the pandemic, we have seen patients, and guided them towards being proactive rather than waiting for the onset of disease.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Starting out, my instinct was to handle everything myself. I took on most tasks, including front desk, operations, and compounding, and did not have enough support underneath me. It was hard for me to give up control over my business, and I wanted things to be done a certain way. Within that, it meant taking on too much responsibility and even within areas in which I don’t thrive. From this, I’ve learned that medical training does not incorporate the necessary tools to thrive in the business world or start your own business. You need a strong foundation, a team of advisors, and experts within their field. I’m strong in pharmaceuticals and integrative medicine, but I lack in operations and administration – hiring the right people, and continuing to adjust and learn, allows the business to continue to flourish.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.radenwellnesss.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raden_wellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/radenwellness
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/raden-wellness
Image Credits
Elise Pfister