We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Momoko Uno a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Momoko, appreciate you joining us today. What was your school or training experience like? Share an anecdote or two that you feel illustrate important aspects or the overall nature of your schooling/training experience.

When I was a young resident, one of my teachers said, “When we were recent graduates we thought that every illness was treatable and we were so sure about everything.” The wisdom in her words about the uncertainty of life and prognosis was something I didn’t have the experience to understand at that point in my career, however her words had stuck with me and kept me grounded. Approaching thirty years of clinical experience, I can relate to her words, but not only from a negative perspective but also that some people against all odds overcome great adversity that seems impossible. I’ve learned that the importance of not fitting ourselves into statistics and that our will has great impact on outcome of events. Not to say that will alone can overcome everything, but I think its a key ingredient to beating the odds against challenges that may seem impossible at the time.

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?

I am a Doctor of Integrative Medicine, a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, a licensed acupuncturist, and a board-certified Chinese herbalist with a Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology. In 2008, I founded Omni Wellness NYC, a multidisciplinary wellness center dedicated to providing our community with holistic medical treatments.

I specialize in addressing complex trauma and its impact on chronic illness, pain management, women’s health, fertility, and unexplained conditions that often fall through the cracks of conventional medicine.

I am also the founder of Edesia Gourmet, a start-up focused on creating pureed foods that are both delicious and visually appealing, designed for individuals with swallowing difficulties.

My books draw from my experience in the medical field, particularly in psychology, and explore themes of overcoming adversity, resilience, and healing.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

The ability to listen to people and validate their experience, feelings and thoughts, while empowering them to make self-honoring choices that enhance well-being is probably the single most important skill. Unfortunately, it’s not practiced by many and most healthcare providers are quick to preach rather than listen and invalidate their patients’ experience.
I am always disappointed to hear when patients complain when their provider had said all their symptoms were “in their mind,” making people feel like they are crazy. People in health care need to understand that their title carries power and their words can have damaging affects when used carelessly. Just because the test came back negative, doesn’t mean there are no issues. It’s very possible the provider performed the wrong tests. To be able to say “The tests we have conducted do not show any abnormalities, so I recommend you find another opinion and trust your instincts.” Hypochondriasis is rarely a true diagnosis, most patients have been misdiagnosed with inadequate testing and treatment.

Have you ever had to pivot?

At the beginning of the pandemic, my mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. I was stuck in New York and my mother was in Australia, my home country, with the border’s closed to all citizen. Those who were given travel exemption were subjected to two-week hotel quarantine in solitary confinement with guards outside the door and rooms with bolted windows. My mother passed while I was in quarantine and then I almost died due to an unexpected anaphylactic reaction. I realized at the point of witnessing death and brushing up against my own mortality that life is very short. I decided to publish my first book because it had been a dream of mine to write, a memoir about my experience in quarantine. I’m publishing my third book shortly and hopefully more to come. I encourage everyone to not wait on dreams. Live boldly and joyfully every day. Tell loved ones what they mean to you, because one day you may not have the chance. When I take my last breath, I want to look back without regret, knowing I’ve done everything I wanted to do and I’ve given to the world all I could.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.omniwellnessnyc.com www.momokowrites.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momoko_uno/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MomokoUnoOfficial/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/momoko-uno-a0a777313/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.ca/biz/omni-wellness-nyc-manhattan?start=10#reviews
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omni-wellness-nyc-792167119/

Image Credits

Jessica Osber – Headshot

I don’t have any other images – unless you want pictures of pureed food….