Letter from the President July 2020

“When Independence Day became Interdependence Day”

Thanks to COVID-19 virus, July 4th in America may have been celebrated as Interdependence Day.

In a nation that prizes an individual’s independence, this year – like no other -- we depend on each

other to wear a mask, keep an appropriate distance, and wash our hands. For many, this is a matter

of life and death.

Interdependence is a way of life at the Institute for Spirituality and Health (ISH). We have a small

staff of eight and each person is dependent on the other members to accomplish our tasks. We

cannot accomplish our mission alone. We need each other.

Our essential interdependence goes beyond our staff, to include many other organizations with

which we collaborate -- organizations like Houston Methodist, Texas Children’s Hospital, members

of the Texas Medical Center, many non-profit organizations, and inter-faith organizations including

congregants of churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples.

In 2017, our need for interdependence became a central need when Hurricane Harvey struck our

region. We realized we needed to unite with other non-profit organizations to address the

devastation that flooding had brought to tens of thousands in our region.

The result was creation of the Greater Houston Healing Collaborative (GHHC) funded by grants from

the Greater Houston Community Foundation, the Rotary Clubs of Houston, and later, a gift from the

American Red Cross.

The funding allowed us to bring the Center for Mind Body Medicine in Washington, D.C. to train

over 120 individuals in self-care Mind-Body skills they could teach to those who had experienced

loss of home and employment because of the flood.

Initially, the collaborate included the Institute for Spirituality and Health, the Menninger Clinic,

Houston-Galveston Institute, the Jung Center, The Center for Mind Body Health, Compassionate

Houston, and Healing Circles Houston. The impact has been far greater than any of our

organizations could have accomplished alone.

Over 12,000 people have received training in self-care practices that enable them to cope with the

anxiety and mental stress that a major disaster has brought to their household. And, today our

same team of facilitators are holding classes for individuals affected by the coronavirus.

This July 4th, a clarion call affirmed our independence and also our interdependence. We will

continue to celebrate these things by wearing masks, washing our hands, and keeping our distance

to protect the health of others. We need each other and perhaps, as never before, we value our

interdependence in this nation and with the people of all the nations on this planet.

John K. Graham, MD, DMin

President & CEO

Institute for Spirituality and Health