On July 8, 2024, Norman Shealy, MD, PhD, a holistic medical pioneer, left his earthly body. Norm was part of a group of visionary physicians, including Gladys Taylor McGarey, Bill McGarey, Gerald Looney, and Evarts Loomis, who gathered at Meadowlark in Hemet, CA, to lay the foundation for the American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA)—the predecessor to the AIHM. Norm Shealy became the first president of AHMA, and in 1978, the first meeting was held in Denver, CO. At the 1980 AHMA Conference, Norm and his wife, Chardy, met Charlotte McGuire, RN, and encouraged her to start a holistic nursing association. In 1981, Charlotte held the first national meeting of the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA). Over the next four decades, pioneers within AHMA and AHNA advanced holistic medicine and holistic nursing. Simultaneously, pioneers from naturopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, and East Asian medicine were advancing their professions in the USA.

 Norm also served as President of Holos University and on the Board of Directors of Holos Institutes of Health, among many other roles. He was the author of many books, including Energy Medicine, 90 Days to Self Health, and Living Bliss. He used his knowledge, coupled with compassion, to love, heal, and impact his patients and family in the most positive way, vowing to heal the body as a whole. Inventor of the TENS Machine and the Shealy RelaxMate, he held many patents for some of the most incredible healing devices still widely used today. Some of you may remember him saying, “Every thought is a prayer; thinking sets in motion spiritual forces to bring about change!” and “In body, mind, compassion, hope, and despair, think positive.”

 Gladys Taylor McGarey, MD, and co-founder of the AHMA, remembers:

“Norm and I used to have so much fun together, and we were both Sagittarians, so we were terrible dancers. The AHMA used to put us on the dance floor together, and we would laugh and laugh. Norm was so much fun to work with because no matter what happened, there was always something fun happening. There was always laughter around when Norm was around.”

 We are so grateful to Norm as one of the founders of our organization and for his tireless work to make holistic healing available to all. Rest in peace, friend.

 Gladys Taylor McGarey, MD (at 103 ½)
Rachel Carlton Abrams, MD, Board Chair, AIHM, and the AIHM Board