A space that soothes

I am proud of our acupuncture and holistic exam room. We are a general medicine and referral hospital also, so having a special room dedicated to holistic practice is very important. It is in a quiet area of the hospital, separate from the other exam rooms, next to the manager's office and file room.

The door to the holistic room is an indicator that this is a special area. It is a lead glass door with flowers, which is elegant and calming.

We made a stained glass window to specifically fit my vision of recreating “The Flower Seller” by Diego Rivera. It casts a wonderful light into the room at certain times of the day. The furniture in the room is just that, furniture, so you feel at home rather than in a hospital. The walls are a warm orange-yellow and lights are on a dimmer, so that we can choose the intensity of the lighting depending on the situation. We built a niche for the work desk to keep it from becoming a focal point.

The focal point in the room is the water fountain that adds a sense of calm and relaxation to the space. There are lights pointed just toward the fountain to draw the eye. Hidden behind the fountain is a diffuser for calming aromatherapy if needed. There are also large crystals and healing stones all over the room.

A louver door next to the work desk opens into a small room where I store my herbs and homeopathic remedies. There is a folding table-hidden behind a wicker blind-for our small patients, but otherwise I use homemade quilted blankets on the floor to work on the animals there. 

Geraldine Diethelm, DVM, is owner of Marathon Veterinary Hospital in Marathon, Florida.