Dr. Alvord's practice is intriguing in that she defines herself as being in the middle of two worlds. She has used her two worlds, her Navajo background/upbringing and her study and practice of Western medicine to find a balance between the two, for the most effective healing. She believes that the two kinds of healing must come together. Dr. Alvord explains that in her tribe,there is a lot more to healing than getting rid of a disease or illness. Healing has to do with the encompassing of all parts of an individual; their body, mind, soul, and everything in between. Real healing cannot take place without recognizing this balance between all parts. This concept known as “Walking in Beauty” is a “way of living a balanced and harmonious life, in touch with all components of one's world...a path to better health and healing and life” (Alvord 3). This worldview of “Walking in Beauty,” is also named “hozho”, a concept that greatly impacted the way Dr. Alvord practiced medicine. Dr. Alvord used her belief of hozho to influence how she treated her patients and believed that it had a huge impact on their healing. She noted that when things seemed to be harmonious, pleasant, and running smoothly, the outcome of the patient's surgery or healing was usually positive. When she began to realize how much of an impact hozho really had on her patients, she began to be more conscious of the harmony that she and the members of her medical team would bring. She said that, “In response to this realization, I took more time to talk to my patients, to establish a bond of trust with them before surgery (Alvord 15). These simple actions that a lot of patients in today's world do not get to experience seemed to make big differences in how the surgeries would go and how successful the outcomes would be. One example of where hozho (or lackthereof) played a big part in Dr. Alvord's practice was when she was operating on a lady named Evelyn. Evelyn's fairly routine surgery ended up with complications and she had a stroke, leaving her partially paralyzed. Every test that came back proved that the reason for the stroke remained a mystery. Dr. Alvord then realized that between Evelyn being nervous, herself being frustrated, and arguments between the operating team, disharmony has definitely occurred. Dr. Alvord asked herself, “Was the stroke Evelyn's body's response to the disharmony that had prevailed during her surgery?” (Alvord 74). This event proved to be a wake up call for the doctor who realized that hozho was more important than ever. She began to participate in any and every effort that would make her patients and all of the patients of the hospital the most comfortable. She made sure that harmony and balance existed in all aspects of the patients' treatment and healing. Although Dr. Alvord believed that incorporating Navajo beliefs into Western medicine, especially the idea of hozho, would be beyond beneficial to the medical world, she does recognize that it will n.

1. Dr. Alvord's practice is intriguing in that she defines herself
as being in the middle of two worlds. She has used her two
worlds, her Navajo background/upbringing and her study and
practice of Western medicine to find a balance between the two,
for the most effective healing. She believes that the two kinds
of healing must come together. Dr. Alvord explains that in her
tribe,there is a lot more to healing than getting rid of a disease
or illness. Healing has to do with the encompassing of all parts
of an individual; their body, mind, soul, and everything in
between. Real healing cannot take place without recognizing
this balance between all parts. This concept known as “Walking
in Beauty” is a “way of living a balanced and harmonious life,
in touch with all components of one's world...a path to better
health and healing and life” (Alvord 3). This worldview of
“Walking in Beauty,” is also named “hozho”, a concept that
greatly impacted the way Dr. Alvord practiced medicine.
Dr. Alvord used her belief of hozho to influence how she
treated her patients and believed that it had a huge impact on
their healing. She noted that when things seemed to be
harmonious, pleasant, and running smoothly, the outcome of the
patient's surgery or healing was usually positive. When she
began to realize how much of an impact hozho really had on her
patients, she began to be more conscious of the harmony that
she and the members of her medical team would bring. She said
that, “In response to this realization, I took more time to talk to
my patients, to establish a bond of trust with them before
surgery (Alvord 15). These simple actions that a lot of patients
in today's world do not get to experience seemed to make big
differences in how the surgeries would go and how successful
the outcomes would be. One example of where hozho (or
lackthereof) played a big part in Dr. Alvord's practice was when
she was operating on a lady named Evelyn. Evelyn's fairly
routine surgery ended up with complications and she had a
stroke, leaving her partially paralyzed. Every test that came

2. back proved that the reason for the stroke remained a mystery.
Dr. Alvord then realized that between Evelyn being nervous,
herself being frustrated, and arguments between the operating
team, disharmony has definitely occurred. Dr. Alvord asked
herself, “Was the stroke Evelyn's body's response to the
disharmony that had prevailed during her surgery?” (Alvord
74). This event proved to be a wake up call for the doctor who
realized that hozho was more important than ever. She began to
participate in any and every effort that would make her patients
and all of the patients of the hospital the most comfortable. She
made sure that harmony and balance existed in all aspects of the
patients' treatment and healing.
Although Dr. Alvord believed that incorporating Navajo beliefs
into Western medicine, especially the idea of hozho, would be
beyond beneficial to the medical world, she does recognize that
it will not be an easy task. She comments that, “The Navajo
view would mean a 180 degree shift for many doctors, but by
implementing certain Navajo ways, I believe doctors can
achieve better results in their practices (Alvord 16). In everyday
life, many people would agree that being calm and peaceful in
the most difficult situations can be tough, but always makes for
a better outcome.
I think hozho is an important idea that doctors and patients
alike can benefit from. Dr. Alvord's strong belief in her Navajo
practices along with her knowledge and study of Western
medicine made her a very effective doctor. With her passion and
drive to maintain hozho in the healing environment, she was
able to make a big impact on her patients. Although many of her
Navajo ideas and beliefs helped make her practice more
effective, hozho was definitely one of the most influential and
prominent concepts that she cherished and used.
The autobiography of Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord tells the tale of
the first female Navajo doctor in the United States. Dr. Lori
Arviso Alvord is of Navajo background and upbringing has

3. brought about many different challenges as well as various
opportunities compared to those in different positions or those
who come from different upbringing/various backgrounds. Due
to her unique circumstances and available resources, Dr. Lori
Arviso Alvord was raised through her tribe in which several
different practices are exercised which differ from typical
Western studies. One of the unique aspects her tribe practiced
was the concept known as “Walking in Beauty” which is
encompassing the beauty of all parts of an individual, thus
recognizing a person’s body, mind, soul and spirit (everything
else). Her tribe emphasized the importance of this concept by
describing it as “living a balanced and harmonious life” (Alvord
3), and highlighted that it leads “a path to better health and
healing in life” (Alvord 3). In comparison to Western studies,
Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord needed to deviate from her Tribe’s
culture and habits in order to excel in the study of Western
medicine. This ideal concept that her tribe practiced poses an
issue as it is a religious belief that may conflict and interfere
with practices exercised through Western medicine and study.
Instead of forgoing her past and dawning a new future in the
field of Western medicine with a clean slate, Dr. Lori Arviso
Alvord took it upon herself as a challenge and opportunity to
inherit this tribal concept that is cherished among her people,
and incorporate it into the way she studies and practices
medicine. Dr. Lori Arviso argues that modern medicine, rather,
Western medicine and studies do not acknowledge any sense of
relation to spirituality which she identifies as a key component
which could further research in Western medicine if applied.
Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord’s inspiration stems from her interest in
further pursing her medical knowledge. In her words, “One of
the most intimate things you can do with a person is to cut them
open and change what is inside of them”. Although Dr. Lori
Arviso Alvord comments on this, it conflicts with her cultural
and tribal beliefs and nature of having a profound sense of
reverence with the body. Although this aspect conflicts with
her interest in surgery, Dr. Lori Arviso found that she could be

4. convinced early in her career that the Navajo philosophy of the
harmony of all things “Walking in Beauty” is a philosophy that
ultimately can be used to aid the healing process for her
patients. Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord believed that by incorporating
this ‘barrier’ into her research, she could use that as her tool to
excel. This later became Dr. Lri Arviso Alvord’s unique edge
which allowed her to find a balance between the existing
harmony of all aspects in her patient’s treatment and healing.
Dr. Lori Arviso demonstrates a passion which helped her
overcome the many challenges and barriers in order to identify
and select the most optimal choices given the various
opportunities.
Dr. Alvord worldview reflects a combination of Navajo
and Western culture. Dr. Alford stresses the importance of the
duality of biomedicine and traditional healing in treating
patients. Dr. Alford believes western medicine lacks in
spirituality and emotional connection with the patient. Navajo
healers works with a person’s mind and body while also using
religion and medicine together to heal. Therefore incorporating
surgery with spirituality and harmony with a patient will cause
a positive outcome of surgery. She works as a surgeon primarily
with Navajo patients at GIMC hospital. Many of the western
doctors do not understand the Navajo’s worldview of healing;
therefore Dr. Alvord is extremely beneficial to GIMC because
she understands the Navajo’s culture. Dr. Alvord knows how to
relate to a families culturally based religious orientations that
many western doctors do not understand. Dr. Alford tries to
form a bond or trust with her patients before a surgery because
she believes that harmony will be balanced. The harmony shared
between herself and the patient during surgery will cause the
surgery to be successful. She is also very beneficial to the
practice of biomedicine because she tries to teach the patient
what the surgery will be like so the patient can trust her as a
doctor to heal; therefore in the OR there will be a sense of
hozho and beauty.

5. I know many people who feel uncomfortable going to a
doctor’s especially opening up their bodies to someone they
barely know. Doctors tend to not ease the anxiety for the patient
by trying to emotionally connect to the patient instead the
doctor just examines the patients body only asking questions
related to the illness or the issue at hand. Dr. Alvord makes
valid arguments on how this sense of emotional connection and
spirituality is lost in biomedicine. However she does see the
necessity for both biomedicine and elements of emotional
connection with patients. For example she adjusted a patients
surgery in order for the patient to attend a ceremony before the
surgery. Dr. Alvord noticed that “the hataalii, sings, and
ceremonies like the Yeibechei calmed patients considerably, and
a calm patient was a much better candidate for surgery”
(Alvord, 113). Dr. Alvord also mentions that having a calm
patient also lowers the blood pressure and heart rate during
surgery. Dr. Alvord believes a way of fixing biomedicine is to
incorporate communities of care to integrate families and
communities into patient care and for doctors to show respect
for the patients culture and needs.