A Journey Through Medicine and Life

They say life has a funny way of throwing curveballs when you least expect them. Well, that’s pretty much my story.

When Everything Changed

March 2020. I was this bright-eyed new resident, pumped about my medical career and ready to dive headfirst into what we all thought would be a quick pandemic (oh, how wrong we were, right?). I had it all figured out—or so I thought. The classic path: residency, practice, helping people. Simple.

Then COVID hit me like a freight train.

What should’ve been a typical case turned into something way more complicated because of my autoimmune condition. Two weeks turned into two months of recovery, and then came the real kicker: I lost vision in one eye. Permanently.

I went from being this confident young doctor to feeling like I didn’t even know who I was anymore. Depression and anxiety hit hard—stuff I’d never really dealt with before. I had to step away from my residency, and honestly? I had no clue what came next.

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t the one in the white coat. I was the patient, and wow, did that open my eyes (pun not intended, but I’ll take it).

Finding My Footing Again

My psychiatrist was amazing and helped me get on medications for the depression and anxiety. They were a lifesaver, truly. But during this whole mess, I found myself getting curious about other ways to heal—not instead of medicine, but alongside it.

Then, in December 2021, surprise! I found out I was pregnant. Working with my medical team, we carefully figured out how to manage my meds to keep both me and my little one safe. But this time also became about exploring what else might help me heal.

I tried sophrology (which, honestly, I’d never heard of before) and it actually helped me feel more connected to my body. I dabbled in NLP techniques that seemed to help with some of my thought patterns. I looked into how nutrition might support my autoimmune stuff. Some things clicked, others didn’t really do it for me.

I wasn’t throwing medicine out the window—I was just curious about what else might be out there to support my healing.

Where I Am Today

As I’m writing this, my three-year-old is playing nearby (probably destroying something, let’s be honest). He’s this daily reminder of how unpredictable and absolutely beautiful life can be.

I did go back to medicine, but I’m definitely not the same doctor who left. Going through all that as a patient completely changed how I see health and healing. I get it now—people’s healing journeys are super personal and often involve trying different things.

What I’ve Learned

Here’s the thing I’ve figured out: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to health and healing.

In my practice now, I really try to meet people where they’re at. Some folks want straight-up conventional medical treatment—and that’s totally fine. Others are curious about complementary stuff alongside their medical care—also completely valid. Some prefer focusing mainly on lifestyle and holistic approaches—equally valid.

I’m not here to push any particular way of doing things. My job is to share information, support whatever choices people make, and provide care that actually fits with their values and what they need.

You might catch me writing about:

Good old-fashioned medical treatments and how they work
Complementary approaches like sophrology or functional nutrition
How our mental and physical health are connected
Aesthetic medicine and how it fits into overall wellness
Personal stuff from my own healing journey (the messy, real parts)

What This Means for You

Here’s the deal: you don’t have to pick a side or copy anyone else’s approach to health, including mine. Your healing journey is yours, period.

Whether you’re someone who does great with conventional medicine, someone who prefers alternative approaches, or someone who likes mixing and matching different methods, I totally respect whatever path works for you.

I’m just here to share what I’ve learned, both as a doctor and as someone who’s been through some pretty tough health stuff. Take what makes sense to you, leave the rest.

Because honestly? The best approach to health is whatever actually works for you.

Dr. Lamya Elhousseine- Sharing real stories and insights from where medicine, healing, and life all come together