Ground Floor: Coralville clinic incorporates Eastern medicine with traditional practices

CORALVILLE — A clinic that opened in Coralville a year ago aims to combine practices from Eastern and Western medicine for what the founder calls an 'holistic' treatment.

Well Focused opened in January 2016 by Lisa Konchar, who combines her nursing degree from Coe College with her experience in ayurvedic medicine to create a complementary care system for patients with various conditions.

Ayurveda is a system of medicine that originated in India that Konchar describes as 'the sister science' of practices such as yoga.

'It's a humanistic approach to medicine,' Konchar said. 'It takes the individual into account. What I really like about it is that it empowers the individual to take action themselves in our medical system.'

Well Focused offers consultations and body therapies such as four-handed lymphatic massages and shirodhara, or a therapy that involves poring oil over a patients forehead. Konchar also teaches yoga classes twice a week.

The clinic sees up to a dozen patients a week, Konchar said, who are referred to her from other area medical professionals.

Konchar said she works with a variety of patients who deal with issues in their digestive health, autoimmune disorders, Parkinson's disease, trauma and more.

The majority of patients Konchar works with are those with anxiety and depression, she said.

'I teach people how to bring that back down and make it manageable,' Konchar said.

Konchar's therapies focus on getting the patient to change their life style, such as eating healthier and incorporating exercise into a daily routine, she said.

'I bridge traditional medicine with my nursing background with ayurveda ...

,' Konchar said. 'My aim is to empower people — make people do some things themselves, whether to stay healthy, prevent illness or if they have a disease process, manage that chronic disease as well.'

Konchar said she often collaborates with her patients' current doctors or counselors to offer complementary care.

Before opening Well Focused, Konchar had worked at Virtue Medicine Studios and Clinics in Iowa City, and taught yoga classes for 15 years.

Emily Konchar, Lisa's daughter, serves as the director of operations and is the only other employee at the clinic. There are no current plans to expand the business or hire more employees.

AT A GLANCE

Business: Well Focused LLC

Owner: Lisa Konchar

Address: 250 12th Ave., Suite 150, Coralville

Phone: (319) 389-1373

Website: wellfocusedhealth.com

Know a relatively new business that would make a good feature for 'The Ground Floor?' Send your suggestion to michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com

l Comments: (319) 368-8536; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com