Dr. John Golden

Dr. Golden grew up in Illinois, in a family in which conventional medical care was the rule. His Father had his Internist, his Mother her Gynecologist, and he and his siblings had their Pediatrician. When he decided on a career in Medicine, the idea of such fragmented care for a family did not make sense. He envisioned care that saw the individual as part of a family unit, and one physician having relationships with all, thus understanding the dynamics of the family and the implications they had on wellness and illness.  When he decided to pursue a career in Medicine, those values shaped his professional pursuit.

He received his undergratuate BA in Chemistry from Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He went on to receive his Medical Degree from Nothwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, and subsequently completed a residency in Family Medicine at the University of Illonois in Peoria, Illinois.

In 1983, Dr. Golden began his  career as a Family Physician as part of a group in Silvis, Illinois. He practiced there for 19 years. Over that time, he began to realize that there was more to personalized care than what he was taught in his conventional medical education. He began networking with providers of “Alternative Medicine,” and realized that the complexities of the human body merited a multidisciplinary approach. That realization was the seed that led to his interest in Integrative Medicine, a patient centered approach to not treat illness, but rather to co-create heath  with his patients.

He was one of the first 80 graduates of the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, under the direction of Dr. Andrew Weil. In 2002, Dr. Golden opened the Integrative Wellness Center, where over the next 15 years, he partnered with multiple “Complementary” providers to bring together their expertise, and develop individualized treatment plans that blended the best of Conventional and Complementary therapies.   

He also began extensive study in Functional medicine, no longer satisfied answering the question, “What’s wrong?”, choosing to pursue the question, “Why is what’s wrong?”  This has allowed him to work with patients to identify the root cause of symptoms, rather than the repetitive treating of symptoms alone. He has also extensively studied nutrition, including nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, and is a certified Clinical Homeopath. 

Through all, he has come to realize that the body has all it needs to heal itself. The secret is recognizing when it is not functioning as it should.  Thus, he believes in routine health maintenance. Then, in close cooperation with his patient, Dr. Golden works to remove those aspects interfering with the healing process, and, at the same time, replace those things missing that are necessary for healing.

The essence of his philosophy for diagnosing and treating  illnesses lies in a comprehensive approach that combines extensive evaluation, followed by an individualized treatment plan in which he partners with his patients to co-create the health they are looking for.  In addition to utilizing these treatments effectively, he also strives to teach patients that their good  health is dependent on:

• A well-functioning autonomic nervous system supported by healthy self care, including attention to sleep, stress management, physical activity, and supportive nutrition.
• Creating a balanced emotional state 
• A supportive network of relationships with friends, family, and medical practitioners.
• Emowering his patients to be responsible for their lifestyle choices and health outcomes.

In November, 2017, Dr. Golden left the Integrative Wellness Center, and opened the Golden Center in January 2018. He is proud to bring his decades of medical knowledge to his own clinic, Golden Center for Health & Healing. He is equally honored to be joined by his wife, Nina, who brings her own passion for, and extensive experience in, health and wellness to work alongside him as a Health Coach, educating and providing continuity in the healing process.