This article is for anyone who's ever felt like they're navigating health on their own or that their health is out of their hands, and suspects there must be a better way.

I think almost everyone has felt one of those two. That’s because most of us have been conditioned to treat health like a solo mission.

I call this the Lone Ranger Trap. We do what we think is best without asking questions. Or, on the other extreme, we hand the wheel over to a medical expert and hope for the best.

But neither approach leads to consistent, strategic healing. The truth is, the best outcomes often come from a middle ground: you as the boss, with a trusted team behind you.

Let’s talk about health collaboration — not the kind the healthcare system defines, but the kind you build. One that includes more than prescriptions and procedure codes — one that includes human beings who know your body, your history, and your healing style. Health collaboration is where you’ll find the better way.

What Is Health Collaboration?

Health collaboration is how you seek, use, or avoid support when making health choices. It uncovers your default style: Do you go it alone? Ask for help often? Freeze because you don’t know whom to trust? Or do you confidently gather information and input while staying grounded in your own judgment?

Those with high health collaboration don’t outsource their decisions. They know they’re in charge but are not afraid to lean on others for perspective, insight, and specialized knowledge.

They build a team, not a hierarchy.

Your Personal Health Team Is More Than a Care Plan

In my new book Health Shift, I talk about the importance of having a health team — a circle of people who know you, your health patterns, and how you tick. These are not just professionals, they’re partners. They might include:

• A physician who respects your voice

• A massage therapist who notices when you’re holding stress

• An herbalist who helps you explore root causes

• A health coach who helps you strategize

• A friend who listens without judging

• Even a wise grandmother who reminds you to rest

In other cultures, this team might look like elders, medicine men, or spiritual guides. In ours, it’s often fragmented and siloed within a system.

But you don’t have to wait for permission to build your team.

In fact, you shouldn’t.

My Health Team in Action

Several years ago, I had a sudden bout of tachycardia. My heart raced out of nowhere — it felt scary, unfamiliar, and urgent.

I called my doctor, and they ordered an EKG. Yes, palpitations were confirmed, but without an apparent reason or real solution. “Could be from being athletic,” they said. And yes, it’s true — athletic hearts are prone to something called athlete’s heart (technically, benign PVCs or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in some rarer cases).

But I knew there was more to the story. So I turned to my complementary health team.

My herbalist mentioned menopause and how estrogen shifts can affect heart rhythm. A health coach sent me a study. My acupuncturist connected the dots emotionally and physically.

And guess what? They were right. After digging deeper, I found the science to back it up — menopause-related hormonal changes can impact the autonomic nervous system and cause palpitations.

Armed with that, I created a calming strategy to help regulate my system. Without that team, I’d have spent weeks in worry or ignored it altogether.

When No One’s in Charge of the Whole Picture

I’ve seen firsthand how fragmented our current system can be. A family member of mine, who struggles with significant vision loss, was advised by her eye doctor not to drive. But when I asked the doctor to take further steps to help me reinforce that order, like formally intervening or reporting her condition, he declined. It wasn’t his responsibility, he said. His role stopped at the eyes. Never mind that she was going to hurt herself by driving blindly.

And that’s the problem. Many professionals do excellent work within their realm, but no one is watching the whole picture.

As a result, people fall through the cracks — or worse, continue risky behavior because no one on their "team" is stepping up to connect the dots. In this case, I was her team captain. I was trying to step in and be a captain of her health because she was not making wise health choices. Sadly, I could not do anything about this situation, which is another story altogether, but the lesson is that we must see the person as a whole, ourselves as a whole, not as a part. And we are ultimately responsible for that.

Are you the captain of your health, or are you leaving your health outcome in the hands of someone else?

This isn’t a critique of individuals, but of the system. It’s made of solo operators, each doing their job, but not always communicating or collaborating.

A real health team doesn’t just treat symptoms — they protect the whole person. They consider the implications of a diagnosis on life, independence, and decision-making. They coordinate care. They help individuals see the bigger health picture.

Caution: When Health Teams Cause Confusion

Let’s be real — not every voice in your team will be right.

I’ve had an herbalist once tell me, through muscle testing, that I needed MSM, a supplement. Trusting her, I tried it — and it triggered a wild anxiety reaction. When I told her it didn’t improve my health, it made it worse, she didn’t believe me! She was convinced this supplement was safe and effective, so she put more value into that belief than I, her client. It was a learning moment: You need a team, but you also need filters.

That’s where your health intelligence comes in. You’re the boss, they are the advisors. You listen, you consider, but you make the final call.

What Health Collaboration Looks Like in Real Life

Everyday life example:
You’ve been feeling off — maybe more tired than usual, or a little foggy. Instead of brushing it off (or spiraling into WebMD doom), you bring it up in a group text with your closest friends. You also scheduled a massage and talked about it with her. You asked your holistic health provider and got their take on your lethargy.

One suggests checking iron levels. Another shares a great article on burnout. One tells you that you’ve been really stressed lately and that could impact your health, too. The massage therapist suggests you look into hydration because your muscles feel dehydrated. Your health provider assures you that you’re generally healthy and it’s nothing serious. You don’t take their advice immediately, you take it into context, and the nudge to schedule that bloodwork, drink more water, and reduce stress. That’s everyday health collaboration in action. Simple, but strategic.

In a health challenge:
Now imagine you’ve just been diagnosed with something serious — say, an autoimmune condition. Instead of defaulting to one provider's opinion, you pull in your people:

• Your doctor explains the diagnosis

• Your acupuncturist helps you manage symptoms

• Your health coach maps a healing plan

• Your therapist enables you to process the emotional side

• A friend who’s been there shares what worked (and what didn’t)

• You read a book about it from an expert and add aspects of that into your healing action plan. (Yes, your team can include people you never even met!)

You don’t follow everyone’s advice — you filter it. But you’re not doing it alone. That’s a health team. That’s health collaboration.

Fill the Gaps, Then Lead the Way

Sometimes our health team has gaps — we don’t have the right people or know where to turn. Sometimes those gaps are temporary, based on life’s seasons. Other times, they’re blind spots we haven’t noticed yet.

So do a quick assessment:

• Who’s on your team?

• Who do you trust to speak into your health decisions?

• Who helps you feel stronger, calmer, and more strategic?

• When faced with a health issue, whom can you rely on to help you navigate it?

Start there. You don’t have to go it alone, and you don’t have to give away the reins. With the right team behind you, you stay the captain, and your healing journey becomes faster and more whole.

Who’s on your team? I’d love to hear your thoughts. And yes — this newsletter counts as part of your health team. Welcome to Health Shift!

The comments section and my DMs are always open.

See you Thursday, health heroes!
Dr. Alice

A little more about Dr. Alice Burron and Strategic Action Health:

• Dr. Burron is a co-founder of Strategic Action Health, dedicated to helping organizations help their employees make better health decisions. Come check us out here!

• Catch us on Instagram: @the.health.navigator and @dr_burron

• You can also connect on LinkedIn, if you want to be professional about it. 👓

• Buy the book Health Shift here.

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