Creating Healing and Thriving Environments

What if the spaces we inhabit could actually help us heal? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Esther Sternberg, a pioneering physician and scientist whose groundbreaking research bridges neuroscience, architecture, and integrative medicine. Drawing from her work at the NIH and the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, Dr. Sternberg reveals how elements like light, air quality, noise, and spatial design can profoundly affect our stress levels, focus, and overall health. We explore how thoughtfully designed environments—whether offices, hospitals, or senior living spaces—can support emotional and physical well-being. Through the lens of integrative health, which considers sleep, movement, nutrition, relationships, spirituality, and the built environment, Dr. Sternberg offers a powerful case for reimagining the spaces around us to truly support how we live, work, and heal.