Whole Health Connect

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is a prevalent (~1 in 500) yet frequently underdiagnosed connective tissue disorder that presents with multi-system involvement extending far beyond joint hypermobility. Patients often experience prolonged diagnostic delays due to heterogeneous symptom presentation, lack of provider training, and the absence of a definitive genetic marker. Clinicians are uniquely positioned to recognize hEDS earlier through whole-person, systems-based assessment.

In this presentation, Riley Goodrich, NBC-HWC, M.Ed. of Love and Light Wellness (loveandlightwellnessvt.com) offers a clinically practical framework for identifying hEDS using the 2017 hEDS Diagnostic Criteria, with emphasis on moving beyond isolated diagnostic tools like the Beighton score toward a more comprehensive evaluation of patient history and symptom presentation. Attendees will learn to identify key diagnostic patterns, including chronic pain, joint instability, dysautonomia, and immune-related symptoms.

Particular attention will be given to common comorbidities, including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, which frequently coexist in the “trifecta” of hEDS/POTS/MCAS. Understanding these overlapping conditions as part of a broader physiological network can reduce fragmentation of care and uncover the body systems involved: the connective tissue, the nervous system, and the immune system. With an understanding of how these systems present in hEDS/POTS/MCAS, attendees will learn simple and accessible treatment approaches to avoid referring out without providing attuned action steps for their patients.

Through case-based learning and literature review, this session will provide actionable screening strategies, highlight common diagnostic pitfalls, and review key considerations for differential diagnosis, including when to refer for genetic or specialty evaluation. The role of therapeutic alliance, patient validation, and longitudinal care will be emphasized as essential components of effective management.

By equipping clinicians with a foundation for accurate diagnosis and first steps for care plan direction, this presentation aims to support earlier recognition of hEDS, improve care coordination, and enhance outcomes for patients with complex, multi-system presentations.

Beyond Bendy: Improving Recognition and Diagnosis of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Its Comorbidities
Riley Goodrich, NBC-HWC, M.Ed. 
(Recorded Thurday, October 8, 2026, 5-6 pm at the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UVM, 184 S. Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05405)  

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Brendan Kelly, L. Ac, DAHM, Herbalist, from Jade Mountain Wellness, a member of the Osher UVM Integrative Practitioner community, shares his work successfully treating the many symptoms of long COVID including information from his article recently published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine. He'll discuss the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine in treating long COVID and the importance of diet and lifestyle.

Understanding & Treating Long COVID: Successful Chinese Medicine Strategies
Brendan Kelly, L. Ac, DAHM, Herbalist  
(Recorded Monday, March 9, 3:00 – 4:00 pm at the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UVM, 184 S. Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05405)  

This workshop offered a space for practitioners, providers, and community members of all genders to collectively reintegrate feminine healing wisdom. 

The 500-year period between the 12^th and 17^th centuries in Europe is known as “The Burning Times” due to the millions of people, mostly women, who were executed for the “crime of witchcraft.”  The ideology of labeling folk, earth-based and femme-affirming healing practices as a crime is foundational in the delegitimization and exclusion of such healing practices in contemporary healthcare settings.  

Katherine Elmer, M.S., NBC-HWC, and Whitney Smith, MSN, CNM, an herbalist and a midwife with several decades of experience as faculty members and healthcare practitioners at the University of Vermont, addressed relevant erased histories and the ways that perpetuating the ideology of these histories (often unconsciously) limits our capacity for human flourishing and planetary health today.  

Through journaling, grounding mindfulness practices with gentle herbs, and guided introspection, participants of all genders continued the process of welcoming and reintegrating divine feminine qualities for themselves and in their professional practice. 

Moonwise: Reintegrating the Nurturing Power of the Feminine in Healthcare 
Katherine Elmer, M.S., NBC-HWC, Whitney Smith, MSN, CNM  
(Recorded February 17, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UVM, 184 S. Prospect St., Burlington, VT 05405.)