Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a board-certified internal
medicine physician who has been actively practicing medicine since 1999. She
received her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Georgia and graduated
with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville Tennessee. She completed
her internal medicine residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center in
Savannah Georgia. Dr. Dalton-Smith has been a adjunct faculty member at Baker
College and Davenport University in Michigan. She teaches courses on health,
nutrition, and disease progression. Dr. Dalton-Smith has offered health care
from 2002-2007 through the National Health Service Corp.
Dr. Dalton-Smith is married and has two sons. She is a committed
Christian and passionate about helping others experience freedom in Christ. Dr.
Dalton-Smith has been published in national medical journals discussing the
physicians' role in spirituality and patient care. She is also a national and
international media resource on the mind, body, spirit connection.
Dr.Dalton-Smith has a new book being released May 2011 by Revell/Baker
Publishing Group titled Set Free to Live Free: Breaking
Through the Seven Lies Women Tell Themselves that
will be available wherever books are sold. You can pre-order you copy today at Amazon.com.
Dr. Dalton-Smith is available to speak at women's conferences, lunch and learn
meeting, and various church functions upon request.
1. Saundra, what motivated you
to become a writer?
I've always loved reading and for me writing is a natural
extension of that love. My writings began with my own personal journals. I
never thought I would ever pursue publication, but a few precious women helped
change my mind. One was a patient who presented to my office during a
particularly busy day. I just did not have the time to spend with her that I
desired. That night I thought, "I wish I had something I could have given
her that shared my heart on her issues." From that I started putting
together ideas for handouts to use at the office and it just escalated from
there into a book.
2. In Set Free to
Live Free, you address not only patient’s physical issues but also their emotional
and spiritual ones. To be able to give this type of guidance it seems like you
would need longer than normal appointments with your patients. How much time do
you set aside for appointments?
My office operates like most medical offices in that
appointments are set at 15-30 minute intervals depending on the type of
appointment. Every patient visit does not have the dynamics of those discussed
in the book. There are quick visits for acute issues as well as longer visits
where I manage chronic medical issues for my patients. During all visits I pay
attention to the non-verbal language of my patients. I ask pointed questions
based on my observations and see if a patient is ready to discuss further those
areas. Some will be receptive leading to an extended visit and some will still
have their personal walls up cutting our time short. So for every visit that
goes over 10 minutes there is usually a corresponding visit that will be under
the allotted time. It all just seems to work out in the end.
3. Was there a section or chapter of Set Free to Live Free that was
more difficult for you to write? If so, why?
The section on balance (chapters 9 and 10) was definitely
the most difficult for me to write. Balance is an area I am still working
through myself, so it was as if I had to take a dose of my own medicine with
each word. A much needed dose I must add. I think learning how to balance
family and career is one of the hardest things a working mom faces. When I
finally got to the point of writing Chapter 10 I had a hard time wording what I
was feeling. So instead of just talking about what I was feeling I began that
chapter actually describing the feelings as an analogy. Sharing your raw emotions has a healing
quality of its own. It began as the hardest chapter to write and ended as the
one that gave me the most joy and peace.
4. There are many
practical responses recommended in Set Free to Live Free. Do you recommend
women go through the book on their own, join a study group, or go to a
counselor for help in implementing the principles on a deeper level?
It really depends on the woman. I've had women come to me
that have such a difficult time with self-disclosure that they would do best
beginning the process alone (or one on one with a counselor) and then branch
out to a group setting. I love small groups and I wrote the book with small
groups in mind. It's beneficial to be with other women who are going through
similar issues. You can build each other up and support each other. I would
love to see little Diamond Societies popping up all over with women bound
together in God's love and a shared journey to living free.
5. What’s next for your writing pursuits?
That's a great question but I don't have an answer for it! I
do not currently have any other books penned. Of course I have some ideas and
other areas I feel strongly about, but Set Free to Live Free is the book which
discusses the issue I'm most passionate about: women living a flourishing and
fulfilled life in Christ. For now I'm just thankful for the opportunity to
share it with others and elaborate on applying it’s principles through online
webinar bible studies and e-newsletter devotionals.
~You can download the entire first chapter of Set Free to Live
Free at www.setfreetolivefreebook.com
~
Dr. Dalton-Smith greatly honored me when she chose me to help edit this wonderful devotional.
I encourage you to check it out and sign up!
