JOYFUL LIVING

COVER FEATURE Joyful Living More than Just a Company Name

Ask Dr. Lori Palazzo about her new practice and she will become exuberant. As her eyes brighten and with a beaming smile, she can’t help but convey how the twists and turns of her life have landed her right where she belongs.

Meet Dr. Palazzo

Born and raised in New Orleans, she and her family came to Georgetown in 2007 after a friend suggested they consider moving here after Katrina. It took them exactly one day to fall in love with our friendly community and the wide-open spaces that unexpectedly surround us but with the amenities of a big city.

As a primary care physician with additional specialized training, Dr. Palazzo soon opened a private practice to combine the best of both worlds. Her background in bioidentical hormones allowed her to help menopausal women with all-natural hormone therapy. Plus, as a certified plant-based nutritionist, she understood the importance of diet and nutrition for the prevention and management of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses.

Most importantly, specific training in functional medicine provided her with added insight into each of her patients.

Dr. Lori Palazzo

Functional Medicine

Functional medicine is a process by which the physician assesses each patient’s lifestyle and habits to arrive at a personal diagnosis and treatment plan. Focusing on body, mind, spirit and community, the patient enters into a partnership of healing using natural and minimally invasive methods that strengthen and nourish the body.

In contrast, traditional medical schools use synthetic medicine and invasive procedures or surgery to treat ailments. With a focus on the outer symptoms only, western medicine fails to consider deep root causes and lasting consequences of disease.

A New Beginning

Prior to opening Joyful Living, Dr. Palazzo worked 18-hour days filled with fatigue, stress, and frustration fueled by the restrictions of the current healthcare model and its attendant insurance companies. When the end of her office lease finally gave her the impetus to close her practice, she began teaching in the medical school at Texas A&M University’s Round Rock campus. She later accepted the position of local health authority and medical director for Williamson County and Cities Health District—during COVID! That unique challenge provided valuable experiences, but only fueled her desire to return to her calling.

In February 2022, she opened the doors to Joyful Living in a little white cottage at the front of a picturesque park in Georgetown. Dr. Palazzo’s office conveys her personality with its modern, white décor and the striking floral painting that adds a touch of sophistication.

Originally believing herself a one-person show, her family has rallied around her and is fully engaged in her business. Husband, Paul, is still wondering if the recent meal she tested on him was really crumbled tofu with Mexican spices or, was it chicken? Likewise, daughter, Rachel, is testing recipes on

~Dr. Albert Schweitzer

her own meat-eating husband, and daughter Alexis has taken over the reins as the marketing manager.

Set Apart

Dr. Palazzo's exceptional successes with patients is not hampered by the fact that she does not accept insurance. Proof positive is the young woman with chronic strep throats who no longer has to worry about having her tonsils removed. The diabetic woman with excessive sugar cravings who is no longer on medication and has lost 20 pounds. An 84-year old man who is off his medications, has lost 30 pounds and is no longer in heart failure.

photo by Christianna Bettis

What to Expect

During the initial consultation, Dr. Palazzo and her prospective patients spend up to two hours together getting to know each other. The patients' enthusiasm, patience, and commitment are important to the success of their individual program. Dr. Palazzo will choose from three, six, or nine month options depending on the patient’s specific health needs and circumstances, all incorporating her S.T.E.M. approach: Sleep, Think, Eat, and Move. She plans to add a membership that includes a monthly check-in and blood work very soon as well.

When she closes her eyes, Dr. Palazzo dreams of a large building in Georgetown with an office, chef, massage therapist, nutritionist, therapist, and even yoga and tai chi classes—all under one roof.

Until then, she is content to practice medicine the way she has always wanted to. “Our bodies were created to heal themselves,” she says. “I believe being a healer is my God given gift and I hope to be the answer to peoples’ prayers for healthy and joyful living.”

302 E. Valley Street in Georgetown For a consultation, contact Dr. Palazzo at 737-275-6777 or DrPJoyfulLiving@gmail.com.

Summer is A Time of Transition

Getting There is Just the First Step

May is a wonderful time of year for weather and the anticipation of summer plans. For many, it is also the start of moving season, particularly those in the military and families with school age children. It's the time to get to know Rosemary Calcese and Transformation Title & Escrow.

Fortunately for her clients, all of these summer transitions are second nature for Rosemary. "As a Veteran who moved many times, I understand the challenges and timing of summer closings. My experiences give me great insight to what my clients are managing on the selling side, and also what their potential needs might be at their new location."

More than Titles and Escrow

Beyond the closing table, Rosemary helps clients manage priorities that might have seemed flexible until they signed all the papers and started unpacking boxes. As a title officer and an attorney, she talks the talk of moving to a new home and knows all the right questions to ask. "I do all I can to make connections for people, make sure their contacts in Georgetown can help them in their new city or state, and personally make sure they are in good hands when they arrive. Everything from attorneys to schools; even multiple options for other title agents if we are not the optimum fit. There's nothing worse than being in a new place not knowing where to start."

The relationship she forges with her clients means she is there to help them find and connect with the right utility companies, locate community resources, and even help them figure out which grocery store is the most like H-E-B when there isn't one. Rosemary says, "Not everyone is able to take moving in stride so I am happy to help make every transition smoother where I can."

Different States, Different Rules

Some states require an attorney to close a home sale so, as an attorney, Rosemary and Transformation Title & Escrow can provide closing services in all 50. She adds, "I can also step in when investment properties or commercial deals reach a breach of contract or any other legal challenges. It's all about keeping things consistent for the client by keeping the work under one roof."

She is also well versed in the universe of tax implications and keeps exemptions or deductions on clients' radar when she knows they qualify for them. "If I don't know the specifics, I will find someone who does."

Whether you're moving across the street or across the country this summer, Transformation is the one-stop shop to help you transition with confidence and comfort.