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Mind Body
Name: Mark Kalina Community: Del Mar Education: BS in Psychology from Vanderbilt; MD from Case Western Reserve University; Medical Training at UCSD Profession: Doctor Hobbies: Being in the ocean, hiking with my dogs, reading about healing and spending time with my wife Grace Family: Married, no children, two dogs, a cat and a turtle
Soul
Dr. Mark Kalina is Passionate About Healing The Local Community by JENNIFER FRAKES | photos by Soul of Photography
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s a 24-year resident of Del Mar, Dr. Mark Kalina is passionate about many things – the ocean, his family, his community and caring for others. It is this passion that led him to start his own integrative medical practice in Solana Beach called Pando Health Groups. Dr. Kalina’s unique model of treatment focuses on the whole person, not just the symptoms of medical issues. “Pando Health Groups combines traditional medical practices with alternative holistic care. I connect people’s medical challenges with their life experiences and utilize the mind-body connection to help them work through whatever challenges they face,” explained Dr. Kalina, who was a primary care physician at Scripps Clinic for 16 years. One of the cornerstones of Dr. Kalina’s practice is working with patients in groups, not just individually. “While I was a primary care physician, I had the good fortune to take care of patients in groups. I found that bringing people together with similar problems was far superior to strictly caring for people oneon-one,” revealed Dr. Kalina. According to his experience, he found that the connections that developed in group care enabled people to learn and grow in ways that typically didn’t occur in a standard medical environment.
14 • DelSolMagazine.com • November | December Issue 2013
This philosophy of group healing carries over into Dr. Kalina’s volunteer endeavors. For the past five years, he has run a senior health forum for Del Mar Community Connections. The forum provides health education, as well as exercise and meditation. However, as stated by Dr. Kalina, the most important aspect of the forum is the opportunity for seniors to interact with one another. “We talk openly about the challenges of aging, connecting on a deep level,” said Dr. Kalina. This forum, which meets twice per month, is one of the ways in which Dr. Kalina gives back to the community that has become like a family to him. When Dr. Kalina is not practicing medicine, leading community health forums or voraciously reading about healing, he can most often be found at the beach. “I go in the ocean most days of the year – either with my dogs, swimming, surfing or snorkeling,” related Dr. Kalina. He also loves hiking, citing the bluffs in Del Mar, the cliffs above Black’s Beach and the Eucalyptus Grove on the campus of UCSD as his favorite hiking locations. However, his favorite pastime is being with his wife, Grace, and connecting with their good friends. ¢