About Joan
Biographical Sketch
Joan Furman is a holistic nurse practitioner who works with individuals who are interested in creating a healthful mind/body relationship, regardless of their status of health or illness. She includes techniques such as counseling, Reiki and other healing touch therapies, guided imagery and various approaches to conscious living and dying. She is the author of The Dying Time: Practical Wisdom for the Dying and Their Caregivers. (Crown, 1997). She has also published extensively in journals, newspapers, magazines, and books. Joan has served on the boards of community-based agencies, organizations and foundations at the local, state, national and international levels. She has coordinated several statewide advisory committees to the governor of Tennessee, including the AIDS Advisory Committee. Joan was the founding director of the first hospital-based integrative healing center in the state.
Joan has a BA in psychology from the University of Tennessee, and an MSN in nursing from Vanderbilt University. She is board-certified in Holistic Nursing and has served on the national certification review board. She is a Reiki Master Therapist and Teacher. Joan serves on the Board of Nashville Psychotherapy Institute, and she holds faculty appointments at Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University Schools of Nursing.
Curriculum Vitae
Summary of Experience
Holistic nurse practitioner, center director, author, nursing educator, health care consultant with experience in organizational development, corporate development, management, communications, research and international health and social policy. With a background in nursing, psychology, leadership, management and languages, professional settings have included private practice, academia, public health, hospitals, private industry, and travel and study in sixteen foreign countries.
Experience/present
1989 to Present – PRIVATE PRACTICE OF HOLISTIC NURSING – Nashville, TNHolistic nursing services including counseling, guided imagery, touch therapies such as Reiki, Healing Touch, Acupressure, Reflexology and Craniosacral. Practice emphasis: life-threatening illness, acute or chronic illness, pain management, bereavement, and women’s issues. Group and individual counseling; classes in Reiki, personal growth, healing and meditation. International group education experiences for health care providers.
2000 to present – SCHOOL OF NURSING, TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY – Nashville, TN
Assistant Professor. Clinical and classroom teaching in Holistic Nursing Masters Degree Program.
1989 to present – SCHOOL OF NURSING, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY – Nashville, TN
Lecturer in Community Health Nursing.
Experience/past
Founding to 2002 – CENTER FOR HEALING, BAPTIST HOSPITAL – Nashville, TN
Director of an integrative healing center. Provider of holistic nursing services including counseling, guided imagery, touch therapies such as Reiki, Healing Touch, Acupressure, Reflexology and Craniosacral therapy. Coordinator of healer education for large urban hospital.
1983 to 1992 – NURSE CONSULTANTS, INC. – Nashville, TN
President. As founding president, designed, developed and marketed six new hospital product lines internationally. Developed consultation services for legal matters in health care.
1985 to 1989 – TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
Health Services Research Specialist (6/86 – 8/89); Director of Center Based Programs (6/85 – 6/86). State health policy research and development and special projects development. Directed statewide High Risk Perinatal, Genetics, Sickle Cell and Newborn Screening Programs. Coordinated multi-disciplinary, pluralistic advisory committees to State Commissioner of Health and Environment and the Governor. Administrative support staff and $7 million budget. Coordinated state AIDS Advisory Committee to Governor McWherter.
1982 to 1985 – UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA – Chattanooga, TN
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing. Full faculty responsibilities in the baccalaureate program. Taught Maternal-Child Nursing, Physical Assessment, Senior Seminars and served as advisor on senior research projects and preceptor for graduate students.
1977 to 1982 – UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA – Chattanooga, TN
Adjunct Professor of Nursing.
1977 to 1981 – ERLANGER MEDICAL CENTER – Chattanooga, TN
Director, Perinatal Regionalization Program. Founder and coordinator of high risk newborn clinic. Founder of “Parents Experiencing Perinatal Death”.
1972 to 1976 – VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY/VANDERBILT MEDICAL CENTER – Nashville, TN
Clinical Specialist, Director, Neonatal Intensive Care and Instructor, School of Nursing (1975 – 76). Nurse Clinician, Newborn Emergency Transport Unit (1974-75). Charge Nurse, Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (1972-74).
1968 to 1971 – MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA – Charleston, SC
Charge Nurse, Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care.
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Related Professional Activity:
1984-87 KELLOGG NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Chosen as one of forty-two Fellows from pool of 867 national candiates for three year leadership development program. Administered $30,000+ grant to fulfill requirements of personal learning plan including experiential learning in thirteen foreign countries. Participated in extensive leadership training including general leadership concepts, management, conflict negotiation, technology, international interdependence, government, working with media, public speaking, and several special courses to improve specific leadership skills. Personal learning plan included study and experiential learning about health and social policy related to women, chinldren, minorities and the poor.
Education
Vanderbilt University, M.S.N., (honors: Sigma Theta Tau)1975.
University of Tennessee, B.A., with High Honors, 1974.
Greenville General Hospital School of Nursing, Diploma, 1968.
Certifications
Holistic Nurse Practitioner, AHNA, 1996.
Reiki Master/Therapist, 1990
Certificate Programs
Innovation Associates, Boston, Mass., 1987.
Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.1986;
Ashridge Management College, Berkhamsted,England 1987.
W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, Mich.1987
TN. Reiki Confluence, Reiki Master Teacher/Therapist, 1990.
Cumberland Institute for Wellness Education,Acupressure Therapy, 1990.
American Holistic Nurses Assoc., Healing Touch; 1995
Chrysalis: Reflexology. 1993
American Holistic Nurses Assoc.,Certificate Program in Holistic Nursing, 1995.
Upledger Institute: Craniosacral Therapy I. 1996.
Continuing Education courses ongoing through Nashville Psychotherapy
Institute, Concept Synergy, Upledger Institute.
SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Board of Directors 1999- Nashville Psychotherapy Institute
Board of Reviewers1998- Certification for Holistic Nursing
Board of Directors 1986-89 Alive Hospice, Inc.
Board of Directors 1986-90 Haitian Children's Fund, Inc.
Board of Directors 1986-91 PEACE, Inc., Nashville, TN.
Advisory Committee 1985-87 YWCA Domestic Violence Prog.
Advisory Committee 1987-89 World Peace Outreach, Inc.
State President 1989-90 TN. Women's Political Caucus
Advisory Council 1988-90 Vanderbilt AIDS Project
Founding Board of Directors Full Circle, Inc., Rochester, N.Y.
Delegate, 1985 United Nations N.G.O. Forum, Kenya
U.S. Delegate, 1987 World Congress of Women, U.S.S.R.
Member 1987-91 Nashville Committee on Foreign Relations
Expert Committee Public Summit 88,U.S./U.S.S.R.
Member CABLE, Nashville, TN.
Member American Holistic Nurses Assoc.
Member American/TN. Nurses Assoc.
Member Nashville Psychotherapy Inst
Member Institute of Noetic Sciences
Member Nashville Commun. Foundation
Group Facilitator 1987 to present Nashville CARES (AIDS)
Member TN Writers Alliance
PUBLICATIONS
BOOKS:
Tennessee Perinatal Care System Educational Objectives for Nurses, published by the Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health, May, 1982
Tennessee Perinatal Care System Educational Objectives in Medicine for Perinatal Social Workers, published by the Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health, May, 1982
Tennessee Perinatal Care System Educational Objectives for Physicians, published by the Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Maternal and Child Health, August, 1982
Furman, Joan, Guided Imagery for Creating a Safe Place, in Rose, Emilie P., Reaching for the Light: A Guide for Ritual Abuse Survivors and Their Therapists. The Pilgram Press, Ohio, 1996
Furman, Joan, and McNabb, David, The Dying Time: Practical Wisdom for the Dying and Their Caregivers. BellTower-Crown Publishers, 1997
ARTICLES:
Seaborg, Joan, A Matter of Simple Justice, The Chattanooga Times, 3/85.
Seaborg, Joan Furman, The Tennessee Perinatal Care System, A Status Report, Perinatal Press, Winter, 1986.
Seaborg, Joan Furman, The Tennessee Genetics Program, J. TN. Med. Assoc., Vol. 79, No. 5, May, 1986.
Seaborg, Joan Furman, To the Nursing Graduate, Bulletin of the Tennessee Nurses Association, Vol. 49, No. 3, June, 1986.
Furman-Seaborg, Joan, The Fetus as Patient, The Woman as Incubator, presented to the Third International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women; Dublin, Ireland, 7/87
Furman-Seaborg, Joan, Progress Begins with Defining Our Vision for the World and its Future, The Tennessean, January 10, 1988
Furman-Seaborg, Joan, Real Crisis in Health Care is Seeing it as a Privilege and Not a Right, The Tennessean, July 29, 1988
Furman-Seaborg, Joan, Where are Leaders Like Dr. King, Jr.? The Tennessean, January 15, 1990
Furman-Seaborg, Joan, Body Image, Feminism, and Womanhood, Women’s VU; May, 1990
Furman-Seaborg, Joan, Seasons of the Body: Weathering the Change Proudly, The Tennessean, May 18, 1990
Furman-Seaborg, Joan, An Open Letter to the New Nursing Graduate, Tennessee Nurse, April, 1992
Furman, Joan, Domestic Violence, The Tennessean, October 27, 1992
Furman, Joan, How to Stay Healthy as a Nurse, Tennessee Nurse, October, 1992
Furman, Joan, Holistic Health: A Nurse’s Perspective, Trans. Winter, 1995
Furman, Joan, The Power of Touch, The Tennessean, July 14, 1996
Furman, Joan, Reviewer for Dossey, B.M. Core Curriculum for Holistic Nursing, Aspen Publishers, 1997
Furman, Joan. Accepted for publication: Guidelines for visitors to the dying. The Tennessean
Furman, Joan. How to stay healthy as a nurse. The Practicing Nurse (Pracnurse.com). Vol 2, no. 15, 1999
Furman, Joan. Body image, feminism and womanhood. The Practicing Nurse (Pracnurse.com). Vol. 2, no. 15, 1999
Furman, Joan. Reviewer. In Integrating Complementary Medicine into Health Systems: A Guidebook. Unpublished to date
Furman, Joan. Introduction to the dying time. Plan4ever.com 8/99
Furman, Joan. Choices and decisions along the way. Plan4ever.com 9/99
Furman, Joan. A near death experience. Plan4ever.com 10/99
Furman, Joan. The importance of visual surroundings. Plan4ever.com 11/99
Furman, Joan. Sound and noise. Plan4ever.com 12/99
Furman, Joan. Aromatherapy for the dying time. Plan4ever.com 1/2000
Furman, Joan. Handling visitors to the dying. Plan4ever.com 2/2000
Furman, Joan. Nourishment for the dying. Plan4ever.com 3/2000
Furman, Joan. Bed care and body mechanics. Plan4ever.com 4/2000
Furman, Joan. Pain in the dying time. Plan4ever.com 5/2000
Furman, Joan. Skin care and bathing. Plan4ever.com 6/2000
Furman, Joan. Taking a holistic approach to the dying time. Nursing 2000 (30:6). 6/ 2000
Furman, Joan. Giving mouth care. Plan4ever.com 7/2000
Furman, Joan. Stress and the caregiver. Plan4ever.com 8/2000
Furman, Joan. Burnout and the caregiver. Plan4ever.com 9/2000
Furman, Joan. Self care for the caregiver. Plan4ever.com 10/2000
Furman, Joan. Why meditate? Plan4ever.com 11/2000
Furman, Joan. Guided imagery: part 1. Plan4ever.com 12/2000
Furman, Joan. Guided imagery: part 2. Plan4ever.com 1/2001
Furman, Joan. Guided imagery: part 3. Plan4ever.com 2/2001
Furman, Joan. Guided imagery: part 4. Plan4ever.com 3/2001
Furman, Joan. Living with Dying: How to Help Family Caregivers. Nursing 2001. (31:4), 4/2001
Furman, Joan. Grieving for the Future You Won’t Have. Plan4ever.com 4/2001
Furman, Joan. The Signs of a Failing Body. Plan4ever.com 5/2001
Furman, Joan. The Signs of a Healing Mind. Plan4ever.com 6/2001
Furman, Joan. Reviewing Your Life. Plan4ever.com 7/2001
Furman, Joan. Unfinished business. Plan4ever.com 8/2001
Furman, Joan. As Your Loved One Changes. Plan4ever.com 9/2001
Furman, Joan. Nurses and Chronic Grief: Part 1 Plan4ever.com 10/2001
Furman, Joan. Nurses and Chronic Grief: Part 2 Plan4ever.com 11/2001
Furman, Joan. Nurses and Chronic Grief: Part 3 Plan4ever.com 12/2001
Furman, Joan. What you should know about chronic grief; learn to deal with your own lingering emotions when a patient dies. Nursing 2002. (32:2) February, 2002
Furman, Joan. Helping the dying grieve the future. Accepted for publication. Nursing 2003
