“We are not here to do something that is transactional or something that we give for you to come and take. It really is, in a sense, a community of lifestyle.”

- Dr. Jessica Shepherd

“There are so many aspects of wellness,” believes women’s health expert, Dr. Jessica Shepherd. A board-certified gynecologist, Dr. Shepherd has always been passionate about helping people improve their personal health and vitality. She had a vision of how to make that happen, which included starting her own business, Sanctum Med + Wellness.  

The inspiration for Sanctum Med + Wellness came from Dr. Shepherd’s extensive experience in the field of women’s health, which has taken her across the United States and as far as the island of Dominica. After completing her first degree in Health and Sports Sciences, she was able to practice as a personal trainer and work in cardiac rehabilitation. Later, she went back to medical school, completed her OB-GYN residency, and received a Master of Business Administration. During her OB-GYN residency, she discovered how much joy it brought her to help women in the operating room and during recovery. 

Although her new undertaking might be placed in the same category as a medical spa, Dr. Shepherd’s comprehensive practice could be more broadly considered a community. The name, “Sanctum,” connotes a special sanctuary, a safe place to access a collection of services designed to help clients create long-term effects on their vitality. 

The Dallas, Texas based practice incorporates seven pillars of wellness: spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, social, environmental, and financial. Dr. Shepherd and her team of experts are now able to put together a customized, holistic plan for patients that include a variety of Eastern and Western health modalities.  

In addition to the more traditional well-woman exams, patients now have a nurturing environment in which they have an opportunity to embrace treatments that they may have felt were previously inaccessible to them. After a detailed consultation, Sanctum Med + Wellness advisors curate health bundles that might include visits to the meditation bar or a vibrational sound bath. Some clients may try physical therapy for pelvic health, acupuncture, yoga, or hormone therapies. Others might choose to receive plans for healthy eating, counseling, or cosmetic procedures such as facial tightening and Botox®. Sanctum Med + Wellness also provides pre- and post-natal specialty classes.  

Having also won an award for teaching while in Chicago, Dr. Shepherd perceived that educating others about health was a calling for her. Even though she is a scientist at heart, she decided to focus on the fact that people need to be taught in a supportive way to care for themselves. Sanctum Med + Wellness gives women, and additionally many men, this important opportunity to connect with others, share stories, and create a healthy legacy for themselves. 

Dr. Shepherd was grateful to have found BankMD and be able to open a private practice that’s the first of its kind in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  She discovered that several others in her professional circles were also using BankMD while going through the same process of becoming new business owners. Working with BankMD has helped her unlock a new support network.