Semerit Strachan 

Dr.  Semerit Michele Strachan, M.D., M.P.H., is an honors graduate of   Wesleyan University, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine (New York City) and  Columbia University’s Master of Public Health program. 

At  age eleven, Semerit's  family immigrated from her native Haiti to the  U.S. to escape political persecution from the totalitarian regime of  “Papa Doc” Duvalier.  Arriving with no knowledge of English, she quickly  adapted to her new home and became an avid student of science and  languages. 

With  over forty years of career experience as a pediatrician, tertiary care  specialist, holistic practitioner, international public health educator,  workshop facilitator and wellness coach, Dr. Semerit continues to grow  and evolve as an artist, writer, poet, speaker and holistic educator.  She is a Certified Intentional Creativity Coach, a Color of  Woman  (intentional art) instructor; and has been trained as a Feminine Power  Coach /Facilitator.

Dr.  Semerit’s expertise lies in creating a space for the human spirit in  the medical encounter, in using culture as a resource in health and  healing, and in teaching how to access inner resources to change one’s  physiology or wellness-journey. She teaches the symbolic language of the  body through “What is my body really trying to tell me?” — an inquiry  process in images and words.

Since  its inception in 1996, Dr. Semerit serves as Director of Medicine and  community elder at the Cultural Wellness Center in Minneapolis, MN and  holds the honorary title “Griot of the Medicine of Transformation”.