Very Well’s First Anniversary at Cross Keys!

A message from Dr. David Meredith, D.Ac…

Two years ago, while traveling in Portugal, I was challenged by a colleague to bring home the relaxed and rejuvenating vibe of the vacation to my clients. That night, I was unable to sleep as fully formed visions of an expanded wellness center flashed through my mind.

One year ago, after months of intense work, Very Well opened our Cross Keys location, bringing a unique oasis of health and wellness to our Baltimore community. Combining traditional wisdom and advanced technology, the new Very Well offered acupuncture, PEMF, red light therapy, vibroacoustic therapy, and salt room therapy + an infrared sauna.

And after a year of multiple requests, we recently added massage therapy to the mix—and we’ve got at least one additional service on the horizon.

If you visited Very Well in 2024—and especially if you’ve expanded your horizons by trying some of our new therapies—we thank you! Starting a new business, especially one that attempts to break new ground, is never easy, and your support has been noticed and deeply appreciated.

My goal for Very Well has always been ambitious, perhaps even a bit grandiose, but I’m energized when I see people try it and get it.

Life in the 2020s has not been easy, as we continue to face unprecedented challenges as individuals and communities. There is no rescue on the horizon. Politics… the healthcare system… economics… interpersonal relationships in a “post truth” world… these are all going to get more complicated. Our health and quality of life will be impacted.

Empowered by Wellness

Your best opportunities for peacefully navigating these challenging times exist at the intersection of self-empowerment and self-care. And our world’s best hope of serving our needs and those of future generations is if enough people empower and care for themselves and the people around them.

This is the core of what we offer at Very Well: a refuge from the stressors of the world, that sends you back to your life feeling stronger, more peaceful, more joyful, more in control of your physical and emotional health, an inspiration for others around you.

How does your 16 minutes on a red light bed… 30 minutes exposing your body to healing electromagnetic waves… 15 minutes immersed in a modern sound bath… 30 minutes breathing micro-particles of pure salt… 60 minutes on an acupuncturetable… 75 minutes getting one of the best massages in the Baltimore area… how do these improve your whole life and the world around you?

If you try them once, they probably don’t, much. It’s like going to the gym once and never returning.

But if you make sessions like these a part of your life, a very regular practice of self-care, in whatever combination that inspires you, that’s a different story. The first thing you may notice, over a little while, is that troubling symptoms and health issues begin to clear up. Stress and overwhelm may affect your body and mind less and less. You may feel more resilient, more energetic, able to experience more joy. Ultimately, you may get sick less, feel stronger and more rested, look better, age more gracefully, feel empowered to steer your life into more rewarding areas.

These things don’t happen in a vacuum. We are all intricately connected. People will notice. Instead of the prevailing American narrative that turns the power of our well-being over to others—the right products, the right doctors, the right movie star diet, or avoiding or appeasing the people whose words and actions can cause harm—you can be an example of another way of being. An example others may follow, in their own way.

It starts with your commitment to yourself.

At Very Well, we are committed to you—and through you, to our community and our world.

“I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self-indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival.” —Audre Lorde

“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” —Unknown

“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” —Hopi Elders

“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” —Margaret Mead