Practitioners

David Simon, M.D., Medical Director/Co-Founder

David Simon, M.D. has been instrumental in forging a new model of health that integrates body, mind, and spirit. As Co-founder and Medical Director of The Chopra Center at La Costa Resort and Spa, David is dedicated to catalyzing the evolution of the prevailing healthcare system to a "healing system". Since he began his association with Deepak Chopra, M.D. in the 1980's, Simon has become one of the nation's foremost authorities on the effective and appropriate use of holistic health care practices.

Dr. Simon's prolific program development, writing, and research are changing the landscape of health care for professionals and consumers, alike. His far-reaching endeavors have resulted in the training of thousands of physicians, nurses, health care providers and educators in holistic healing approaches throughout the world. He is the recipient of a National Institutes of Health grant to study mind body medical approaches on health quality, and has created initiatives to bring integrated mind body medical programs to medical institutions, community health centers, and health resorts.

In his role as Medical Director, Dr. Simon is the driving force behind The Chopra Center's development, training and implementation of programs and seminars in mind body medicine, emotional healing, and spirituality. He directs a comprehensive curriculum that includes on-site seminars and workshops, in addition to a worldwide educational outreach program.

David is a popular author of wellness books including: Vital Energy: The 7 Keys to Invigorate Body, Mind and Soul; Return to Wholeness – Embracing Body, Mind and Spirit in the Face of Cancer; The Wisdom of Healing; and (co-authored with Deepak Chopra) The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook; Grow Younger, Live Longer; and The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga. Dr. Simon is a sought after media expert and keynote speaker for organizations such as the March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, the California Medical Association and academic institutions such as Tufts University, Tulane University, and Harvard Medical School.

David Simon laid the foundation for his influence in the medical community through his practice in neurology, and his roles as Chief of Staff and Medical Director of the Neurological Services at Sharp Cabrillo Hospital, an affiliate of the Sharp HealthCare system, the largest in Southern California. As a Voluntary Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California San Diego, Dr. Simon supervises medical students rotating through The Chopra Center.

Valencia Porter, MD, MPH

Patients and guests who visit The Chopra Center have the opportunity to receive a mind-body medical consultation with holistic health expert Valencia Porter, M.D., M.P.H. Board-certified in both General Preventive Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine, Dr. Porter has an integrative approach that incorporates many areas of health and healing, including Ayurveda, medical acupuncture, biofield (energy) therapies, and functional medicine.

As a medical student at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, she began to explore complementary and alternative medicine. After training in Pediatrics and Child Neurology, she completed a residency in Preventive Medicine at U.C. San Diego – as well as a master’s degree in public health focusing on Environmental Health at San Diego State University.

Before coming to the Chopra Center, Dr. Porter served as a physician and researcher at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in San Diego, where she provided integrative care to children and adults coping with ADD/ADHD, stress and anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and weight management.

Most recently, she developed the curriculum in biofield therapies for a new master’s degree program in Integrative Health, soon to be launched by National University. Dr. Porter is currently completing a fellowship at the renowned Program for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where she is a Bravewell Collaborative scholar.

Dr. Porter has a caring, individualized approach that encompasses all aspects of her patients’ lives. During your consultation, she will work with you to explore the mind-body connection behind your current symptoms and develop practical behaviors that will set you on a course of wellness.

“I love supporting people in restoring balance and health in their lives,” she said. “In reality, doctors don’t ‘heal’ anybody . . . their true role is educating patients to make healing choices for themselves. The word doctor actually comes from the Latin root docere, meaning ‘to teach.’”

With more than 15 years of medical experience, Dr. Porter has helped thousands of patients find relief and healing from conditions including:

• Arthritis
• Chronic pain
• Cancer
• Fibromyalgia
• Anxiety & depression
• Hypertension
• Stress disorders
• Weight issues
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Allergies & asthma
• Infertility
• Immune dysfunction
• Osteoporosis
• Headache & migraine
• Chronic fatigue

Read about Dr. Porter’s personal experience of mind-body healing