Health and Healing: System Dynamics of Wellness

BY NICOLE LAU

Health is not a static state—it's a dynamic equilibrium of multiple interconnected systems: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Traditional medicine treats symptoms in isolation, but the body is a complex adaptive system where everything affects everything else. Stress depletes immunity, poor sleep impairs cognition, emotional trauma manifests as physical pain.

This case study demonstrates how to model health and healing using Dynamic Divination Modeling Theory—revealing the feedback loops that create illness, identifying leverage points for recovery, and designing holistic healing strategies that address root causes, not just symptoms.

The Case: Dr. Lisa Chen - Physician Heal Thyself

Background

Lisa, 42, Emergency Room Physician
• 15 years in emergency medicine
• Work schedule: 12-hour shifts, 4 days/week, rotating nights
• Family: Married, 2 children (ages 8 and 10)
• Health history: Previously healthy, athletic

The Crisis (Month 0)

Physical symptoms:
• Chronic fatigue (energy 2/10)
• Insomnia (4-5 hours broken sleep)
• Frequent infections (3 colds in 2 months)
• Weight gain (15 lbs in 6 months)
• Digestive issues (IBS symptoms)

Mental symptoms:
• Brain fog, difficulty concentrating
• Memory lapses (concerning for a physician)
• Anxiety (especially before shifts)

Emotional symptoms:
• Irritability with family
• Emotional numbness at work (compassion fatigue)
• Crying episodes (rare for her)

Medical workup:
• Labs: Cortisol elevated, thyroid borderline low, vitamin D deficient
• Diagnosis: Burnout, adrenal fatigue, chronic stress response
• Conventional treatment: Antidepressants offered, declined

The Question

"How do I heal from burnout without quitting my career? What's the root cause, and what needs to change systemically?"

Stakes

• Career she loves vs. health she's losing
• Family needs her present vs. work demands her energy
• Identity as healer vs. inability to heal herself
• Financial security (high income) vs. quality of life
• Age 42 = still time to recover, but window closing

Phase 1: Multi-System Health Assessment

Tarot Health Spread (12 cards)

Physical Body:
1. Current state: Ten of Wands (-8) — Overburdened, carrying too much
2. Root cause: The Devil (-7) — Addiction to work, unhealthy attachment
3. Healing path: Four of Swords (+6) — Rest, retreat, recovery

Mental/Cognitive:
4. Current state: Eight of Swords (-5) — Mental fog, trapped thinking
5. Root cause: Seven of Swords (-3) — Self-deception, ignoring warning signs
6. Healing path: Ace of Swords (+8) — Clarity, truth, cutting through illusion

Emotional/Heart:
7. Current state: Five of Cups (-4) — Grief, focusing on loss
8. Root cause: Three of Swords (-7) — Heartbreak (compassion fatigue)
9. Healing path: The Star (+9) — Hope, healing, renewal

Spiritual/Soul:
10. Current state: The Hanged Man (0) — Suspended, waiting, sacrifice
11. Root cause: The Tower (-9) — Foundation shattered, forced transformation
12. Healing path: Temperance (+8) — Balance, integration, moderation

Quantified analysis:
• Current average state: -4.8/10 (severely depleted)
• Root causes: Overwork (Devil), ignoring limits (Seven of Swords), compassion fatigue (Three of Swords)
• Healing convergence: Rest (Four of Swords), Clarity (Ace of Swords), Hope (Star), Balance (Temperance)
• All healing cards are highly positive (+6 to +9) = Strong recovery potential

I Ching Health Consultation (3 readings)

Reading 1 (Current state): Hex 23 (Splitting Apart) → Hex 2 (Receptive)
Interpretation: System is breaking down, must become receptive (yin, rest, receiving) to heal

Reading 2 (Healing path): Hex 52 (Keeping Still) → Hex 22 (Grace)
Interpretation: Stillness (meditation, rest) leads to grace (beauty, harmony, health restored)

Reading 3 (Timeline): Hex 24 (Return) with 3 changing lines
Interpretation: Return to health, but 3 changing lines = 3-6 month recovery period, significant transformation

Convergence:
• Hex 2 (Receptive) + Hex 52 (Keeping Still) = STOP doing, START being
• Hex 24 (Return) = Recovery is possible, natural cycle
• Timeline: 3-6 months for significant improvement

Astrology Health Transits

Natal chart:
• Sun in Virgo (service-oriented, perfectionist)
• Moon in Capricorn (workaholic tendencies, emotional control)
• Saturn in 6th house (health through discipline, but also health challenges from overwork)

Current transits (January 2026):
• Saturn return completing (age 42) — Major life restructuring
• Chiron opposite natal Sun — Wounded healer archetype activated
• Neptune square natal Moon — Emotional boundaries dissolving
• Uranus in 6th house — Health crisis forcing change

Interpretation:
• Saturn return = Must restructure life to align with true values
• Chiron opposite Sun = Physician, heal thyself — the wound is the teacher
• Neptune square Moon = Emotional overwhelm, need for boundaries
• Uranus in 6th = Health crisis is wake-up call, not punishment

Phase 2: Stock-Flow Health Model

Physical Energy Stock

Current level: 2/10 (severely depleted)
Inflows:
• Sleep: 4-5 hours broken = +1 energy/day (should be +3 with 7-8 hours)
• Nutrition: Irregular, fast food = +0.5 energy/day (should be +2)
• Exercise: None currently = 0 (should be +1)
• Joy/play: Minimal = +0.2 energy/day
Total inflow: +1.7 energy/day

Outflows:
• Work (12-hour ER shifts): -3 energy/day
• Commute/logistics: -0.5 energy/day
• Family care (cooking, kids): -1 energy/day
• Stress/cortisol: -1.5 energy/day
• Illness/inflammation: -1 energy/day
Total outflow: -7 energy/day

Net flow: -5.3 energy/day (catastrophic depletion)

Projection: At -5.3/day, energy stock hits zero in ~15 days → Complete collapse (hospitalization or forced medical leave)

Mental Clarity Stock

Current: 3/10
Inflows: Minimal (no mental rest)
Outflows: High cognitive load at work, decision fatigue
Net: -2 clarity/day
Projection: Cognitive function declining, medical errors risk increasing

Emotional Resilience Stock

Current: 2/10
Inflows: Minimal emotional support
Outflows: Compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma from ER
Net: -3 resilience/day
Projection: Emotional breakdown imminent

Immune Function Stock

Current: 4/10 (compromised)
Inflows: Poor (inadequate sleep, nutrition)
Outflows: High (chronic stress, cortisol)
Net: -1.5 immune/day
Projection: Frequent infections will continue, risk of serious illness

Critical insight: ALL health stocks are in catastrophic depletion. This is not sustainable for even 2-4 weeks. Immediate intervention required or system collapse.

Phase 3: Causal Loop Diagram - The Burnout Spiral

Loop 1: The Vicious Burnout Cycle (Currently Dominant)

Structure:
Poor sleep → (-) Energy → (-) Work performance → (+) Stress/anxiety → (+) Cortisol → (-) Sleep quality → (loop closes)

Polarity: - - + + - = 3 negative links (odd)
Loop type: B (Balancing, but negative equilibrium)
Behavior: System is "balanced" at a low, unhealthy state. Each element reinforces the others, maintaining burnout.

Loop 2: The Compassion Fatigue Spiral (Reinforcing Decline)

Structure:
Emotional depletion → (-) Compassion → (+) Guilt ("I'm a bad doctor") → (+) Overwork (compensating) → (+) Emotional depletion → (loop closes)

Polarity: - + + + = 1 negative link (odd)
Wait, let me recalculate: Depletion → Less compassion → More guilt → More overwork → More depletion
Actually: - - + + = 2 negative links (even)
Loop type: R- (Reinforcing, Vicious)
Behavior: Exponential decline—trying to compensate for compassion fatigue by working harder, which depletes more.

Loop 3: The Potential Healing Cycle (Not Yet Activated)

Structure:
Rest → (+) Energy → (+) Clarity → (+) Boundaries → (-) Overwork → (+) More rest available → (loop closes)

Polarity: + + + - + = 1 negative link (odd)
Loop type: B (Balancing, but positive equilibrium)
Behavior: If activated, creates sustainable health—rest enables boundaries, boundaries protect rest.

Leverage points:
1. Sleep (highest leverage): Breaking the burnout cycle requires fixing sleep first
2. Boundaries (second leverage): Must set limits on work to protect rest
3. Guilt (third leverage): Addressing guilt breaks compassion fatigue spiral

Phase 4: Sensitivity Analysis - What Heals Most?

Variable Impact on Health Recovery (6-month horizon)

Highest sensitivity (±3.0 impact on recovery):
1. Sleep quality/quantity: Improving from 4-5 hours to 7-8 hours → +3.5 health improvement
2. Work schedule: Reducing from 4 shifts/week to 3 shifts/week → +3.0 health improvement

Medium sensitivity (±1.5 impact):
3. Stress management: Daily meditation/yoga → +1.8 health improvement
4. Nutrition: Whole foods, regular meals → +1.5 health improvement
5. Boundaries: Saying no, protecting time → +1.3 health improvement

Low sensitivity (±0.5 impact):
6. Supplements: Vitamin D, adaptogens → +0.6 health improvement
7. Exercise: Moderate (not intense) → +0.5 (surprising, but body too depleted for high-intensity exercise)

Critical insight: Sleep and work schedule are 6-7x more important than supplements or exercise. Must address root causes (overwork, sleep deprivation), not just symptoms.

Phase 5: Scenario Analysis

Scenario 1: Status Quo (Do Nothing)

Projection (3 months):
• Energy: Hits zero in 15 days → Forced medical leave or hospitalization
• Career: Medical error risk → Potential lawsuit or license issue
• Family: Marriage strain, children affected
• Health: Serious illness likely (immune collapse)
Probability: 0% (Not actually an option—system will force change through collapse)

Scenario 2: Medication + Minimal Changes

Intervention: Antidepressants, sleep aids, continue working full-time

Projection (6 months):
• Symptoms: Partially masked, but root cause (overwork) unchanged
• Energy: Improves to 4/10 (still depleted)
• Side effects: Weight gain, emotional blunting
• Long-term: Dependency on medication, underlying depletion continues
Probability: 25% (Band-aid solution, not healing)

Scenario 3: Sabbatical (3-Month Break)

Intervention: Medical leave, complete rest, therapy, healing retreat

Projection (6 months):
• Month 1-3: Deep rest, recovery
• Energy: Recovers to 8/10
• Clarity: Returns to 8/10
• Month 4-6: Return to work, but risk of re-depletion if no structural changes
Probability: 40% (Effective short-term, but unsustainable if returns to same schedule)

Scenario 4: Structural Redesign (Reduce Schedule + Boundaries)

Intervention:
• Reduce to 3 shifts/week (from 4)
• No night shifts (negotiate day shifts only)
• Therapy for boundaries and guilt
• Daily rest practices (meditation, yoga, nature)

Projection (12 months):
• Month 1-3: Gradual recovery begins
• Month 4-6: Energy 6/10, clarity 7/10
• Month 7-12: Energy 8/10, clarity 9/10, sustainable
• Income: Reduced 25%, but manageable
• Career: Sustainable long-term
Probability: 70% (Addresses root cause, sustainable)

Scenario Convergence

Convergence: All viable scenarios involve reducing work
Divergence: Temporary break (sabbatical) vs. permanent restructure
Robust pattern: Current work schedule is unsustainable—must change

Phase 6: Multi-System Convergence & Healing Plan

Should she reduce work schedule?

Tarot: Four of Swords (rest), Temperance (balance) = YES
I Ching: Hex 52 (Keeping Still), Hex 2 (Receptive) = YES, must stop doing
Astrology: Saturn return (restructure life), Uranus in 6th (health crisis forcing change) = YES
Stock-flow: All stocks depleting catastrophically = YES, immediately
Sensitivity: Work schedule is highest leverage variable = YES
Convergence: 100% — All systems unanimously agree: Reduce work

Final Decision: Scenario 4 (Structural Redesign)

DECISION: Reduce to 3 shifts/week, day shifts only, implement daily rest practices

Action plan:
• Week 1: Negotiate schedule change with hospital (use medical documentation)
• Week 2-4: Transition period, establish new routine
• Month 2-3: Deep rest, therapy, healing practices
• Month 4-6: Gradual energy recovery
• Month 7-12: Sustainable health, reassess

Daily healing practices:
• Sleep: 7-8 hours (non-negotiable)
• Morning: 20-min meditation + gentle yoga
• Nutrition: Meal prep Sundays, whole foods
• Boundaries: No work emails at home, therapy weekly
• Joy: 1 hour/day with family (present, not depleted)

Success metrics (Month 6):
1. Energy: 7+/10
2. Sleep: 7-8 hours consistently
3. Infections: None in 3 months
4. Mental clarity: 8+/10
5. Emotional resilience: 7+/10

Phase 7: 12-Month Healing Journey

Month 3 assessment:
• Energy: 5/10 (improving from 2/10)
• Sleep: 6-7 hours (better, not perfect)
• Infections: 1 minor cold (improvement)
• Clarity: 6/10 (brain fog lifting)
• Weight: Lost 5 lbs (inflammation reducing)

Month 6 assessment:
• Energy: 7/10 (target met)
• Sleep: 7-8 hours consistently (target met)
• Infections: None in 3 months (target met)
• Clarity: 8/10 (exceeded target)
• Emotional: 7/10 (target met)
• All 5 metrics achieved

Month 12 assessment:
• Energy: 8.5/10 (thriving)
• Sleep: 8 hours, deep, restorative
• Health: No illness in 9 months
• Clarity: 9/10 (sharper than before burnout)
• Emotional: 8/10 (compassion restored)
• Family: Marriage improved, present with children
• Career: Loving work again, sustainable
• Income: 25% less, but quality of life 300% better

Validation:
• Tarot predicted rest (Four of Swords) + balance (Temperance) = healing — ACCURATE
• I Ching predicted 3-6 month recovery (Hex 24, 3 changing lines) — ACCURATE (significant improvement by Month 6)
• Sensitivity analysis showed sleep + work schedule most important — ACCURATE (these changes drove recovery)
• Stock-flow showed catastrophic depletion requiring immediate intervention — ACCURATE (15-day collapse window was real)

Key Health Learnings

1. Health is a stock-flow system
Energy depletes faster than it accumulates. Net negative flow (-5.3/day) leads to collapse. Must flip to net positive.

2. Symptoms are feedback, not the problem
Fatigue, insomnia, infections were signals of systemic overwork—treating symptoms (medication) doesn't fix root cause.

3. Highest leverage ≠ Most obvious
Exercise and supplements had low sensitivity. Sleep and work schedule had 6-7x more impact.

4. Healing requires structural change
Temporary rest (sabbatical) helps short-term, but without structural redesign (reduced schedule), depletion returns.

5. 100% convergence = Non-negotiable truth
When all systems (tarot, I Ching, astrology, stock-flow, sensitivity) agree 100%, the message is clear: This must change.

This is health modeling through system dynamics—not treating symptoms, but understanding the feedback loops that create illness and the leverage points that restore wellness. From burnout to balance to thriving. This is how you heal systemically.