Lehigh Valley Family Health Center

Welcome to the Home of the Turtle Craft

The Leni Lenape Indians were the first inhabitants of our home bioregion. The Iroquois and other tribal people referred to the North American Continent as Turtle Island. They told the story of creation that describes how the turtle gave it’s back in order to affirm and support life.

We relate the turtle to family practice. Like the turtle, the family doctor has been around for a long time and thus represents continuity, reliability, and wisdom. Like a turtle, your family doctor is patient, and therefore knows when to courageously stick his or her neck out and forge ahead.

The turtle, like the family doctor, is comfortable in all places. It lives peacefully with others and is protected by its shell. Family doctors collaborate with others and are protected by their shells of faith and integrity.

The turtle lives on the edge like the family doctor that is always on the edge between health and illness, patient and consultant, patient and family, innovation and tradition.

Thus, the turtle is the communicator, and the mediator, who helps bring about the transformation to health and wholeness. The turtle helps restore life and its wholeness.

That is our mission! We are turtles!