Rev. Dr. Shakira Sanchez-Collins touches hearts and minds with ministry and medicine
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Shakira Sanchez-Collins is a determined pastor who can move a room with her words – but she touches hearts and minds both on and off the pulpit.
In addition to being Pastor Shakira Sanchez-Collins, she is also Dr. Shakira Sanchez-Collins.
"Instead of going straight to medical school first, I actually went to divinity school," said Sanchez-Collins. "There was always this wonderful weaving of the thread of the two areas together."
Sanchez-Collins' undergraduate studies at Yale University were an unusual tapestry of science and spirituality that would shape her life.
"The interesting part about being both a physician and a pastor is that you walk with people through various seasons of their life," said Sanchez-Collins, "being able to rejoice when others rejoice, but also being able to mourn when others mourn. So I was able to take all of that going into my medical training. I was able to already have a strong bedside manner because I had to be a chaplain."
Sanchez-Collins attended medical school at Duke University – and not surprisingly, the woman who blended science and spirituality turned to integrative medicine.
"Integrative medicine where you combine western traditional medicine, but also alternative, complementary medicine," Sanchez-Collins said. "So it was a perfect fit for me, because it allows me to approach and to care for the mind, body, and spirit of people in each setting."
Dr. Sanchez-Collins' weekday setting is Northwestern Medicine's Osher Center for Integrative Health – on the Streeterville campus of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Patient Diana Alejandro said Dr. Sanchez-Collins' superpower is that she listens.
"I try not to get emotional when I think about it; when I talk about her. I believe in God, but I believe that my God, or the universe, or whoever, put her here to help me," said Alejandro. "That's what I believe."
Back at St. James AME Church, at 9256 S. Lafayette Ave. in the Roseland neighborhood, Associate Pastor Sanchez-Collins teams up with Senior Pastor the Rev. Craig T. Robinson Jr. – who is also her husband.
Together, their community ministry has a strong focus on feeding and clothing the hungry. And by the way, pastors in the family are nothing new for her.
"My grandfather was a pastor/preacher. My great grandfather was also a pastor/preacher," Sanchez-Collins said, "So it's not like a, 'Oh!' surprise, but it's like, 'OK, that makes sense."
Sanchez-Collins offers good sense and good deeds in two fields that may seem separate, but blend beautifully.
"Having multiple dimensions of the human experience allows me to be a better physician, but also a better pastor," Sanchez-Collins said.