The Significant Women Reunion Weekend

Finding healing in self-discovery and self-advocacy

Dr. Liza Swedarsky is a Boston-based gynecologist, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, women’s health advocate, and spiritual practitioner whose work bridges traditional medicine, holistic wellness, self-advocacy, and faith.

Growing up in poverty without consistent access to healthcare, Dr. Liza experienced firsthand how it felt to be overlooked by the healthcare system. As a first-generation college student at Northwestern University, access to health insurance became a turning point. Then, during her third year of medical school, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease—an experience that transformed her understanding of health and healing. Rather than simply managing her diagnosis, Dr. Liza began exploring how nutrition, stress, relationships, environment, spirituality, mindfulness, and restorative practices could support her well-being. She became her own health advocate and discovered that healing could extend beyond medication alone. She has remained symptom-free for more than two decades, and that journey has become the foundation of her commitment to empowering other women in their healthcare.

Since 2006, Dr. Liza has served women throughout Boston’s neighborhoods and community health centers, providing comprehensive gynecologic care, outpatient procedures, and minimally invasive surgery. Her dedication to patient care has earned her recognition as one of Boston’s Top Doctors for seven consecutive years. In 2014, she founded Health Vows, an international program that equips women to take a mindful, proactive approach to their health through seven foundational “vows to self.” The program encourages greater health literacy, disease prevention, confident self-advocacy, and active participation in the patient-doctor relationship.

A licensed spiritual practitioner, Dr. Liza also believes deeply in the healing power of prayer, faith, spiritual community, and intentional living. She regularly partners with churches, pastors, and spiritual communities to lead workshops, retreats, and keynote experiences exploring the connection between spirituality and health.

Through her newest initiative, Embracing Black, Dr. Liza is building a movement of informed and empowered Black women health advocates. Through education, storytelling, workshops, conferences, and healing circles, she seeks to equip women to understand their health, advocate for themselves, cultivate resilience, and live vibrant, healthy lives.