Meet the Founders

YOUR-CENTER.com was founded by two friends in Columbus, Ohio. Melinda Cooksey is a graduate of the Ohio State University holding a self-developed Bachelors degree in Neuropsychology and Physiology of Human Movement, a Masters degree in Anatomy and Medical Education, and a doctoral degree in Integrative Medicine with a graduate minor in Research Methods. Rachel Collett, an experienced Web site designer with over eight years of Web work under her belt, specializes in developing Web sites for small businesses and individuals, as well as specific needs-based Web projects for those same clients. When the two women teamed up, YOUR-CENTER.com was born out of their shared interest in alternative and integrative health care options.

Here is what the two of them have to say about creating YOUR-CENTER.com:

Melinda Cooksey "I want it to be easy for people to find resources and build healthy networks. When this concept behind Columbus Comprehensive Health Center ceased to exist and the center's web site came down I heard two main comments from the community. From practitioners I was hearing a sense of loss for the feeling of community that the center fostered among its health care providers. From the public I was hearing a sense of loss for the resources (referrals, information, educational opportunities) that the center so easily/conveniently pooled together and made available through one phone call and/or one web site. For me personally, I missed feeling like I was part of a team and I missed being surrounded by my colleagues that provided expertise in areas I knew little about. Over lunch one day shortly after the acquisition of CCHC, my friend Rachel Collett and I were discussing this. With Rachel's background in web design and our shared interest in providing these services to the community once again, we began creating what would become Your-Center.com. The day that somebody decides they are ready to see their life improve should be the day that they find the resources they need. For many there is a short window in which they are interested in making changes for themselves. Unfortunately, it is often too difficult to locate the right resources and people stop looking. I want YOUR-CENTER.com to fix this dilemma for the central Ohio area. I want to provide information about services, providers, retailers and products all in one place so that people can begin their path to wellness without stress or confusion. For our professional members and our community neighbors, I would like to see YOUR-CENTER.com become a household name associated with healthy resources, holistic health, care for the community, integrity and personal/professional empowerment."

Rachel Collett "I've moved around a lot over the years, from North Dakota to New Mexico to Boston and back again, and one thing that has consistently stayed the same in all my travels is that it is very hard to find good medical care. When I first moved to Columbus, I lived every day with lower back pain. I'd complained to my doctor, but she basically said that it was because I was obese, and that I'd just have to live with it until I lost weight. I was left with no choice but to seek alternative solutions or live with the pain. I started looking and was lucky enough to find Melinda Cooksey on my first try. After only a few visits with Melinda, I found that my pain had lessened considerably. In addition to pain relief, she gave me the opportunity to learn about my own body and how it works, as well as to listen to what it is telling me with its various aches and pains. I found myself fascinated by the education she offered me, and soon she had me interested in other alternative health care options. As we progressed in our friendship, and I made progress in my understanding of my body and the wellness options available to me, collaborating on YOUR-CENTER.com became an obvious choice for both of us. My goal is really simple. I want to see YOUR-CENTER.com offer people in the Columbus, Ohio, area the same educational opportunities that Melinda offered me. I want people to be able to find healthcare services they didn't know existed. I want them to see all the choices they have, and ideally, YOUR-CENTER.com will help them take control of their own health care and wellness, rather than just trusting to whatever their current MD happens to think should be prescribed."