DR. SARAH Thelen has spent the past 15 years caring for patients of all ages, from newborns to centenarians, at her small-town practice in Fayetteville. Grounded in faith, compassion, and a deep respect for what she believes is God’s design, her approach to health care reflects a quiet revolution in modern medicine: the rise of lifestyle medicine.
“I genuinely love my patients,” Thelen said with a smile. “If I’m your doctor, I care about you — not just your blood pressure or your labs, but your whole self: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. My goal is to help people live life to the fullest.”
Originally from rural Michigan, Thelen’s path to a career in medicine began early. Her mother, a nurse who pursued her degree later in life, sparked her fascination with the human body. “I fell in love with her nursing textbooks,” she said. “The intricacy of how humans are designed is amazing.”
After attending Calvin College, a Christian liberal arts school in Michigan, Thelen went on to medical school before completing her training in Huntsville, Alabama. She and her husband, Matthew, a Navy veteran and engineer, eventually settled in Fayetteville, where they raised their two sons, Isaac and Jonah.
“I never thought I’d live in rural Tennessee,” she said, laughing. “But now, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
As a family medicine physician, Thelen’s days are never the same. One morning might include well-child visits, while the afternoon could bring consultations with patients managing chronic illnesses or end-of-life care. Her amazing staff tends to all the details that make it possible for Thelen to do what she does best. “I tell my patients they’re driving the car, and I’m in the passenger seat with the maps,” she said. “They choose the route, and I’m here to guide them — whether that’s through lifestyle changes, medications, or a combination of both.”
That philosophy aligns perfectly with lifestyle medicine, an evidence-based approach that focuses on preventing and reversing disease through nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and faith-centered living. Thelen is pursuing board certification in the specialty.
“When I was in medical school, we got little training in nutrition or true wellness,” she said. “We were taught how to fix disease with medications or procedures, not necessarily how to prevent it. Lifestyle medicine teaches us how to help people thrive — not just survive.”
For Thelen, faith and medicine are inseparable. “There were moments during training when I questioned if this was really what I was meant to do,” she said. “But every time, God confirmed that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be. I see medicine as a labor of love — a way to serve the Lord by caring for others. It’s such a gift when I can pray with someone or talk about hope in the middle of a difficult diagnosis,” she said. “Even for patients who don’t share my beliefs, my faith shapes the way I listen and care. I see every person as made in God’s image.”
When she’s not in the office, Thelen finds peace outdoors — a habit she believes reflects the healing order of God’s creation. “Being outside centers me,” she said. “After a hard day — maybe losing a patient or delivering tough news — walking my road or going camping reminds me of the bigger picture.”
Her love for nature bloomed from childhood when her parents took her camping across Michigan. Thelen admires parallels between the natural world and the human body. “Everything in creation is interconnected,” she said. “Our bodies are the same way — one imbalance affects everything else. It’s a beautiful design.”
She recalled a vivid experience from a mission trip to Peru, where a local shaman used tree sap to heal severe insect bites. “Within an hour, they were completely gone,” she said. “That experience reminded me that God has placed incredible healing resources in nature. We just have to be humble enough to learn from them.”
Whether she’s treating a toddler with an ear infection or helping an older patient manage diabetes, Thelen’s care comes from the same source — a deep belief that love heals. GN
