About the Founder
Francine Bartlett, PT, DPT, ATC
Rooted in Lineage. Leading with Vision.
Francine Padrón Bartlett is an enrolled Tribal member of the Lipan Apache Band of Texas (Cúeldehén Ndé). Her lineage is the foundation of her life’s work and the guiding force behind her approach to health and healing.
Drawing from the teachings of the Medicine Wheel and the Four Directions, Francine holds space for Indigenous wisdom as a living system of care. These teachings form the foundation of her Medicine Wheel healthcare model — a framework that honors the interconnected nature of spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Through her work, she advocates for Native American teachings and carries a clear mission: to integrate natural and ancient Indigenous wisdom with modern-day medicine. Her vision is a healthcare system where relational, culturally grounded, whole-person care becomes not alternative — but mainstream — practiced locally, nationally, and globally.
Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Healthcare
With over two decades of clinical experience, Francine is the founder of Medicine Wheel Wellness and Sacred Athlete. Her background as a physical therapist and athletic trainer shaped her early commitment to restoring resilience and function. Over time, she recognized that true healing extends beyond physical recovery — it requires meaning, connection, and balance.
This realization led to the development of her Medicine Wheel healthcare model, also known as the Medicine Wheel Directive of Care (MWDOC). This integrative framework bridges Indigenous knowledge systems with contemporary healthcare practice, expanding modern medicine to include relational, cultural, and whole-person dimensions of health.
Through education, consulting, and systems leadership, Francine guides organizations, practitioners, and communities in implementing the Medicine Wheel healthcare model in ways that are ethical, culturally informed, and sustainable. Her leadership is grounded in empathy, humility, and deep respect for diverse ways of knowing — always working toward healthcare systems that better serve individuals, families, and communities.