I received my doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University which is rated one of the top medical schools in the country. While in medical school I completed advanced training and clinical rotations in gynecology, pediatrics, biofeedback, immune wellness, and environmental medicine. I also completed a two-year certification with New England School of Homeopathy.
Becoming a Naturopathic Doctor is a second vocation for me. After starting my family I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition that made day to day living very challenging. Along my own journey to better health I was fortunate to receive naturopathic care in addition to conventional care and was inspired to pursue naturopathic medical school after experiencing the benefits first hand.
Since graduating from Bastyr, I’ve returned to my home state of Alaska with my husband and daughter. In my free time I enjoy quilting, being outdoors, cooking, traveling, and most of all spending time with family and friends.
About Naturopathic Medicine
There is a difference between vibrant health and what our culture calls “feeling normal.” Naturopathic medicine encourages you to be the healthiest version of yourself. It provides you the tools, guidance and support you’ll need to mindfully embrace wellness.
Rooted in western medicine, naturopathic medicine delivers effective, non-invasive and natural treatments that reflect six key principles:
- The Healing Power of Nature: Trust and support the body’s inherent wisdom to heal itself.
- Identify and Treat the Causes: Look beyond the symptoms to the underlying cause.
- First Do No Harm: Utilize the most natural, least invasive and least toxic therapies.
- Doctor as Teacher: Share knowledge in the steps to achieving and maintaining health.
- Treat the Whole Person: View the each person as an integrated whole in all of their physical and spiritual dimensions.
- Prevention: Focus on overall health, wellness and disease prevention.
About Naturopathic Doctors (NDs)
Naturopathic physicians are trained and licensed as primary care providers. As such, their scope of training and practice may include:
- Physical & Clinical Diagnosis
- Laboratory Diagnostics
- Nutritional Therapy
- Herbal Medicine
- Homeopathy
- Pharmacology
- Psychology
- Minor surgery
- Acupuncture
- Spinal Manipulation
- IV Therapy
- Midwifery
Because NDs view natural remedies as both complementary and primary, naturopathic doctors cooperate with other medical professionals, referring patients to other specialists whenever appropriate.
A licensed naturopathic doctor is a graduate of four-year, post-graduate medical school and has more than 800 hours of clinical training. An ND should not be confused with a “naturopath,” whose sole training is via mail order or online courses.
About Naturopathic Tools
Clinical Nutrition
Think of your food choices as medicine you take, three times a day. The nutritional choices you make are the single most controllable aspect of your health. Our doctors are highly trained in nutritional therapy.
When you meet with your doctor, your diet is carefully assessed. The plan she develops for you includes detailed suggestions tailored to address your most important concerns.
When necessary, we employ state-of-the-art lab testing to identify allergies and sensitivities that may otherwise be missed.
There are times when extra nutritional support is needed as you transition to your optimal diet. Your Berkeley Naturopathic Medical Group doctor works with you to select the highest quality nutritional supplements that are best suited to your needs.
Lifestyle Coaching
Daily life is filled with potential stress. The environment is no longer the pristine natural resource it once was. We may struggle to cope with the emotional pressures of modern living. Our goal is to help you develop daily habits that support your recovery in the face of life’s inevitable challenges.
From stress and behavioral management techniques, to ways in which you can reduce your daily exposure to pollutants, get enough sleep and develop an active routine, naturopathic lifestyle coaching helps you develop the resources you need to be at your best.
Physical Activity and Exercise
Exercise is unquestionably essential to your health and well being. Your doctor will help you develop an individualized exercise plan that is tailored to your needs and goals. This may include suggestions and referrals for cardiovascular and resistance exercise, yoga, Tai Qi, physical therapy and body work.
Botanical Medicine
The use of plants and herbs as medicine is one of the most ancient forms of healing known to humankind.
Your doctor at Berkeley Naturopathic Medical Group is an expert in the use of botanical medicine. She creates individualized prescriptions for you using high-quality, sustainably sourced herbs. Over time, your prescriptions will change as your healing progresses.
Herbal remedies can be dispensed as teas, in tincture form (concentrated extraction in alcohol or glycerin), in capsules or in tablets.
Homeopathy
Based on the Hippocratic principle that ‘like cures like,’ homeopathy is a gentle yet powerful energetic form of medicine that matches the vibrational patterns of an individual. A well-chosen remedy assists the body in carrying out its natural restorative processes.
Clinical Detoxification
With so many different “detoxes” promoted in books and in the media, choosing the one that is most appropriate for your needs can be challenging. Our doctors are highly trained in the art and science of detoxification. We help you avoid harm by creating a customized detoxification protocol that is best suited to both your daily reality and your medical needs.
Biofeedback
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CranioSacral Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a form of bodywork developed by an osteopath (William D. Sutherland) that focuses on releasing restrictions in the network of connective tissue throughout the body. Restrictions can form due to chronic tension in muscles, injuries, scars, emotional traumas, birth trauma, dental procedures, and chronic stress.
CST helps your body regain balance and proper function of the major systems of your body (nervous, lymphatic, muscular, gastrointestinal, hormonal). The treatment is focused on supporting the health of the whole being, especially the nervous system.
CST treatment techniques are gentle and apply very light touch or physical pressure and are usually done with patients fully clothed. There is no physical force applied that moves bones or body structures back into alignment. Most patients feel very relaxed during treatment and sometimes fall asleep.
Profound healing can occur during sessions because patients become so relaxed they can tap into their subconscious and resolve long standing issues, belief patterns, and blocks to healing that have prevented optimal health.
