UPDATE 2023: I am moving my practice to New Milford, Connecticut. I am dropping down in hours to focus more on my music. I will continuing my work in Lyme and Tick Borne Diseases (TBD). My hope is to support and build more on the front of public health in regards to Lyme and TBD. I will have a link available to the new practice soon!

UPDATE 2020: During the Pandemic I was able to successfully complete my Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and Masters in Human Nutrition. I became a fully licensed Naturopathic Physician Fall 2020, and worked briefly in children’s psych at a psych hospital, and subsequently primary care and public health during the Pandemic. I currently practice in Vermont as a resident physician specializing in Lyme disease, tick borne disease, and chronic complex illness. I am training with International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) affiliated provider Dr. Alexis Chesney ND, LAc in the Lyme and tick borne disease endemic region of Southern Vermont. Areas of focus: disease diagnostics, treatment, and public/community prevention. I am covered by Medicaid and select major insurance.

Naturopathic Medicine

Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine are currently licensed in 21 U.S States and 24 U.S Jurisdictions (D.C, Puerto Rico, etc.). We begin our four year medical school program with western biomedical sciences in classes such as anatomy with cadaver lab, physiology, pathology, lab diagnostics, etc. Simultaneously we begin our pre-specialization courses in natural therapies such as physical medicine, nutrition, botanical medicine, hydrotherapy, mental health counseling, and more. We gain over two years of clinical experience in various private, institutional, and community clinics. Our programs integrate both western and eastern philosophies. Naturopathic Doctors follow the following six principles:

Naturopathic Doctors are taught that the body innately is trying to maintain homeostasis, and that our role as a doctor is to support the body in healing. For example, we will follow standard care for a fever, but if low grade, rather than going straight to antipyrogenics (NSAIDS, aspirin, etc.) we will educate our patients in monitoring, supporting a fever, and allowing the body to battle the infection. We of course educate our patients as to when a fever becomes a medical emergency.

We are taught to find the root of the pathology. For example, if there is a dermatological condition, we look deeper, and quite often find that there is a gastrointestinal component to the pathology…and sometimes gastrointestinal health is tied to microbiome health and/or healthy stress management. We tackle pathology from all angles acutely and in chronic care.

Because we are trained in natural therapies, we educate our patients in the options they have to treat their illnesses. We are trained to know effectiveness and evidence based research on botanical alternatives to prescription medications, but our goal is to help our patients with the least invasive but still effective treatment. This means if the illness is serious enough we still recommend conventional therapies, especially in states where we act as primary care and have prescriptive rights.

I believe that the effectiveness of a treatment ultimately comes down to compliance and patient empowerment. This is accomplished by teaching our patients about their illness, why they are prescribed or recommended a specific treatment, so that they can make informed decisions for themselves every day. I always tell patients that I am only your provider for maybe an hour every 3-4 weeks, but you have to be your own best caretaker every day of your life. Empower patients with knowledge, empower them to be healthy, and we can then create a healthier and more sustainable society.

I strongly adhere to this “holistic” principle. I have come to understand that illness and disease processes go far beyond just the physical. We look at the body as a functional system, linking different organ systems together. We also look at the mental and spiritual components to health. If someone is grieving or experiencing heightened daily stress, we understand that there are measurable and correlated physical manifestations of mental health (cortisol, insomnia, neurotransmitters, GI health, etc.). We may either provide treatment or refer to correct healthcare providers. We spend on average 60 minutes with a patient and really try to understand the person as a whole, including social history, dietary practices, and lifestyle habits in our initial intakes.

The ultimate goal is to prevent diseases before they happen. This approach means promoting a healthy lifestyle, dietary habits, and stress management. We help patients understand their bodies before they are “sick” so that they can maintain healthy immune function, cardiovascular health, gastrointestinal health, and more.