A Lifelong Connection to Natural Healing

My path to natural medicine began early in life. I grew up in a home where food and plants were part of everyday wellness. My mother was a master gardener, and our yard was filled with herbs, fruits, and vegetables. I thought it was completely normal to snack on homegrown pomegranates or sneak into the herb garden to nibble on rosemary and chives, often earning a playful scolding from the kitchen window.

Those early experiences shaped how I see medicine today. Healing was never separate from daily life. It was woven into how we ate, lived, and cared for ourselves. That foundation continues to guide my work with patients now.

Why I Chose Naturopathic and Integrative Medicine

Before becoming a naturopathic doctor, I earned degrees in psychology and addiction studies. I worked closely with individuals navigating mental health challenges and substance use. While the work was meaningful, I felt something essential was missing.

I could clearly see how physical health, including gut function, nutrition, hormones, and chronic stress, was influencing emotional and mental well-being. Yet I wasn’t able to address those root causes medically. That limitation became a turning point for me.

Naturopathic Medicine gave me the tools to bridge that gap. It allowed me to combine evidence-based natural medicine with my background in psychology and nervous system health, so I could support patients in a more complete and hands-on way. Today, my work focuses on understanding why symptoms are happening and creating individualized, sustainable treatment plans.

A Focus on Gut Health and the Gut-Brain Connection

Gut health is a cornerstone of my practice, shaped by both professional training and personal experience.

My father lived for years with undiagnosed Celiac disease and became severely malnourished before finally receiving a diagnosis. At the time, gluten-related conditions were still poorly understood. Once diagnosed, my mother, who had a background in Therapeutic Dietetics, transformed our family’s diet from the ground up, long before gluten-free products were widely available.

Years later, I developed significant digestive issues myself and was diagnosed with severe gluten sensitivity. Only then did I fully understand how much that early environment had supported my own health.

I now work extensively with patients experiencing IBS, SIBO, food sensitivities, leaky gut, and chronic digestive concerns. I also help patients understand how gut health impacts mental clarity, mood, energy, and emotional resilience. Because much of our neurotransmitter production occurs in the gut, digestive dysfunction often shows up as brain fog, anxiety, depression, headaches, or fatigue.

Integrating Mental, Emotional, and Heart Health

My background in psychology allows me to deeply address the connection between mental-emotional health and physical conditions. Chronic stress, anxiety, trauma, neurodivergence, including ADHD, and addiction patterns can all affect digestion, hormone balance, and cardiovascular health.

Heart health is particularly meaningful to me due to my family history of cardiovascular disease and my own heart-related challenges during medical school. These experiences shaped my commitment to prevention, education, and individualized care.

Through nutrition, lifestyle support, stress regulation, and naturopathic therapies, I help patients, especially women, support cardiovascular health in ways that feel realistic and empowering.

Supporting Women Through Every Stage of Life

Women’s health is another central focus of my practice, informed by my own lived experience. I have navigated PCOS, years of painful PMS, and the transition into menopause myself. Now post-menopausal, I understand the physical and emotional shifts that can occur during midlife and beyond.

I support women with hormonal imbalances, fertility concerns, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopausal health using a thoughtful blend of bio-identical hormones, Chinese herbal medicine, nutrition, and lifestyle guidance. My goal is to help women feel heard, informed, and supported.

Life Outside the Clinic

Outside of the clinic, I find balance through time with my spouse, Petra, and our two cats. I enjoy meditative walks in nature, gardening, and tending to my favorite herbs, including rosemary, lavender, lemongrass, and sage, along with a young mission fig tree I am carefully nurturing.

I also enjoy woodworking and creating handmade pieces for our home, including a reclaimed-wood swing we built for our yard. It has become a quiet place to slow down and reconnect.

Education and Professional Memberships

I hold degrees from Bethany College, Five Branches University, and the National University of Naturopathic Medicine. I am also a professional member of the American Heart Association and remain committed to ongoing education and research to provide thoughtful, evidence-informed care.

Let’s Begin the Conversation

If you are looking for a doctor who takes the time to listen and understand your full health story, I invite you to schedule a complimentary 10-minute consultation here or call us at (408) 357-3422.

Together, we can explore support for gut health, mental-emotional well-being, cardiovascular health, and women’s health at a pace that feels right for you.