My Story
Our stories are the fabric of life, on a continuum through time and space, interwoven into the lineages of our families and ourselves. They make us who we are. One of the greatest gifts in my practice has always been the stories that are shared, as the trust that patients and clients have afforded me is invaluable.
In 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself at a crossroads in medicine. I was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the medical model. After almost five years running a successful integrative medicine practice in Oregon, I had to admit to myself that I was burnt out, restless, and dissatisfied. I no longer felt that the way I was practicing medicine matched my ethos or way of life. I knew that prescriptions weren’t the solution for long term health and longevity. I was tired of medication management. When my husband was suddenly offered an amazing professional endeavor, we trusted in the opportunity looming before us and relocated to Florida, my home state.
For the first time in my life, I was met with the opportunity to slow down, take stock of my life, and most importantly, to focus one hundred percent on the needs of myself and my family. It was scary at first. For a type A, perfectionist driven personality such as myself, it all felt foreign to me.
I spent the next year and a half tending to my family on our homestead of 3 acres, teaching myself regenerative farming practices and permaculture. We planted a full orchard of trees and converted a large parcel of our property into vegetable gardens. I reflected on the way I felt when the sun hit my skin, how my hands felt as they worked in the earth, and delighted in the way our chickens squawked when I walked outside to feed them. They gifted us with their beautiful eggs and our organic garden grew in abundance with fresh food to feed my family. I had returned to myself and to nature. I was thriving again.
I wondered if and when I would ever return to medicine yet I knew in my heart of hearts it wouldn’t be in the way I had practiced before. But, my experience as a naturopathic physician, expertise in women’s health, and abundance of knowledge in natural medicine needed to be shared.
I recognize that women are seeking a more natural approach to their well-being without the use of pharmaceuticals. And while I firmly believe there is a time, place, and need for conventional care and prescriptions, I also know that we can return to an improved state of being when we implement a natural approach to health. I’ve spent four years in medical school, two years in residency, and close to ten years in clinical practice cultivating this delivery of health care for women. I’d love to share it with you!
So, here I am. Maybe not quite where I ever imagined I might be but isn’t that our journey on this wild earth ? I’ve never been afraid to shed my skin and welcome the new. I am so excited to launch Wild Earth Holistic Health and look forward to meeting you!
Photo/background by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash