Since childhood watching MASH on television, I have always known that I wanted to be a doctor.  I went into naturopathic medicine because I wanted to see a change in my health.  I was living in Anchorage, Alaska when I was extremely fatigued and feeling deeply blue.  I went to a naturopath who was a great listener and diagnostician and she determined that I had a severe Vitamin D deficiency.  Following my naturopath’s recommended treatment plan, my mood and my energy levels came back to life.  Inspired by this natural turnaround, I had an epiphany - and remembered my childhood calling to help others.  So began my journey to becoming an Naturopathic Physician.  While at med school, my husband hurt his back severely and surgery was recommended.  After discussing his case with some of my professors, we were directed to try acupuncture as an alternative to narcotic pain pills and possible surgery.  Wow, how it worked! He avoided surgery and no longer needed pills to manage pain.  Seeing the success of this ancient healing method - I quickly enrolled in the Masters of Acupuncture program as a dual degree.
Philosophy
I aim to be a great listener and guide for my patients, so they can realize optimal health and wellness - naturally.  I use a caring and gentle acupuncture technique that is comforting, yet effective especially for patients who may be new to (and a little nervous about) acupuncture. My treatment philosophy is, “Let us focus on today and what steps we can take to improve wellness right now.”

Training
I graduated with highest honors from the University of Bridgeport where I received dual degrees of Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine and Masters of Acupuncture.  I am board certified as a Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist. I completed medical rotations in a stroke recovery and pain clinic in a Traditional Chinese Hospital in China and trained in Guatemala at a general medicine clinic using Naturopathic Medicine and Acupuncture.

Specialties
I have advanced training in cosmetic acupuncture, which is using very fine needles to stimulate muscles of the face to tighten and encourage collagen to grow.  I am skilled at treating scars using Dolphin Neurostim and have great success reducing painful c-section scars and abdominal scarring post surgery.  I focus on mind-body medicine, where I guide patients through meditation, tapping and acupressure techniques to treat the whole person. My medical practice has focused deeply in locating and treating the root cause of “gut” issues such as Leaky Gut, SIBO, IBS, Diarrhea and Constipation.  I love to advise patients on healthy lifestyle and diet, and guide them through their weightloss journey. I frequently teach patients gentle exercise called Qi Gong, a traditional exercise that is safe and effective for people of all ages.

Outside the Office
I love the outdoors, so outside the office you will find me hiking, sailing, building sand castles, and hitting the playground with my husband and two young kids. Post COVID I am looking forward to snorkeling and sailing in the Caribbean. I love to travel and love to hear tales from your latest trips!

Why Gray Hair? 
Why not? I started going gray when I was 12, like my father and grandmother before me. When I was pregnant with my second, I just decided to embrace it, and made the transition cold-turkey, cut my hair into a pixie, and then let it grow out. Now I spend those hours I would have spent coloring my hair on other aspects of self care like cultivating mommy zen through meditation, yoga and massage.