FAQ
What happens at an appointment?
The initial appointment for adults is around 90 minutes, for pediatrics it is 60 minutes. The bulk of this appointment is spent gathering a detailed history, reviewing past labs and imaging, reviewing overall contributors to health, getting to know the patient and understanding the scope of their health care goals.
After this appointment, we either have a treatment plan in place or are working on gathering more information through lab work. If more labs are needed, we may hold off on a comprehensive treatment plan until the follow-up appointment.
Follow-up appointments are for reviewing labs, checking in on progress and/or evaluating new concerns. These may be more frequent in the case of acute issues, but are generally every 6-12 weeks. As symptoms resolve, appointment space out to every 3-6 months, and then may only be on a as needed basis.
What labs do you do?
I jokingly tell patients that I have labs for every bodily fluid. In addition to comprehensive blood work, I commonly look at digestive health through a stool analysis, hormones in either saliva or urine, food sensitivities, toxic load etc.
My job is to determine, with patient input, which testing will be relevant, helpful and cost-effective.
Often, these functional medicine tests are not covered by insurance, although sometimes they are. Blood work coverage varies widely by insurance plan – please consult with your individual insurance company to learn more about your coverage fro lab work. For those without coverage for labs, I offer discounted cash-pay options.
Companies I work with frequently: DUTCH, Diagnos-Techs, Genova Diagnostics, Great Plains, US Biotek and Doctor's Data.
I do not do muscle testing, applied kinesiology, biomeridian testing etc.
Does insurance cover naturopathic medicine?
Currently naturopathic doctors are not in-network providers for insurance companies in Colorado. If you have out-of-network benefits you can pay at time of service and we can provide a superbill for reimbursement purposes. You can use your Health Savings or Flex Spending Accounts.
What is your area of expertise?
My clinical focus is on women’s and children’s health. I do not see male patients at this time.
With women, we are often addressing hormonal balance from preconception to postpartum to perinmenopasue and beyond. I also work frequently with fertility, mood (including postpartum depression/anxiety), digestion, optimal energy, headaches, cardiovascular health, blood sugar, adrenal and thyroid balance.
I also love a good challenge – naturopathic medicine is a great option for health concerns that don’t fall easily into a diagnostic box or have been unsuccessfully treated with a more conventional approach.
With children, we are often focusing on digestion, allergies, immune support, skin health and behavior/focus concerns.
The great thing about naturopathic medicine is that we are looking to find the underlying cause of health challenges and then support the body as it works towards balance. Therefore, almost any concern can be addressed using the principles of naturopathic medicine.
What treatments do you use?
I use a number of tools and traditions to help my patients feel better. I always focus on the basics first – how are people eating, moving sleeping and managing stress. From there, I layer on different treatment modalities such as botanical medicine and specific nutritional supplements.
Philosophy
I want my patients to feel better. Therefore, my approach is practical and focused on results. I believe that out body uses symptoms to send message when we are out of balance. My goal is to work with patients to help decipher what changes need to be made in order to experience vibrant good health.
I am open to using all tools, including working with other providers who can prescribe medications when needed. Patients do not need to choose between a naturopathic or conventional approach – both can be used at the same time.
I strive to provide culturally competent, size inclusive and LGBTQIA+ friendly care.
What is your education and training?
I am a registered Naturopathic Doctor in the state of Colorado. Read more about our state regulations here.
I attended Naturopathic medical school at Bastyr University and did a one-year residency at National University of Natural Medicine. I also competed the Naturopathic Midwifery program while at Bastyr, which included attending over 100 births in both at home and in birth centers.
Additionally, I lecture frequently at both local and national conferences including Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and Pediatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
I am a member of PedANP, EndoANP and COAND.
What do you love about being an ND?
I love having the freedom and creativity to use all the tools at my disposal to help my patients get well.
How much do appointments cost?
New patient adult – $375
New patient pediatric – $300
Return patient - $190
Before your visit
Fill out your paperwork
Gather all labs results from last 2 years (or more if applicable)
Contact insurance company and inquire about lab coverage (what labs are in-network, what do they cover, does it go to deductible first etc.) and reimbursement for out-of-network services
Consider writing a health timeline including symptoms, major stressors, relevant medical history
Write a list of questions and concerns to make sure we cover everything