For distance-only out of state consults, I am not providing medical care but consulting, so simply put, no, I cannot be your primary care doctor. I will, however, educate you on options and support you in navigating your relationship and needs with your local provider.

For people in Oregon I can be a primary care doctor although I encourage patients to have a Western medical primary care provider for emergent situations and middle of the night crises. Please see my Oregon clinic website if you are looking for medical care. 

If you have a mole that needs to be biopsied or you need to have the wax blasted out of your ears, no one can do that online. However, almost all of what I do does not require that you be sitting across a desk from me. I've been offering virtual coaching and consulting for over a decade and since 2020 a significant portion of my Oregon practice is done virtually as well. 

If you need some kind of exam locally I will request that you get a copy of the notes so we can look at it together and I know you've gotten the care you need. In short, distance consults are just that – consults – and medical care should be obtained locally for hands-on treatment.

Licensed naturopathic physicians have been to an accredited naturopathic medical school. In my home state of Oregon we are licensed physicians. Our approach combines modern scientific research and treatments with complementary medicine and medical philosophies and treatments of various cultures. We also maintain that an underlying cause exists behind all disease and symptoms. We seek to address this underlying cause and restore the body back to health.

Both in my practice and my online business I also have a strong emphasis on education and empower you to take back control of your own health.

Modalities NDs use include but are not limited to: Clinical Nutrition, Botanical/Herbal Medicine, Dietary Supplements, Stress Management and Prevention, Exercise therapeutics, Lifestyle Counseling and Coaching.

As a practitioner of both Western and complementary medicine, and almost 30 years of integrative medical practice in Portland under my belt, I can consult on just about everything that a primary care physician would treat. When I am doing online consultations I cannot formally diagnose or prescribe but for the most part I am able to support you in addressing whatever concerns you have with educational coaching and consulting.

The following is an abbreviated list of conditions that I have helped people address with great success: 

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• PMS
• Generalized malaise and fatigue
• Migraines and other headaches
• Perimenopause (no you don't have to have hot flashes!)
• Menopausal symptoms
• High cholesterol
• Mild anxiety and depression
• Insomnia
• Allergies
• Acid reflux

Additionally, naturopathic medicine is also perfect for those who are feeling well but want to prevent disease in the future. We assess risk factors and give you tools for optimal health.

We go to naturopathic medical school. This is a similar course of study to MD or DO school, but we also learn naturopathic philosophy and we’re extensively trained in nutrition, herbs, supplements, lifestyle counseling and other complementary modalities.

That said, we do not have the depth and breadth of training that medical doctors or osteopathic physicians have. Most graduates from accredited naturopathic schools do not do residencies, and do not do hospital rotations. Some graduates do additional work outside of required hours in order to get more experience. I personally worked with an OBGyn who was part of the Yale system for 6 months in order to get more clinical experience. Much of my additional experience has been gained on the job over the last 3 decades. 

I personally don't hesitate, even in my own private practice in Oregon to refer to specialists, and I always want my patients to have a primary care doctor, even though we are technically licensed to be PCPs here. I have relationships to specialists in most disciplines here and do quite a bit of cross referring. 

Regarding specifics required for licensing in Oregon, after pre-medical training, we must complete medical school at an accredited institution, where we graduate with a doctoral degree, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND). We are trained in basic medical and clinical sciences, physical and clinical diagnosis, Naturopathic philosophy and therapeutics. In Oregon, Naturopathic candidates must pass a board licensing examination, and then we are licensed to practice primary care medicine (with the exceptions of major surgery and a very few prescription limitations such as atypical antipsychotics and chemotherapy drugs.)

I can't tell you how many people have told me I should sell "coaching packages." I honestly find this approach highly problematic. What each person wants and needs for their care varies dramatically—related both to the condition and the preferences of the client. Some clients want general advice and others want ongoing care to really get to the root of their issues.

After our first visit I will make recommendations that you can implement immediately to feel better. Beyond that, it’s up to you. Each person needs a different amount of support to finally get to where they want to be. I can say without hesitation that my goal is to have clients have fewer visits, spend less money, take fewer supplements and in general to reach their goals in a way that allows the results to be maintained over the long haul. 

I tailor make a plan for you so we can get to the bottom of your concerns rather than just putting a band-aid on your symptoms. If you’re ready to feel great, I’ll leave no stone unturned until we get you there.

Many insurances pay for online/virtual consultations but in these cases you will need to be present in Oregon and establish as a patient rather than a coaching and consulting client. If you are in Oregon please see my other website www.HealthyPDX.com.

I haven't personally seen an HSA cover coaching but I wouldn't rule out the possibility. Please contact your HSA administrator directly to inquire about "health coaching" coverage with your HSA. If it does cover I am happy to provide you an invoice to submit but please be aware that I cannot diagnose or treat health conditions as a coach so the invoice would not contain any diagnostic codes.

In short, you don't.

Everyone has a different situation financially and everyone has different resources. If virtual coaching is within reach, you have to ask yourself what the long-term cost of not taking care of your health will be.

It might seem more expedient in the short term to ignore nagging conditions that don’t keep you from living your life, but often symptoms increase over time if you don’t deal with the underlying problem. Or new problems pop up. And usually the longer it takes to address them, the harder it is to undo them.

If you are trying to decide if this is the time for you to get care, you have to ask yourself a few basic questions…be honest with yourself. 

• What would it be worth for me to feel better/meet my health goals?
• Would investing in my health with coaching at this time keep me from meeting my basic needs: food on the table, roof over my head, etc? Can I truly afford to do this? 
• How will feeling well allow me to be more productive both at work and at home?
• What is the long-term cost of not taking care of my health?
• Am I ready to put some time and effort into my health?

If you are out of state, I can’t take you off of a medication or write a prescription, but I can discuss other options with you so you can work with your physician to make changes in your current plan if appropriate.

As far as my philosophy of medications goes, I believe ideally you wouldn’t need them. But life isn't ideal. And in many cases medication is the least harmful and most helpful approach. And also, in my almost 30 years of practice I’ve seen countless patients get off of many different types of medications. 

Sometimes there are other options that can work right away. Other times  it is worthwhile to be stay on a medication while you make the changes you need to get your health in better order. And other times medications are simply necessary no matter how you slice it.

As a licensed naturopathic physician in a state that allows us prescription rights, I am able to discuss your medications with you from an integrative medical perspective in a way that differentiates me from other practitioners such as health coaches, unlicensed naturopaths, nutritionists, counselors and dietitians.

My patients and clients are a diverse lot and seek naturopathic care for a variety of reasons.

I am here to provide health care that is in alignment with your values. Period.

As far as my approach, I can say that over the last few years we've seen a pretty wide divide in my profession, with a great deal of anti-science sentiment. I'm personally on the public health side of that continuum. I am probably a better match for those who aren't ideologically opposed to Western medicine but if you're a bit woo, I can meet you there too. 🙂

Overall, I understand that people have different reasons for pursuing care with me. Some prefer to have a whole person approach to health care, some have reached the end of what Western medicine can offer them, others want only nutritional counseling but are fine being on medications. I have a practical and down to earth approach to your care and will work with you to make sure that your needs are met, whatever they may be.

I am firmly in favor.

Does that mean I believe they are always 100% safe for every person? No. That said, many medical treatments cause harm—herbs and natural treatments included. I believe, and have always believed, we need to pay more attention to who is harmed, and to put money toward figuring out why. If the medical establishment spent more time focusing on who is at risk, and acknowledged that there is always some chance of bad effect, I think we would have less misinformation, more trust, and in the end, greater vaccine uptake and more protection across the board from all of the diseases we vaccinate for. 

Regarding the Covid vaccine, I believe that the risks of the virus outweigh the risks of the vaccine for most everyone. And if people take issue with mRNA technology, there is also a protein based (more traditional) Covid vaccine available as well. That said, I will not pressure anyone to be vaccinated if they don't want to be. 

I am available for limited speaking engagements and podcast interviews at this time.

If you would like a speaker sheet with current fees for live events, please reach out by our contact form. 

I do not participate in summits that have promotion expectations or require me to solicit my email list.