As a girl, I had a fondness for parents and teachers reading stories to me. My passion for learning – all kinds of school subjects, sports, theatre, dance, art, immersion into new cultures, explorations of our national parks expanded. I pursued with gusto extracurricular and volunteer activities. I relished walking to the library for story hour in Calgary Alberta, and bicycling to music lessons.
At Colorado College, I was attracted to underlying patterns and processes of living systems in my chosen major, Biology, and as a Residential Counselor, was also fascinated to see the same in struggling fellow co-eds. In my junior year, Dr. Kessler, my Biochemical and Organic Chemistry professor and premed advisor, opened my mind to consider medical school.
Medical school years were both exhilarating and tough. For my own health, I practiced yoga and continued in my own extracurricular studies, which included studying cutting edge nutrition practices and participation in outdoor sports, including climbing 14 thousand foot mountains, and skiing.
As a young Family Medicine physician, I attended the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation Optimal Health: A Guide for Practicing Physicians in 1982.
Integrative Medicine works for me and my patients. Complementary and Integrative practices expand and speed restoration in our health and effectiveness. The essence of these practices drills down to eating plant based foods that heal, and nurturing our gut microbiome; consciously using our breath to heal; practicing mindfulness and stretching; strengthening and freeing our bodies; and respecting our circadian rhythms. On a broader level, we integrate respecting our fellowships and communities that heal us; respecting the life each of us has been given and the source of that life; and respectfully tapping into the flow of that healing power.
I became a founding Diplomate of the American Board of Holistic and Integrative Medicine in 2000. Becoming a Kripalu trained Yoga teacher in 2005 further deepened and expanded both my personal life and medical practice.
I am currently using more and more Functional Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine principles and tools to enhance my patients' health and life spans. These practices deepen and enrich my ability to see and hear my patients' symptoms of illness and health concerns. I offer renewed concepts and practices to help patients attain improved awareness to live well and practice optimum health.
Why a smaller, more personal practice?
Over the years, the presence and constraints of insurance companies – the increasing "elephant in the exam room" – demanded more and more of my time and effort before, during and after the office visit. In my former high volume family medicine practice, while my time with patients was always special, pressure to see more patients in less time continued to mount and rushed office visits sadly became the norm.
In April 2016, I made a Brexit decision to resign from a high-volume practice. After much soul searching, I decided to opt out of billing insurance, and move to a low volume, relaxed, patient-centered "direct" primary care practice. This allows me to work for my patients in a therapeutic partnership, free from the time consuming and incessant insurance constraints and demands. I am able now to be more respectful and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values in navigating all clinical decisions.
I practice Functional or Lifestyle medicine myself, in addition to continuing my Yoga practice, my Mindfulness practice and my Dance practice.
In addition, I am an ardent supporter of 12-step programs, an avid student of the Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship, the DeVere Society and a member of St. Peter's Anglican Church.
Finally, I remain happily engaged in Fort Collins as a sister, aunt, daughter, godmother, friend, colleague and community member.
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