I am a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, a 4-year accredited graduate program that is dedicated solely to granting my degree, Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine.

LICENSED NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL DOCTORS*
A licensed ND or NMD is a primary care physician (PCP) trained as a specialist in natural medicine. While NDs/NMDs have extensive training in conventional medicine with prescription privileges, they are the only PCP clinically trained in botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine, clinical nutrition, physical medicine, oriental medicine, acupuncture, lifestyle counseling, stress management, natural childbirth, and minor surgery. They receive their education from a four-year accredited naturopathic medical school with internships and residencies, and must pass a series of rigorous professional national board exams in order to become licensed.

Naturopathic Medicine is currently a licensed medical profession in 15 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. The scope of practice is different for each state or territory. In unlicensed states, anyone can call themself an ND. There are only four accredited naturopathic medical schools in the US. Anyone who has taken coursework at any other institution is not a licensed physician. In the state of Florida, ND may stand for Doctorate in Nursing. Please make sure of your healthcare provider's credentials before getting any type of treatment.

I am also a Mom of a 3.5 year old beautiful girl. I moved to Arizona about 4.5 years ago from my beloved hometown, BOSTON, to pursue my dreams and an amazing, rewarding career. Before moving here, I worked in the financial services field doing accounting (of all the things to do with an Exercise Science Degree) on mutual funds and booking and settling trades. I did use my degree on a side-job and worked as an Exercise Physiologist in the corporate fitness field, but I felt so limited in my abilities to help people, because there is more to life than fitness. I had to get out of the corporate life, it was a ladder this girl wasn't going to climb. I used to run like Forrest Gump, and actually have run the Boston Marathon a couple times, both times were a great experience. I have also done oceanfront lifeguarding, Baywatch-style, with all kinds of cool toys-4-wheelers, kayakes, surf boards, daily runs and workout drills, but our boats weren't nearly as cool.

Salty, spicy foods are my vices (sushi, mexican, vietnamese pho, indian, ethiopian, and other ethnic foods). I love to do yardwork, building things, use power tools, and other things considered generally "manly". However, I don't know lick about cars, except how to drive an automatic, and I am not motivated at the moment to to learn how to change a flat, my oil, or any other fluid under my hood. I guess that's why they have mechanics and AAA.

My daughter is seriously the best thing since sliced cake.

I try to make choices wisely, but often end up following my heart. There is so much to learn in this life, so I try to keep an open mind, especially now that I am living a life that I consider completely unorthodox as a single parent. I consider myself to be an empathetic person. I love to be outdoors, exploring the Universe (as time permits), cutting out abnormal temperatures and ozone/polution :(.

Right now I am preparing for my clinical boards, the last major "hoop" of my formal Naturopathic Medical education. I am hoping to formally be helping people restore health and balance and preventing or curing dis-ease later this year.

I hope that you'll take a minute to learn a bit about what Naturopathic Medicine is!

Naturopathic Medicine is the philosophy of treating disease and restoring health using natural therapies. It strongly promotes prevention in health care and a non-invasive approach to treatment including: acupuncture and oriental medicine, homeopathy, botanical medicine, nutritional counseling, mind-body medicine, hydrotherapy and physical medicine.

More about my interests and Naturopathic Medicine:
The six principles that guide the therapeutic methods and modalities of naturopathic medicine include:

First Do No Harm - primum non nocere
Naturopathic medicine uses therapies that are safe and effective.

The Healing Power of Nature - vis medicatrix naturae
The human body possesses the inherent ability to restore health. The physician's role is to facilitate this process with the aid of natural, nontoxic therapies.

Discover and Treat the Cause, Not Just the Effect - tolle causam
Physicians seek and treat the underlying cause of a disease. Symptoms are viewed as expressions of the body's natural attempt to heal. The origin of disease is removed or treated so the patient can recover.

Treat the Whole Person - tolle totum
The multiple factors in health and disease are considered while treating the whole person. Physicians provide flexible treatment programs to meet individual health care needs.

The Physician is a Teacher - docere
The physician's major role is to educate, empower, and motivate patients to take responsibility for their own health. Creating a healthy cooperative relationship with the patient has a strong therapeutic value.

Prevention is the best "cure"
Naturopathic physicians are preventive medicine specialists. Physicians assess patient risk factors and heredity susceptibility and intervene appropriately to reduce risk and prevent illness. Prevention of disease is best accomplished through education and a lifestyle that supports health.