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Our Wonderful Feet

Our Wonderful Feet

Soul Healing Journey, LLC Dr. Eilis Philpott, PhD

As the owner/operator of Soul Healing Journey, LLC, and the Academy for Soul Healing, I offer soul-level healing, working with clients to remove obstacles preventing the full expression of their authentic selves. The Academy also provides training for those who want to develop their connection with energy work further. I have worked in the healing arena for over 25 years and have numerous trainings and life experiences to bring to every session and training. I personally overcame a very difficult and traumatic childhood that culminated in severe depression and anxiety. I was able to use the skills I learned to heal and feel passionately about supporting others on their journey. I am passionate about being a holistic practitioner and have many wonderful memories that mean a lot to me, including the numerous clients who have achieved their goals and dreams and gone on to live a more fulfilling life. Another special memory is when the first ever Year of Healing was completed. Each participant committed to being in partnership with themselves in a sacred ceremony. It was beautiful. I’m honored to be chosen for the 10Best issue, and I love being part of Natural Nutmeg. There are so many opportunities available to me to connect with so many readers. I have written a few articles along with advertising in the magazine. I have also been part of some podcasts and especially love the interviews (chats) with Diane.

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Soul Healing Journey, LLC/ Academy For Soul Healing Dr. Eilis Philpott, PhD • Fairfield, CT, and Online • 203.767.5954 soulhealingjourney.com • academyforsoulhealing.com

Mark A. Breiner, DDS, FAGD, FIAOMT

Itreat patients for a variety of dental concerns, including aesthetics, TMJ, sleep breathing disorders, mercury toxicity, hidden infections from cavitations, dead teeth, and root canals. I am passionate about what I do because of the considerable improvement in patient health when using a whole-body paradigm approach to care. I recognize the physical and energetic relationship of the mouth to the rest of the body and how to incorporate this into patient care, which I believe sets my practice apart. Addressing problems in the mouth and its related structures is central to achieving optimal health and should be part of every holistic practitioner’s treatment plan. Using a combination of conventional and nonconventional dentistry along with an energetic paradigm, testing, and treatment, patients can expect to see an improvement in their overall well-being. I am excited to have trained in Biomagnetic Pair Therapy, which helps to restore the body’s homeostasis so the body can begin to heal itself. Another new technology now offered in our practice is a wearable and treatable FDA Class II-cleared device for pain. This amazing technology not only provides microcurrent frequencies for pain but provides frequencies of well-being and balance. You can experience these unique services at either our dental or medical divisions.

Natural Harmony Jennifer Beach

Natural Harmony is a woman-owned, Connecticut-based company providing a wide variety of 100% organic, non-GMO and vegan CBD products. The company’s founder, Jennifer Beach, discovered the benefits of CBD for her chronic pain and anxiety in early 2020 and immediately wanted to share the benefits with others. We sell full spectrum oils, including our Natural Harmony 1200 mg Full Spectrum ($48) and 3000 mg Full Spectrum ($60) CBD oils, which contain a blend of pure hemp oil from small regional farms using organically certified methods. These also contain THC. In addition, we offer our Natural Harmony Sleep Formula, which is a 3:1 ratio of CBD and CBN (and contains no THC). Each dropper carries 30 mg CBD and 10 mg CBN. These two components together provide a powerful sleep aid without a foggy head the following day. Our Natural Harmony Orange CBD Gummies ($30) contain 25 mg of CBD and are THC-free, and we also offer our topical— Natural Harmony Cooling Gel ($35)—which contains menthol and camphor bark oil combined with CBD to cool and relieve aches and pains in joints and muscles. Natural Harmony products can be purchased online with free standard shipping. Convenient and secure online payment is available right through our website! All retail orders are shipped for free via USPS First Class mail. For faster delivery, USPS Priority Express shipping is available for a $7.00 charge per order. Visit us online or stop in and see us today!

Natural Harmony Stonington, CT, and Virtual 860.992.7213 • naturalharmonylife.com

What brought me to where I am? A business career, marriage, birth of a child, loss of a mother, divorce, bankruptcy, depression, anxiety, breast cancer, questioning my career choices. Those were the low points of my life. Embracing my creativity, listening to my intuition, being open to what the universe was showing and telling me, meeting mentors at the perfect time, discovering meditation and mindful practices, asking open-ended questions about the meaning of life and why I am here and living the truth of who I am. Those continue to be the high points of my life. When I announced I was leaving behind a very successful 40+ year career in corporate IT, working for small companies, as well as one of the largest in the country, many people asked, “What are you going to do now?” The short answer is that I wanted to coach and advise those on their journey because we all have events in our lives that shape us and change us forever. Sometimes those are by choice; sometimes they are not. But we can look at those events through a lens that offers insight into who we truly are. I believe everything has a spiritual side. Spirituality, to me, is not religion. Yes, it may be for some, but for me, it is the knowledge that there is something that created everything; that each one of us has a spirit, an essence, that is our true nature. I believe our lives are a journey of self-discovery and uncovering and connecting with what spirituality means to each of us. Our lives are not straight lines, and often we need to step back and see that spirit has been at work all along….even if we did not see it. My clients are curious. They are questioning where they are in life and what may be next for them. They may feel unfulfilled and not know what is missing. They may be going through changes in their life and seek grounding and guidance. They may be questioning their spiritual path. They may be asking some of life’s most difficult and unanswerable questions. I work from a place of experience. All the training and all the modalities I use are ones that were part of my unfolding over the past 10 years. I am where I am because of the low points of my life and the high points as well. This is the work I am here to do.

Lauri Ingram Bethany, CT • 203.435.5650 lauri@lauriingram.com • lauriingram.com

My practice focuses on yoga for EVERY BODY. I want everyone to be able to access the benefits of yoga, so I teach to all levels, body types, genders, body sizes, and levels of fitness and flexibility. Every body can do yoga, and I can help you! I’ve always been on the path to yoga, but it wasn’t until I was living the life of a stressed-out mother of a newborn and toddler that I realized it and planted my feet firmly upon it. Being born into a family of morticians brought nightly questions about life and death to the dinner table. I sought answers to life’s questions in church, mistaking religion for spirituality well into my life. That led me to a degree in Religious Studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio, and I began to see that religion and spirituality were quite different. When my boys were born, my career in the museum field ground to a halt, and I craved the company of adults to free me from big wheels, Tonka trucks, and the daily stresses of caring for two young, active boys. It led me to a little yoga center near my home, and from there, my path took an exciting turn. I discovered that yoga helped me find my breath, my center, some peace and quiet, and it made me feel great! After several years of learning, the opportunity presented itself to study more deeply. I enrolled in teacher training with Integrative Yoga Therapy (iytyogatherapy.com), and it was there and through subsequent workshops and trainings that I discovered my passion for helping EVERY BODY access yoga. And I believe my classes and style of teaching make yoga accessible to everyone.

Leslie Gordon Yoga • lesliewintergordon@gmail.com • lesliegordonyoga.com

Leighanne Champion CLC, CHC, ELI-MP Certified Life and Wellness Coach

Iam a transformational life coach with a focus on personal development, relationships, and what I like to call healthy mind management. My coaching work spans far beyond the scope of my clients. I am a motivational speaker and producer and host of the “Champion Your Life” podcast, and I encourage listeners to pay attention to the lives they’re creating. My mission is to help others turn on their unique light so they can live to their fullest potential. We hire trainers to help us strengthen our physical bodies, so why not also enlist a coach to help with emotional development and well-being? You would be amazed at what happens when you have something helping you fall in love with life again! I offer one-onone private coaching, classes, and workshops to help you let go of frustration, expectations, and resentment, so you can improve and thrive in all your relationships. If you’re looking for tools and personal support that will enable you to become the best version of yourself, please contact me and get ready to Champion Your Life. Reach out—let’s do this!

Leighanne Champion CLC, CHC, ELI-MP • Certified Life and Wellness Coach 203.505.5571 • leighanne.champion4@gmail.com leighannechampioncoaching.com

Lifespan Collaborative Services

Iam Dr. Dilice Robertson, RN, APRN licensed and ANCC certified in the psychiatric-mental health specialty with years of education and experience in the field of psychiatric nursing. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and master’s degree in psychology from Southern Connecticut State University, as well as a master’s degree in nursing from Yale University with a specialization in child and adolescent populations. My doctoral degree in nursing practice is from Fairfield University, with a focus on trauma and substance use correlations. I believe in equal access to healthcare for all, focusing on treating the whole person, not just the symptoms. I have served on the faculty of Fairfield University and Yale University School of Nursing in varying teaching roles and am also a member of the American Psychiatric Nursing Association (APNA). Lifespan Collaborative Services was established in 2015 to address the growing need for mental health evaluation in the child and adolescent community. Initially started as a mental health access resource in pediatric practice, the growth in referrals extended across the lifespan to the older adult population. Community collaboration with primary care providers or psychotherapists is the foundational entry into services. Those accessing services receive comprehensive psychiatric mental health evaluation with a focus on the underlying cause of mental health symptoms ensuring interventions address nutrition, vitamin deficiencies, the impact of the current routine and lifestyle, and physical health in addition to psychosocial functioning to tailor individualized interventions to address outcomes for stabilization and improving overall well-being across all dimensions of wellness.

Lifespan Collaborative Services 203.463.4555 • Lifespancs@gmail.com lifespancollaborativeservices.com

Sacred Rivers Yoga and Allied Health Therapies

Sacred Rivers Yoga, formed in 2003, currently offers yoga classes and yoga teacher training in a virtual format. We want to thank our loyal members, students, and faculty for their presence, dedication, persistence, and flexibility as we navigate these current times. We gave up our “brick and mortar” physical space due to the consequences of COVID-19. I have been passionate about sharing the gifts of yoga—the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health benefits that yoga provides—since experiencing it personally from a young age and observing others who have reaped its rewards and positive results. It has been gratifying to see how yoga truly is for everybody and every body. Yoga serves you wherever you are, providing tools for self-exploration and inquiry. I believe the gifts of yoga can be so beneficial for the current times. We opened in 2003 as the first Yoga Alliance Registered School in CT. We offer yoga therapy classes and for years have received a grant from the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. We also offer Y4C—yoga classes for those with a cancer diagnosis. We have offered everything from chair yoga to cardiac yoga programs, yoga therapy for prenatal, seniors, arthritis, back issues, and athletes, and power and vinyasa yoga. Our mission is to create a sacred space for the soul to recognize our oneness and support each other on our paths of self-discovery and growth. Learn to listen to inner wisdom. In this world of energetic chaos, we invite you to breathe, find stillness, and connect within. After 19 years as a yoga practitioner, I have many great memories that all have a common theme. It is gratifying and humbling to watch yoga ripple out to so many markets, venues, workplaces, schools, and hospitals as our students graduate and share the teachings of yoga. I have heard so many heartfelt stories from yoga students as well as yoga teacher training students. Many say that yoga “saved their life” in one way or another, and all are grateful for the many benefits of yoga. This is so touching to me and reminds me of why I continue to “hold the space.”

Sacred Rivers Yoga and Allied Health Therapies Virtual/Online • 860.657.9545 • sacredriversyoga.com

Robin H. Clare, MBA, RCP™

When I started my spiritual journey, my mantra was, “Bring It On!” This powerful mantra has led to long-term recovery from a 40-year addiction to food disorders, and I’ve committed my life to divine service to the spiritual and wellness community. I began my career creating spiritual retreat centers and events in Connecticut. Over time, I was inspired to share my healing journey with others by becoming a best-selling author, Recovery Coach Professional™, and National Speakers Association certified keynote speaker. I’m now a highly regarded writing coach for aspiring authors who want to share their stories of healing and service. As your writing coach, I’m your confidante and accountability partner and support you in completing your manuscript, and my coaching has now expanded to include anthologies. As a contributing author, you can submit your chapter to a new anthology or organize a collaborative book to raise funds for your community. The writing coaching and anthology programs include individual sessions enhanced by my award-winning life coaching, spiritual messenger talent, developmental editing, and manuscript achievement. Is it time for you to become an author? Let’s chat and find out!

Mica DeSantis Life Sketching

Many years ago, the universe invited me to become an Energetic Doula, an intuitive conduit for “empowered conception.” Conception, not only of babies, but of ideas, relationships, and careers… I work with energy. As a Reiki Master, Sound Healer, and Shamanic Practitioner, I tap into the universal life force and welcome it to flow through me to help you discover your blocks, shift your energy, and manifest your desires. I call it the ARC process: Acknowledge/Release/Connect. We are all creating our own reality. When you remember this, you can conceive anything! As a Conception Catalyst, I connect soul babies with their destined parents by helping women activate their creative frequency, which is, in fact, their soul’s essence. For those bringing in their baby, I am a bridge between two souls. This is not limited by which path the mother may take (biological birth, adoption, surrogacy, IVF, IUI, and so on). Once I activate the energetic channels in a woman, they are enabled and empowered to conceive. Oftentimes this happens after one session! We can all be empowered to connect on a soul level. Doing so fosters a deepening of relationships of all kinds, creative endeavors, and personal healing. My purpose is to help you take notice of the magic around you, help you heal, and guide you to your purpose and your pre-destined MIRACLES. You have a masterpiece within you that you are longing to share with the world. You have just forgotten who you truly are. It is my job to help you remember.

Mica DeSantis • Life Sketching 205 Weston Road, Weston, CT 203.517.7674 • Mica@lifesketching.com lifesketching.com • IG:@micablaise

TERRY WALTERS NOURISH

PLANT-BASED RECIPES TO FEED BODY MIND AND SOUL

TERRY WALTERS

returns with NOURISH

200 new plant-based and gluten-free recipes to empower and inspire.

AVAILABLE AT: TerryWalters.net

From being a patient to working in the medical field, I knew there needed to be a better way to provide care, a way to meet people’s needs that melded with their beliefs and still provided exceptional care and quality outcomes. I started my health journey as many people have, first as a patient. I remember being sick, going through painful tests, and being given no answers and no options. It was extremely stressful for my family and rather demoralizing, so I sought to create a better system. Through rigorous training, experience, and an exceptional team, Whole Self Wellness can provide our clients with whole-body care—primary care and wellness care together in one place. True health requires using an integrative approach to health and wellness care and must begin at the core with treatment regimens starting at the foundation with nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management. We are pleased to be able to offer physical and craniosacral therapy and pelvic floor therapy, as well as other treatment modalities to assist in health and healing. We’ve recently added specialized targeted therapy for men’s and women’s health and weight loss to provide our clients with personalized treatment plans so that they can transform their total health. If your goal is to take an active and engaged role in your health, our programs and guidance empower you to achieve optimal health, wellness, and sustainable daily habits.

Whole Self Wellness • Oakdale, CT 860.222.0949 • wholeselfwellnessct.com

Iam an Internal and Obesity Medicine physician and founder of Food First MD, a Connecticut-based medical practice focused on empowering people to regain control of their health with the most underutilized medicine—food. I was first drawn to the intricacies of the human body and nutrition from my own experience. I spent summers in my parents’ native land, Lebanon, where I grew to love Mediterranean cuisine. I recognized that every summer spent there, I was left feeling vibrant, clear, energized, and light, and my waistline always seemed to shrink. When I came back to the United States, everything quickly reversed. Yearning to understand how food affects the body, I studied biochemistry at McGill and medicine at St. George’s University, during which I worked in various Brooklyn hospitals, where I was exposed to the Band-Aid of modern medicine and the overwhelming cases of chronic illness and disease. Wanting to deepen my nutrition-specific education, I earned a Master’s in Human Nutrition at Columbia concurrently with medical school clinical rotations. Despite my education, I struggled to optimize my health and wondered, “How am I going to heal patients if I can’t heal myself?” Committed to finding solutions, I built upon my years of education, took a deep dive into literature, and expanded my views beyond the tools in front of me. After completing my residency at UConn, I worked as a weight loss consultant and a primary care physician. In 2022, I launched Food First MD with a mission to bring health back to healthcare. I’m driven to help patients avoid years of frustration, ineffective treatments, and debilitating ailments, and I reach patients with knowledge and compassion. Using a food-first approach, I have helped patients reverse disease, reach optimal weight, and reduce or eliminate the need for traditional medications. I am accepting new patients in my office and via Telemedicine. Combining my unique medical and nutritional background, I provide customized evaluations and food-first prescription plans. Patients have access to weekly Empowerment Group Zoom meetings I host live. I also love to experiment with new recipes and dishes. Leading by example, I encourage my patients to take control of their health with my favorite medicine…food! To connect with me, visit @foodfirst.MD or foodfirstMD.com. To see what food the doctor is dishing up, head to @doctorsdish.

Food First MD • South Windsor, CT • 203.441.1075 • foodfirstMD.com

Dr. Nicole Aviles, ND Whole Health, Hamden, CT

Iam a naturopathic doctor at Whole Health Natural Family Medicine specializing in women’s health and pediatrics. I have a special interest in the management of gynecologic, hormonal/endocrine, and mental health conditions, acute and chronic pediatric care, and chronic diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol. Recently, a patient presented to my office with a history of uterine fibroids and related symptoms. We discussed possible contributing factors and created a personalized treatment plan that included mind-body medicine and nutritional and lifestyle modifications for hormone balance. Within a few visits, she reported relief from her symptoms and a visible regression of the size of her fibroids. My practice is devoted to enhancing access to effective care by empowering my patients with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve their health goals. As a patient, you are invited to share detailed information about your medical history with a doctor who will listen to and examine you attentively. You will then learn about your specific health condition(s) and be informed of your options. Questions are encouraged. By the end of the appointment, you'll be empowered with information and have a customized treatment plan that may include nutritional and lifestyle counseling, targeted nutrient supplementation, recruitment of botanical allies, comprehensive blood work, and/or specialty lab testing. Patients of all socioeconomic statuses are welcome, and most insurances are accepted.

Dr. Nicole Klughers, ND, PharmD, MSAc Vis Wellness Center

I'm Dr. Nicole Klughers, a licensed naturopathic physician, acupuncturist, wellness educator, and former pharmacist. I offer all-natural solutions to restore optimal health and help patients reclaim a life of energy, balance, and joy. I’ve been passionate about helping people and our planet from an early age. At 14, my journey into medicine began while working in a small-town pharmacy. Patients asked questions regarding medication side effects, interactions, or which supplements they should take and I was inspired by the pharmacist’s unique role in patient healthcare. Patients had unanswered questions after doctor’s visits and this, along with my own experiences, disenchanted me from the idea of becoming a doctor. By the time I completed high school, I’d decided to become a pharmacist. I went on to earn a Doctorate in Pharmacy at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy. Working as a pharmacist, I saw the limitations of conventional medicine in offering long-term, healing solutions. Often, patients could only take a medication for so long before another complication developed. Through this and my own growth and healing, I recognized that pharmaceuticals were not how I wanted to help people. I knew there had to be a better way for me to provide care to my community. I wanted to help others heal naturally and became drawn to naturopathic medicine. Eager to become a physician who provides integrative, sustainable, holistic healthcare, I earned a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine while also completing an MS in Acupuncture. And although I’m a naturopathic physician, I’m commonly called a “health detective,” as my approach involves listening to the “clues” and utilizing detailed testing to “investigate” and address the root cause of health concerns. I’m often presented with complicated and chronic unsolved health mysteries from patients who come to my practice after seeing multiple practitioners and still feel aspects of their health are going unaddressed. The most rewarding part of being a naturopathic physician is helping patients find answers to their unique health concerns. My commitment is to be as thorough as possible, dedicating 60 to 90 minutes per appointment, allowing people to be fully understood and ask plenty of questions without feeling rushed. I feel truly honored to do this work.

Dr. Nicole Klughers, ND, PharmD, MSAc • 234.222.8362 Vis Wellness Center • Rocky Hill and Virtual Visits DrNicoleKlughers.com • hello@drnicoleklughers.com

LAM Yoga, owned and founded by Jen Dankosky, is a boutique studio set in the artist’s wing of a riverside mill building. We offer all-levels vinyasa flow and restorative practice, workshops, and private lessons. LAM also holds special events that connect us to our community, including retreats to exotic locations and yoga at our local brewery. I have been practicing for many years on my own and with excellent teachers. My path took me to the beautiful Sanctuary Yoga studio in downtown Torrington. There, I learned from thoughtful mentors about connecting breath and movement, about blending the spiritual and the physical, and about how to use yoga to “get grounded.” That grounding is what sets LAM apart from other yoga studios and practitioners. All it takes are those first steps into LAM Yoga, and you will feel nurtured and cared for. LAM is an inviting boutique studio located in an artist’s space, drawing in a diverse group of people of all levels and all abilities. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never done yoga—the goal is to connect breath and movement, mind, body, and senses. At LAM, we understand life is about balance—about allowing yourself breathing space on your mat, but also time to have fun. Every practice, every breath, is a chance to start again.

LAM Yoga • Hurley Business Park, New Hartford, CT 860.978.1657 • lamyoga.com

Connecticut Family Acupuncture

At Connecticut Family Acupuncture, we are passionate about what we do! Being in practice for over 15 years, we’ve seen so many people have such amazing, almost miraculous results with acupuncture. We all got into this field out of a desire to help people achieve better health and well-being naturally, and it’s just so rewarding to be able to do this for a living! We are leaders in working with our patients’ insurance to get them the highest degree of coverage possible. We pride ourselves on our ability to “cross the aisle” and work with the conventional medical community collaboratively in the best interest of our patients. We’ve heard countless patient success stories that always bring us great joy and gratitude. Looking back to the days leading up to my acupuncture license arriving from the CT Department of Public Health, all that excitement and anticipation to get started on this career after four years of grad school was a pretty magical time! We are grateful to be part of this magazine. Natural Nutmeg is an incredibly valuable resource for our community. There is so much interest in natural and holistic medicine, but people don’t know where to turn for reputable information, products, or services. Natural Nutmeg offers these “seekers” an honest, trustworthy information source to help them get a foot in the door of exploring holistic care.

Erika Dworkin, BCHN Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®

In 1970, my father, Michael Dworkin, PD, CCN (a Connecticut licensed clinical nutritionist with a doctorate in pharmacy), founded the Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe, which became a highly respected clinical nutrition practice. In my early twenties, he diagnosed me with candidiasis, a fungus overgrowth that developed from stress and multiple rounds of antibiotics prescribed throughout my childhood for sinus infections. Although I appeared healthy, I suffered from many debilitating ailments. His regimen of nutritional supplements and dietary restrictions turned my life around. In 2009, six years after my husband died, I felt called to return to Connecticut to run the Shoppe and help our world heal. This was even as I was experiencing my own premature midlife hurricane of crippling hot flashes, night sweats, slowed metabolism, weight gain, self-doubt, exhaustion, reduced libido, anxiety, depression, and cerebral difficulties. After operating the Shoppe for twelve years, I closed it in August 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, I can see the map of my midlife path and realize I’m incredibly fortunate to have emerged whole after so many adversities, including job losses, unexpected career changes, and the deaths of my parents, two key employees, two fur babies, and my business. My spiritual journey has delivered me to my current world of self-realization and unlimited possibilities. After traveling these very bumpy roads, I have the keen vision to guide you on your wellness path. Please connect with me anytime for a complimentary 20-minute wellness assessment, personalized nutrition and lifestyle consultations, product recommendations, or practitioner referrals. I look forward to supporting you on your wellness journey!

Erika Dworkin, BCHN Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition® (O ce Hours by Request) 860.646.8178 • vitathenawellness.com

TAO Center for Vitality, Longevity, & Optimal Health Dr. Myriah Hinchey

My introduction to alternative medicine was during my certification program to become a licensed massage therapist. The LMT program included Jin Shin Do and acupressure classes, where I learned a great deal about the philosophy of Eastern medicine. I fell in love with the idea of preventing disease and healing the body from a root-cause level. I saw so clearly the mind-body connection and the role it plays in our ability to heal, as well as the role that acupuncture, massage therapy, psychotherapy, nutrition, and botanical medicine play in both preventative and curative medicine. I was fascinated with acupuncture, botanical medicine, and nutrition, and had plans to become a licensed acupuncturist as well as get my master’s degree in nutrition after graduating from UConn…a very long road to a lot of degrees! One day, as luck or fate would have it, a client came in who was extremely stressed about her upcoming finals—to be a naturopathic doctor. I’m embarrassed to say I had ZERO idea of what that was! Essentially it was one medical doctoral degree combining all those things I was so passionate about but never knew it was actually a “thing” I could do—the very thing I’d been working toward. From that day, I knew I would become a Licensed Naturopathic Physician. After graduating from UConn, that chance encounter led me to the University of Bridgeport, College of Naturopathic Medicine. Right out of medical school, because of a young girl’s battle with chronic Lyme disease and babesiosis (that I was fortunate enough to treat in clinic), I was already aware that what we were taught in medical school regarding Lyme disease was not accurate. Early into my career as a naturopathic physician, after my own battle with Lyme, I learned the TRUTH about Lyme disease and co-infections, associated issues, proper testing, and everything else that goes into this complex and often misdiagnosed chronic infection. After corresponding with award-winning Lyme researcher and Master Herbalist Stephen Buhner on herbal medicine treatments and combining that with what I knew about functional medicine, therapeutic lifestyle changes, and nutrition, I was able to do a complete, holistic evaluation of patients’ internal and external environments—starting with my own—to uncover everything that makes us hospitable to the infection(s). This ultimately led to discovering how to make patients’ bodies inhospitable to Lyme and resolve the infection, which, simply put, involves shrinking the infection as small as possible while concurrently recovering and rebuilding the immune system to stop the infection(s) from replicating and being active in the body. The focus must be on healing the body and restoring proper functioning of all systems—not just killing the infection. Although conventional medicine has yet to embrace this methodology, more Lyme Literate MDs recognize its value. They know that even if traditional medicine doesn’t fully understand it, what I do genuinely works. This isn’t trading prescription antibiotics for herbal antibiotics—it is geared toward healing the body to make it inhospitable to Lyme and its co-infections. By default—and knowledge, and passion—TAO Center for Vitality, Longevity, & Optimal Health has become the go-to location for the treatment of Lyme disease and co-infections as well as other complex medical issues.

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