My Journey into Natural Health
My path into natural health began over 30 years ago with a deep love for animals. After reading If Only They Could Talk by James Herriot, I was captivated by the connection between compassion and healing. That same empathy continues to shape how I practice today.
I studied neuropsychology and human development at Lebanon Valley College, where I also took graduate-level courses in psychology and contributed to published research on sensation and perception. But over time, I began to feel a disconnect between the prevailing scientific research model and my desire to work directly with people. I stepped away from academia to raise a family—and that’s when my real education began.
A Turning Point
In 2001, my young son was diagnosed with asthma shortly after routine childhood immunizations. Steroids saved his life in the moment, but his pediatrician offered no long-term solutions. A friend recommended I speak with Dr. Francis Patrick Tierney of Hershey, PA. He suggested removing dairy from my son’s diet—something that was rarely discussed at the time. With chiropractic care, dietary changes, and lifestyle adjustments, my son’s asthma was completely resolved.
Years later, at age 14, that same son developed a severe staph infection after a routine toenail procedure. He was admitted to Hershey Children’s Hospital with kidney failure. He was vomiting and urinating blood—it was terrifying. The pediatric nephrology team saved his life, but again, we were told he would need to be on prednisone for the rest of his life. That felt unthinkable.
Rediscovering Traditional Wisdom
Desperate for another way, my husband Adrien and I turned to what we had learned during a 10-week nutrition training with Sally Fallon, rooted in the work of Weston A. Price. That’s when I discovered the concept of the raw milk cure.
With the support of a courageous family doctor, Dr. Bruce Bashline in Middletown, PA, my son began a 30-day raw milk protocol. Within three days, all signs of blood in his urine disappeared. We were amazed—and so was Dr. Bashline. With careful monitoring, my son continued to improve. By the end of two months, he no longer needed frequent check-ins.
Today, he’s 25 years old and has never had another kidney or staph infection.
A Calling Becomes a Career
These experiences inspired me to become a naturopath. Seeing the powerful results of applying the principles of Weston A. Price and the teachings of Sally Fallon, I became deeply interested in gastrointestinal healing and the microbiome—often the root cause of chronic illness.
For a time, I was disillusioned with conventional medicine and focused solely on whole plant medicine and natural healing modalities. I completed my Doctor of Naturopathy and became a medical herbalist through training at the North American Institute for Medical Herbalism.
When Dr. Tierney passed in 2011, I transferred my family’s care to Dr. Chris Turnpaugh—unaware that he would later become my next mentor. I spent 15 years supporting clients and family members with herbal medicine, building a practice grounded in compassion, tradition, and science.
A New Crisis, A Deeper Understanding
Then in 2021, one of the biggest shocks of my life hit. My husband and I went to the ER for what we thought was a simple knee X-ray. Instead, he was admitted for kidney failure. The spiral of fear and uncertainty was overwhelming. No one saw it coming—not even his doctors.
My husband had worked with industrial chemicals for over 20 years in the HVAC industry, which we now believe contributed to his kidney failure. He eventually received a kidney transplant, thanks to an anonymous donor who heroically saved his life and kept our family whole.
Modern medicine once again proved its life-saving power. But even in that moment of gratitude, I saw the gaps in the allopathic model.
For instance, when the transplant team recommended soda to increase his phosphorus levels, I was alarmed. There’s a well-documented link between soda, diabetes, and kidney disease—yet this wasn’t seen as a concern.
Another red flag came during his second episode of rejection. Colleagues of mine flagged melatonin as potentially reducing the effectiveness of anti-rejection medications. This warning came directly from the doctor who formulated the melatonin, noting its contraindication with tacrolimus. But when I brought this to the transplant team, they dismissed my concerns, saying, “Oh, all our transplant patients are on melatonin without any problems.”
Whew. Can you imagine the ups and downs? Maybe you’ve experienced the same confusion—caught between gratitude for life-saving care and frustration at the blind spots in the system.
A Return to Study
These experiences led me to pursue additional practitioner training—this time recommended by Dr. Chris Turnpaugh. I enrolled in Restorative Wellness Solutions, an elite functional medicine school that honors the legacy of Weston A. Price. Their approach recognizes the deep connections between autoimmunity, chronic illness, inflammation, and the health of the gastrointestinal system.
Today and How I Can Help You
Today, my husband and family are thriving. We are strong advocates for functional medicine—an approach that blends the best of modern diagnostics with natural, root-cause healing.
As a Functional Medical Naturopath and Clinical Herbalist, I help clients uncover the underlying causes of chronic illness through advanced testing, nutritional therapy, herbal medicine, and lifestyle support. I specialize in working with individuals who, like me, have straddled both worlds—those who value the life-saving power of conventional medicine but also seek deeper healing and long-term wellness.
If you’re navigating complex health challenges and looking for a practitioner who understands both sides of the healing journey, I’d be honored to support you.
