This is a general explanation of the process we will use together, although we may decide to branch out from what is listed below. All services are conducted online and utilize a confidential, HIPAA compliant, virtual telemedicine platform.
Medical Evaluation
The bedrock of your Wellness Evaluation is a thorough review of your health and medical story, including current medical conditions, medications, hospitalizations, surgeries, and family medical history. Much of this information you will provide before your initial visit using the Patient Portal that you will access via email invitation after our telephone introduction. Copies of relevant blood and laboratory tests, imaging studies and medical records can be uploaded, if needed, through this patient portal.
Emotional & Mental Health Attunement
Our physical, mental and emotional health are all intertwined. We will explore areas of mental and emotional challenges through a holistic and trauma-informed lens and devise a plan for wellness. This can include stress management, relationship guidance, energy medicine, fungi and herbal medicines, meditation recommendations, book suggestions, ritual ideas, journaling prompts and other wellness modalities. Recommendations for different types of psychotherapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Repolarization (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), among others, can be made based on your psychological needs. While I do not routinely prescribe psychiatric medicines, I am able to discuss the use of any psychiatric medication that you are currently taking in the context of a larger holistic wellness picture. If desired, I can also provide you assistance in tapering your psychiatric medications.
Functional Self-Care Practices
Our day-to-day self-care activities are the building blocks of wellness and include diet, exercise, sleep, and sexual health. We will discuss your dietary patterns, which may include low-carb, keto, vegan, paleo, and other diets, and suggestions and recommendations will be provided as determined by your wellness goals. Sleep is incredibly important for emotional well-being, stress management and focus. We will devise a plan to ensure your sleep is adequate and restful. Exercise is one of the best things you can do to decrease your risk of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as support your mental and emotional fortitude. We can discuss your current physical status and determine what exercise regimen is best for you to meet your wellness goals. Lastly, sexual well-being is at the center of a woman’s creativity and power. We can discuss any concerns or difficulties in the sexual realm that may be troubling, and create a plan for wholeness and fulfillment.
Ketamine Assisted Therapy
Ketamine is a potent medicine that can assist with healing emotional and mental distress when used in a safe, therapeutic setting. My work with ketamine currently utilizes sublingual lozenges, with therapeutic support provided in conjunction with a licensed therapist. This therapist can be your current therapist, or one that I recommend. The process starts with a phone consultation to determine if ketamine is appropriate for your situation. If yes, we will schedule a consultation comprising of a complete medical and psychiatric evaluation, a discussion of your wellness goals and intentions, as well as ketamine education and preparation instructions. This initial evaluation includes a prescription for four ketamine sessions. In this protocol, during the first session you are “guided” and accompanied by myself or a therapist, then provided with integration immediately after, as well as during the week after your session. After the first session, it will be determined how frequent the following medicine sessions will be, where they will be held (options include a therapist’s office or your place of residence), and the schedule of post-ketamine integration therapy sessions. A typical schedule of ketamine sessions is once a week for four weeks, with separate integration therapy sessions following a few days later, at the same frequency of once weekly for four weeks. When it is deemed to be safe and appropriate after the medical evaluation and a guided session, I can provide medical and therapeutic supervision of home ketamine use for carefully chosen individuals.
Hormone Assessment
Women cycle naturally: our hormones cycle through the months with menstruation, during childbearing years and over our lifetime. However, we can experience significant challenges going through these natural cycles. Some women struggle with hormone replacement and gender transition therapies. We will discuss your current hormone situation, which can include menstruation, contraception, fertility, pregnancy, motherhood, gender transitioning, peri-menopause and menopause issues. Through our discussion we will identify target areas of concern and make a plan for wellness, which may include supplements, herbal medicines, pharmaceuticals, lab tests and hormone complementation.
Psychedelics Counseling & Integration
Psychedelic plants and medicines have been used by humans for millennia to deeply experience life and provide additional meaning to our existence. The modern use of psychedelic medicines has led many people to experience new realms of awareness and joy. These often life-changing experiences can be challenging and difficult to understand. It can also be difficult to decide whether to use these medicines in their current legal context or within a specific pre-existing medical context. During our consultation, we can discuss any questions or concerns you may have in regards to the medical, legal and spiritual use of psychedelic medicines. Your consultation can involve a process to help you understand your past psychedelic experiences and assist with integration of new insights into your day to day life. Psychedelic medicines include ketamine, psilocybin, MDMA, ayahuasca, LSD and 5-meo-DMT. At the present time, only Ketamine is legally available. However, it is anticipated that MDMA and psilocybin will be legalized for personal and medical use in 2024.
Specialized Services
Everyone has their own specific nutritional needs, and it can be challenging to know what foods, eating patterns and supplements are right for you. We will explore the myriad options for sustenance and supplementation and find a program that fits your wellness goals. If weight loss is your aim, we can also discuss healthy weight loss and exercise options and devise a plan that is best suited to your needs.
Focus can be elusive in this time of increased phone and computer screen usage, social media, and 24 hour news cycles, where so many things are vying for our attention. We can discuss challenges you may be having in this arena and discuss ways to maximize your ability to focus and develop your natural flow state.
Discussion of sexual health is often overlooked or avoided during medical visits. However, having a comfortable, joyful and robust sexual life is crucial to health, wellbeing, and happiness. Whether you are single or partnered, we will explore ways for you to feel your best.
Hormonal fluctuations during our menstrual cycles, as well as over our lifetime, are a normal part of our physiology. Sometimes, however, these fluctuations can significantly disrupt our comfort and sense of well-being. We can discuss your particular hormone situation and devise a plan for maximum comfort and functionality.
Mindfulness is a key aspect of wellness. Bringing our attention back to the present moment allows us to face the world from a place of our greatest strength. Maybe you are a seasoned meditator, or have never meditated. We can discuss different forms of meditation that can help you start or enhance your practice. In addition, we can explore whether tai-chi or qi gong, both types of “moving meditation” may benefit you and your wellness goals.
Blood and laboratory tests provide a window into the processes of our body and give us information of organ function and possible areas of concern. Pertinent and judicious laboratory testing is a crucial part of any health evaluation. We will review recent laboratory tests, if available, and can discuss which lab tests might be useful in your continued health maintenance. I can order labs through your insurance provider, or they can be ordered and paid for separately through Direct Labs, which utilizes the phlebotomy services of Quest Diagnostics.
Pharmaceuticals are used to manage and control many health conditions, or dramatically alleviate symptoms. However, many people don’t understand the potential side effects of the medications they are taking, or are taking medications where there are safe and acceptable non-medication alternatives. We can discuss your medications and your preferences to taking them, and consider all available options. This can include changing, tapering, or discontinuing your medications.
Stress is a normal part of life, and the different types of stress can drastically affect our health. Positive stress is the result of our bodies responding to a challenge of daily life, like a test, game or argument. However, toxic stess is the result of too much stress over long periods of time without relationship support, or safety, or time to recover. This stress can lead to detrimental changes in the body and affect overall health. We can discuss the current stressors in your life and devise ways for you to manage and recover from stress. We can also explore any childhood stressors or trauma that you may still be dealing with as an adult, and find ways to transmute these painful memories into nourishment for your current plan of wellness.
Our exercise needs are always changing. Sometimes it’s hard to find an exercise regimen that is adequate or stimulating enough for your life situation. We can discuss the myriad ways to get healthy amounts of exercise so you feel inspired, energized and strong.
Sleep is crucial to all aspects of health, but so much of our modern world conspires to keep us awake! We can discuss your sleeping routine and any challenges you may be facing with getting adequate and restful sleep, and devise a plan for maximum rest and rejuvenation. While I do not prescribe sleeping medications, I can advise you on numerous sleeping strategies and herbal supplements that can assist you in sleeping well.
Emotions are at the center of how we experience life, and thus can dramatically impact our overall health and well-being. Emotional awareness is another topic that is not routinely discussed during medical or psychiatric visits. However, our feelings often run the show when we are in crisis or feel sick. When we seek to understand and honor our emotions, including fear, anger, sadness, and shame, we can open new pathways to self-awareness, health and well-being. We will also discuss strategies to experience challenging emotions that promote safety and wholeness.
Currently ketamine is the only psychedelic medicine legal to use medically in the United States. However, many people have found that other psychedelic medicines such as MDMA, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), LSD, ayahuasca, and 5-meo-DMT provide healing benefits to their mental and emotional states and well being. How do they do this? The exact physiological reasons are not known, but it is proposed that by opening up novel perceptual mental experiences, the brain is presented with new ways of seeing patterns in our life and in the world, thus allowing us to make meaningful connections between thoughts and ideas that we hadn’t been able to before. This process has been shown in many cases to remarkably help people manage and understand their sources of anxiety and depression, to help alleviate end of life anxiety, and assist people in overcoming their addictions to substances like alcohol and nicotine. The decision to try these medicines while they are not legal is an individual decision. While I do not provide or prescribe psychedelics, I can discuss what is known about their usage, safety profiles, contraindications with other medications, compatibility with certain disease states, and potential risks and benefits, in order to help you make your own conclusion about whether these medicines are right for you.
Experiences with psychedelic medicines can sometimes be challenging and occasionally troubling. This aspect of psychedelics is one reason why they can be powerful agents in instituting perceptual and behavioral change. Because of this, it can be useful to have assistance in integrating these experiences to promote meaningful change in one’s life. Psychedelic integration can involve discussion, journaling prompts, and thought exercises to help you process the vital information and any insights provided through these experiences.
Death is a part of life, and planning to die in accordance to your values and wishes is part of a life well lived. There are many ways to prepare for and ultimately transition from this life, and we can discuss what options are best suited to you. I can also advise on supportive palliative care methods. If needed, I can make referrals to palliative care specialists that can further assist you in this realm.
Having worked in a myriad of specialties over my 20 years in medicine, I can provide counsel on many different options for healthcare services. Whether you are uncertain if you want to choose the path of surgery or hospital medicine for a condition, if you have questions or concerns about pregnancy care and delivery options, medication choices, or insurance questions, I can help you explore all available choices to assist you in making the one that is most comfortable for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine frequently combines traditional Western-based medical practice with components of the myriad healing practices and techniques of the world, including but not limited to, herbs and plant medicines, meditation, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Integrative medicine doctors also generally believe that the mind and body are not separate entities, and that a whole mind and body approach is the most beneficial path to healing. Many physicians who practice integrative medicine, including myself, believe that nurturing and deepening our connections to our birth and chosen families, communities and planet, is a crucial component of health and wellbeing.
Where do you see patients?
My practice consists of seeing and treating patients over a confidential virtual telehealth platform, similar to Zoom. I can arrange to see patients in person for evaluations and limited physical exams in West Los Angeles. Housecalls can also be arranged on a limited basis.
Do I need to live in California to be your patient?
Yes, you must be a resident of California to receive medical services and have medical consultations with me.
What ages do you work with?
I currently see patients ages 18 and older. While I am trained in pediatrics, my general practice focuses primarily on adult patients.
Do you see male patients, or patients that do not identify as women?
Yes, in my practice I’m happy to see patients of all genders and am LGBTQ+ affirming.
Do you see pregnant patients?
Yes, I can provide integrative health counsel to pregnant patients that are receiving prenatal care from other pregnancy specialists.
Do you do concierge medicine?
No, at this time I do not.
Are you a primary care provider (PCP)?
No, but I advise and counsel on wide-ranging medical, emotional and personal issues, like a general practitioner might. My approach, however, is to go deeper and broader than a typical Western general practitioner. My services are intended to augment the basic healthcare services you receive from your PCP and health insurance.
Do you take care of urgent issues?
No, however, during our scheduled appointment time, I can provide information on how to get urgent or emergent care if needed in the future.
What is your refill policy for medications and pharmaceuticals?
My policy is to refill only medications that I prescribe or recommend.
How long do you take to reply to emails?
I will respond to your email within 24 hours.
What if I need lab tests?
I order lab tests through Direct Labs, an independant laboratory company. The phlebotomy services are provided via Quest Diagnostics. In some cases, I can complete an order form for you to complete laboratory services through your insurance.