“I believe every experience we go through in life, no matter how painful, is a gift. It is up to us to choose how to use that gift.”
If I could go back and tell my younger self that…
I would end up going to university for 14 years, help my father fight stage-4 brain cancer, travel the world in desperate search for medical cures, become a widow in my 30’s, and lose everything. I would probably say, no thank you.
but, today…
I wouldn’t change it for the world because the struggles and the pain helped me find power of meditation and led me to what authentic medicine means to me.
Let’s back up first…
Growing up in Seattle suburbia taught me to value hard work, education, and material possessions. But deep down, I knew this wasn't the life for me.
At 12, I rebelled against authority and was sent to an all-girls boarding school where conformity was rewarded. However, my rebellious nature and ability to question things became valuable traits that helped me become a successful doctor.
My natural inclination to take a step back and critically analyze situations has proven to be an asset in my role as a physician. It allows me to see beyond the numbers, challenge conventional notions, and approach problems from a unique perspective.
The diagnosis…
In my early twenties, I chased success and studied business. Then, moment that changed everything. One day, in 2002, I was home from college for the weekend and my father said he was having trouble getting out his words. He called his doctor and they told him to go to the hospital immediately. I went with him and remembered waiting in the ER when my father came back telling me… “They found something in my brain the size of a golf ball”. I was devastated, scared, and felt helpless. My father was my best friend and my biggest support. He was diagnosed with stage-4 “terminal” brain cancer and given 3 months to live.
I went from a carefree college student to a full-time caretaker, medical researcher, and his patient-advocate. I was 20 years old. After learning of his diagnosis, I immediately read the statistics. He had a less than 1% chance of surviving 10 years.
Going Beyond Statistics…
I knew that the only way my father would survive was to do everything different than what the doctors told him. Despite overwhelming odds stacked against us, I delved into research and attended conferences to find new treatments. Encouraged by doctors who saw the impact of my efforts, I eventually pursued medical school. This experience solidified my true calling in life.
In the end, my father lived another 17 years thanks to our unconventional approach.
Following my heart…
I clearly remember the moment I decided to become a doctor. While working in commercial real estate and finishing my MBA, I was showing a vacant building in Seattle when I realized that making money wasn't enough for me. My true calling was medicine. Despite the daunting prospect of 8 more years of schooling, I enrolled in college and pursued pre-med studies while finishing my masters.
The thought of bringing hope to others like my father fueled my passion for medicine.
Becoming a doctor…
I completed my premedical studies and earned a doctorate from Bastyr University. I studied under top physicians in various specialties and even shadowed healers in Central America.
In 2014, twelve years after my father’s initial diagnosis of terminal brain cancer, I spoke as a leading expert at the conference that I once attended as a scared and desperate caregiver. It was UCLA’s (the University of California, Los Angeles) annual brain tumor conference, and my father was in the audience. I was honored to share our story and the insights and research that I had acquired along the way. At this moment, I finally felt like I was fulfilling my mission.
Taking the road less traveled…
While establishing my clinical practice in California, I found a peaceful writing spot in a small Greek village on the island of Crete. Here, I met the love of my life. We first spoke at a café where he shared his dislike for doctors. He had battled cancer and survived by holding onto his own power. We connected deeply and got married that year, altering my path and perspective forever.
After being a tourist in a small traditional village, I moved there permanently. It was a big change from my life in California, but it felt right to be there. I focused on inner reflection and living simply with nature. My husband taught me about the spiritual side of medicine, including breath work, meditation, and philosophy discussions about illness. I learned more about medicine and healing in these years than all the years prior.
The fight of a lifetime…
In one moment, everything changed. My husband's cancer returned and we traveled to China and Austria seeking innovative treatments for two years. I had to navigate foreign healthcare and make crucial medical decisions with my knowledge and intuition. My education, training, and beliefs were put to the test.
My husband passed away after a long and hard fight. In the end, he didn’t die of his cancer, but an expected event that no one could have foreseen. I believe he finished his journey here and figured out exactly what he needed to do. I understood that I’m not in control of life or death… and its ego-based to think that I could change the course of one’s path. I can only take my knowledge, training, intuition, and life experiences to help support my patients journey, empower them, and assist the healing process within each of them.
My dark night of the soul…
I lost my husband, my father, our dog, and our home in a matter of 3 months. For the next two years I lived alone in the forest in a cabin on the river, far away from the city and people. I searched for the truth. I wanted to move to the Himalayas, find a cave, or and live in a monastery.
Despite my desire to retreat from the world, I knew I had to stay here and use my life experiences to become a better version of myself. I did some inner work and faced uncomfortable truths, learning to be adaptable like water. My true test was living fully in this world while staying balanced and being the doctor I would want to have.
My journey taught me that…
Statistics should be used as motivation, to light the fire within, but refuse to accept a number as your fate.
Material wealth means absolutely nothing if you don’t have your health.
Each challenge and painful experience has a gift hidden within.
You must follow your heart and quiet your mind.
Everything changes all the time, so embrace it.
Nothing is impossible if you believe it’s not.
Faith is the strongest medicine
Discovering real medicine…
I was ready to see patients again, but this time with a different approach. As a physician that studied naturopathic medicine, I was already trained to view the body holistically. To treat the whole person. But, something was missing; what I realized was that I needed to support…
the mind, body and spirit together.
I noticed that once my patients were able to align their thoughts with their actions, they felt better. Today, I incorporate many different modalities into my clinical practice that’s completely customized based on each person’s needs.
Everything changes all the time…
Today, I’m remarried and unexpectedly found myself in the heart warming role of living full-time with 3 girls while also holding sacred space for loss and grief
… the whole time embracing the beauty of this ever-changing journey.
Every part of my life path defines the person I am and how I practice medicine today.
Which Brings Me To You
At the end of the day, nothing else matters once you have lost your health. When you feel horrible, you can’t enjoy anything. The stresses that used to seem like a big deal are now tiny in comparison to an illness. I get it, and I’ve dedicated my entire life to the pursuit of unlocking the healing power within you.
I want you to live a healthy life, to enjoy the little things, and to have the freedom to do what you want. I realized that my mission is to help people like you overcome your health issue, to remove the barriers that were holding you back from feeling good, and to have the freedom you deserve.
