Ava Gettinger, NDUnraveling the layers of disease to a deeper connection to Self

Health is more than just disease. It is vitality, resiliency, and capacity. My perspective on the healing journey is that it provides one of the greatest opportunities to get to know ourselves and align with our purpose. When you make the effort to know yourself well, you can more easily adapt to the world around you and become less burdened by its numerous challenges. Becoming conscious in this way allows you to recognize what habits & environments are serving you and those that are not. In turn, this supports your vitality on an emotional, spiritual and physical level, leading to an ability to integrate parts of yourself that were once challenging to face

Supporting your healing capacity by encouraging flow, surrender, love, safety, and strength

I combine craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation, somatic dialogue, visualization, and connection with your personal resources. This type of therapy supports all levels of being – the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. When there is restriction in one of these areas, there is restriction in the entire system – just as a rock in a river leads to more turbulent waters downstream. These restrictions can show themselves as physical symptoms, emotional dysregulation, and more. When they are not addressed, they often become louder, leading to increased physical and mental challenge. These restrictions are not bad or shameful, but a protective mechanism that the body developed to function at one point in our lives. As life continually changes, it is important to become curious as to how we can also adapt, and support the whole system again, as its needs are likely different now. These are the subtle messages from the body that are offerings for growth and harmonization. In working together, I want you to feel safe and encouraged to integrate these parts of yourself, creating a sense of overall strength freedom, and health.

A holistic and personalized assessment bringing you closer towards your definition of health

I begin my assessment by connecting the dots between your health journey, your life’s journey, and where the center of gravity lies – the place of focus that will lead to outcomes in many different areas of your health. Where we start varies from person to person, providing individualized treatment. I inquire about diet and lifestyle patterns that are easy, and challenging, so I can better distinguish how to best support you each step of the way. I use lab analysis to assess the current functioning of the physical body. I investigate the tools you have learned thus far to self-regulate, to understand the health of the mind. And I inquire about your spiritual perspective to align treatment with your personal values and health goals. I am merely here to facilitate and encourage this process, at the rate that is best for you. Ultimately, I hope to offer tools that will support you for the rest of your life, so you can learn to rely on yourself more as your health journey continues. What is more important to me, is to be an observer of your progress and connection your fullest potential.

Services I Offer

Education and Background

My own journey to this profession began with an interest in understanding myself on a deeper level. I fell in love with psychology, as my undergraduate studies at College of Charleston were the beginning of my path to self-inquiry. I finished a 200 hour yoga teacher training soon after graduating, which was one of the first times in my life I was able to fully express my vulnerability to others. I didn’t realize what I was holding onto within me, and over time, the strength that provided me. When I was deciding what career I wanted for my life, I could not choose between my love for gardening, culinary arts and nutrition, psychology, science, yoga, and art. That was until I found Naturopathic Medicine, which magically seemed to connect those dots. I attended Bastyr University, graduating in June of 2022 with my doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine. Throughout the program I began to value healing philosophy, and I began to recognize that the allopathic medical model didn’t always align with that. I continued to search for methods of understanding humans, disease, and healing from a vitalistic lens. I took additional coursework in craniosacral and visceral therapy, biofeedback, holistic counseling, homeopathy, flower essences, and cell salts. These more energetic modalities lead me to a two year training to learn healing on a soul level. The integration of my understanding of what constitutes health, is what I am most excited to offer to you.

Contact and Scheduling

To schedule an appointment, please call (503) 956-9396, email info@heartspringhealth.com, or schedule online below. Online scheduling is available for return patients only and not all available appointments may be shown online. When scheduling online, please include a reason for your visit so your provider can serve you optimally and continue to offer an online option for scheduling.

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