Inviting You to the Healing Power Within
Hello, I’m Dr. Derek (he/him)! I believe the purpose of all medicine is to help you heal yourself. I believe in vitalism, which means there is a life force beyond the physical, and there are natural rhythms to nature and the body. I also believe that a person is a multidimensional being. We are more than human doings – we are human beings, with thoughts, feelings, emotions, desires, dreams, fears, spirits, souls, you name it! I have found that medicine isn’t healing without touching these places. I incorporate this philosophy in my practice using energy-based body work, manual therapy, trauma-informed mental, emotional, and spiritual counseling, life coaching, diet and lifestyle advice, plant medicine, vibrational/homeopathic medicine, and pharmaceuticals, if appropriate. As a Naturopathic Doctor, there are many modalities I can utilize to provide a path to health and wellness.
Naturopathic Mental Health Counseling and Stress Relief
We are living in a world rife with conflict and big, heavy emotions as humanity transcends its limitations and we grow into a wiser, kinder, more responsible species. We are processing and holding societal, generational, interpersonal, and personal trauma on a global scale. I offer a creative, neutral space, regardless of affiliations, to help you manage the stress and demands of this and modern living.
I can help you find ways to cope, to release stress, to find balance, and live a life that fulfills you. You are a unique and multi-faceted person, and I approach mental health and well-being from a holistic perspective that honors that. The mind influences everything – our emotions, our physicality, our spiritual connection – and all of these things in turn influence our mind. We’ll discuss sleep, self-care, connecting to nature and the self, relationships, food, water, movement, mindfulness, and many more things that contribute to your well-being. We’ll do it at your pace, on your terms, and I’ll be there to help guide you.
I practice from a trauma-informed, person-centered approach to assure you feel safe, cared for, and appreciated. I recognize that all people have experienced medical, societal, relational, emotional, and /or physical trauma in some form. I value consent and will strive to treat you with respect as a sovereign being, to listen to you, and to offer treatments that are stylized to you as a person. Well-being for me is not just being free of disease, it is about finding purpose, meaning, happiness, joy, beauty, and growth.
Physical and Energy Medicine for Emotional Balance, Pain Relief, and Trauma Release
Have you ever heard the term, “The issues are in the tissues?” Our bodies store information: traumatic experiences, stress, holding patterns reflecting how we interact with the world, etc. These are the stories our bodies hold onto. They can be soft and loving stories, painful and sad, neutral and boring, nightmarish. The body relives these stories through pain, muscle tension, fatigue, upset stomach, heart problems, recurring illness, even auto-immunite disorders, cancer, and other chronic diseases. The good news is that the body can release information, as well. Like the water we are made of, we flow on through life, and life flows on through us. Sometimes that flow gets stuck, yes, but it can get un-stuck as well.
I incorporate bodywork on a spectrum between the energetic and deeply physical to help support that flow through your body, to help it tell the stories that it needs to tell to move on, to heal, and to feel well again. Sometimes that means some gentle nervous system balancing with craniosacral therapy, an emotional release with somatic dialogue, stretches, mobilizations, manipulations for tight and sore muscles, a “tune-up” or clearing off from lingering attachments… it’s all about your intention and what your body needs and is ready for in the moment.
My modalities include: polarity therapy (a blend of ayurveda, magnetism, and physical medicine), craniosacral therapy, reiki, naturopathic manipulative technique including high-velocity low-amplitude manipulations, myofascial release, trigger point release, reflexology, targetd soft tissue and deep tissue, and Munay-ki (Andean Shamanism).
Primary Care and Complex Cases
Over the course of my practice, I’ve come to attract people with complex and/or rare diseases, or people who still haven’t figured out what’s wrong with them. The holistic lens and the toolkit of naturopathic medicine coupled with creative insight from my other modalities allows me to look with fresh eyes at a person’s experience and formulate an individualized treatment plan and assessment that seeks to address the root cause. I don’t treat diagnoses or conditions, I treat people, and I strive to do it with love, care, and compassion.
I also work from an evidence-based clinical perspective to rule out medical conditions that can be measured and described and treated appropriately. Naturopathic doctors are well suited to be primary care doctors as we can coordinate care across disciplines with a holistic picture in mind. As either adjunctive care or primary care, I’m excited to serve you and help you live a better life!
Other Services
- Western Herbal Medicine with a focus on individualized formulations based on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects
- Primary care
- LGTBQ+ Sexual health and wellness, including gender affirming care
- Homeopathy (classical and clinical), flower essences, and UNDA therapeutic drainage
- Bodywork, Energy work, Physical Medicine
- Supplements, Nutraceuticals and Pharmacology
- At-home hydrotherapy recommendations
- Neurodivergent friendly and inclusive
Education and Background
I grew up in Connecticut, where I felt disconnected from nature and my purpose. After several health crises and extensive medical trauma in my family, I left out west in 2005 to discover myself and calling, knowing that there was more to healing than western medicine. I eagerly devoured material involving dreams, mysticism, shamanic traditions, and the occult. I attended undergraduate school with a major in cultural anthropology, and was fascinated by the different healing arts disciplines around the world. Ultimately, I found that path did not resonate with me – I wanted to learn those healing techniques, not just study them.
My healing path truly began in 2007, when I attended Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, AZ until 2011. The programs I completed include: AOS: holistic health care, herbalism, Reiki master teacher, Polarity therapy, and Craniosacral therapy. Additionally, I attended courses in hypnotherapy, life coaching, medicine wheel (ancestor healing), and energy anatomy. I spent time with Shipibo curenderas in 2009, and was initiated in Munay-Ki in 2012, which is an Andean shamanic practice. After collecting all of these modalities and practicing on my own for a year, I felt that I needed more credentialing for legitimacy’s sake. Thus, I decided to become a Naturopathic Doctor, and began the long haul through academia to get there.
I graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ in 2015 with a bachelor of science in biology and a minor in chemistry. My main focus was human biology, with additional coursework in environmental microbiology, bioremediation, creative writing, mythology, and world religions and spirituality. I then spent a year reflecting and working with adults with developmental disabilities, and another year taking care of my father who was struggling with cancer and myriad other health problems. I then attended National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM), and graduated in July, 2022.
Contact and Scheduling
To schedule an appointment, please call (503) 956-9396, 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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