I was born and raised in Massachusetts, just outside of Boston, where my connection to natural medicine began at an early age.
I grew up in a home where natural health solutions were simply part of everyday life. We saw both a traditional medical doctor and a naturopathic doctor. Chiropractic care, herbal medicine, homeopathic remedies, homegrown organic foods, and holistic therapies were normal parts of my childhood.
As kids, my siblings and I would run the moment we saw the Dixie cups come out because we knew our mom was about to concoct some kind of “swampy” herbal mixture for us. While I didn’t fully appreciate botanical medicine back then, those little cups planted a seed that has continued to grow throughout my life.
For a long time, I thought this was how everyone grew up.
Naturopathic medicine is not something I discovered later in life. It is the foundation I was raised with, and it has shaped both who I am and how I practice today.
After earning my Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology & Kinesiology from UMass Boston, I continued my work in holistic health. In 2004, I founded Grateful Spirit Massage, which evolved over the years into Grateful Spirit Healing as my work expanded to include integrative bodywork, clinical aromatherapy, mind-body therapy, botanical medicine, and other holistic approaches. I built a holistic health practice in the quaint seaside town of Newburyport, Massachusetts, where my work included supporting individuals and families through many different seasons of life, including those living with cancer, receiving hospice care, and caring for loved ones. I also created botanical medicine products and gratitude affirmation stones in loving memory of Toby, the fur-angel who was by my side for 18 years.
At 40, I decided to take a leap of faith and dust off an old dream. I packed up my life in Massachusetts and drove more than 2,800 miles across the country to Arizona to pursue my Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine at Sonoran University of Health Sciences in Tempe, Arizona.
When I moved to Arizona to attend naturopathic medical school, my work with Grateful Spirit naturally shifted as I immersed myself in my studies. Today, Grateful Spirit Healing brings together nearly three decades of experience, education, and personal growth.
It was a big leap, but it was the right one.
My own health has shaped the way I practice today. Before naturopathic medical school, I went through years of unexplained infertility. Later, discovering my hereditary hemochromatosis diagnosis and MTHFR gene mutation helped explain years of symptoms I couldn’t otherwise account for. It’s part of why I keep asking “why” with my patients and look beyond the first explanation.
During naturopathic medical school, I experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. That experience was deeply personal and became the inspiration behind Cradle & Root, a resource created to support others navigating the emotional and physical experience of pregnancy loss.
I can’t go back, but I can look ahead and use my life experiences to guide others.
Life has taught me a great deal through both education and experience. I’ve learned that the body remembers more than we may give it credit for, and that healing often starts with slowing down enough to truly listen.
My work today focuses on gut health, metabolic health, nervous system support, and helping people better understand their bodies so they can make informed decisions about their health.
Through naturopathic care, education, and resources, I bring together the wisdom of traditional healing practices with modern scientific understanding. My goal is to help people better understand their health, explore their options, and make informed decisions that feel aligned with their own needs.
The way I approach health has been shaped by the medicine I grew up with. The question was never simply, “What’s wrong?” The question was always, “Why is this happening?”
Symptoms are part of a larger story. They are the body’s way of communicating that something needs attention. My work is about slowing down, listening, asking the right questions, and looking at the whole picture.
Everything I teach begins from that place: curiosity, education, and a desire to help people better understand their bodies so they can make informed decisions about their health.
Beyond the Clinic
I am a lifelong animal shelter volunteer and advocate, marathon runner, research author, and children’s book author. My curiosity has always been fueled by learning, whether through research, writing, travel, or time spent outdoors.
I love exploring, hiking, camping, and connecting with nature. While I love the beauty of desert life in Arizona, the ocean will always feel like home.
I currently live in Mesa, Arizona, with my husband and our furry friend, Tony Biscuits. Our rescue pig, Jango, lives at Ironwood Pig Sanctuary in Marana, Arizona. Moose and Fenway Frank have recently crossed over the rainbow bridge.
And after all these years, I still see the same naturopathic doctor I saw as a child.
Education & Credentials
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine: Sonoran University of Health Sciences, Tempe, Arizona
Arizona License # 26-4039
Massachusetts License # ND10057
Additional training includes:
Botanical Medicine & Clinical Herbalism | Homeopathy | Nutritional Genomics | Certified Clinical Aromatherapy Practitioner, Boston Medical Center
Craniosacral Therapy | Gemstone Energy Medicine | Licensed Massage Therapist, Massachusetts #859771 | Master Reflexologist RCB #518| Reiki I, II, III Master Level Teacher; The Usui System of Natural Healing
Advanced Massage Studies for Oncology Massage | Hospice & Bereavement Therapy | Advanced Massage Studies for Fibromyalgia Patients
Research with Dr. Wayne Wescott | Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts | Sonoran University of Health Sciences
Professional memberships:
• American Herbalist Guild (AHG)
• Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP)
• Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (GastroANP)
• Naturopathic Medical Institute (NMI)
