How To Find A Doctor You Love— Advice For Finding Great Holistic Providers

building your own healthcare team

One of the questions I’ve gotten a lotttttt more than I expected is how I’ve built the list of healthcare providers I see regularly. If you’ve been following The Foundation Blog for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about how I truly like to find a balance of healthcare modalities. With my background in modern Western medicine and my interest in traditional Eastern practices and integrative health, I’ve learned to utilize and appreciate both forms of medicine — modern and traditional. 

So with my own personal healthcare team, I follow that same approach! I respect both forms of medicine and mix and match to find a combination of providers that feels right for me.

These are people who support being proactive with your health and keeping things as natural as possible, but are also open to medical interventions when needed. For me it’s finding a group of different providers that meet that need, and here’s what I’ve found! 

Quick note: This is my personal healthcare list! This *isn’t* what I recommend specifically for you (we all have our own needs!) but this is who I use to maintain and make the most of my health.

Also— please don’t send me any messages asking for specifics on who I see for my healthcare (which doctor do you see?? which midwife?? which clinic??). At the end of the day, while I do love a great “word of mouth” referral, I also prefer to keep my specific list of providers/health information more personal in an online setting— and i hope you respect that!

The good news? This post is about empowering YOU to find the right provider for yourself. There are so many tangible tips in this blog post that will help you feel EMPOWERED to seek out the best providers for YOU.

the foundation of my personal healthcare team (annual visits)

My main players are my traditional primary care provider (MD), a naturopathic doctor (ND), and an OB-GYN/midwife. I consider ALL of these to be my “annual visits,” so I’ll often talk about the same health concerns or things I want to improve to both of them. They’ll often have different recommendations (or similar ones to be honest!) and I’ll take what they say and pick and choose from their advice what feels right to me so I get a balanced combination of a modern medicine view and a natural view.

Then, I tune in, and take the course of action that feels right for me (almost always, it’s starting with more natural/lifestyle modalities first and then progressing to more “medical” interventions if needed) 

• My primary care provider is an MD (which stands for medical doctor). While there are many MDs out there, they all have their own practice philosophy. When I was looking for my doctor, I really tried to find someone who is an MD, but still more holistic-minded, focuses on nutrition, and cares about physical activity and whole body wellness. I will say… it can be hard to find an MD that practices in this way, but by reading reviews, bios, and asking for recommendations from your like-minded friends/people in your area, you can find someone who DOES care about the foundational aspects of wellness (nutrition, exercise, etc.) and doesn’t just have a “there’s a pill for that approach”. My primary doc is in the traditional healthcare model and is covered by my insurance! Just a “normal” modern Western doctor who I see once a year for my physical. (NOTE: Many primary care providers can be MD, DO, PA-C, or APRN/DNP)

• I also see a naturopathic doctor (ND), In order to become a licensed naturopathic doctor, one must first graduate from a four-year, professional-level program at a federally accredited naturopathic medical school. Naturopathic doctors have to take all of the “pre-med” and modern medicine type courses,but a majority of their training is on natural and herbal forms of treatment. From my experience, they are often MUCH more receptive to approaching health from a natural (yet still responsible) manner. With my naturalpath, I get to really get into the “nitty gritty”— digestive health, hormonal health, food sensitivities, natural remedies, etc. She is SO smart & evidence-based, but she has a much more natural approach— focusing on getting to the root cause of health issues and proactively utilizing natural habits, herbal treatments, etc. to promote health. I see her 1-2 times per year. For me, these are personally my FAVORITE appts I have and undoubtedly the most impactful visits that I have for my health. They are quite lengthy, they are NOT covered by insurance (but they are personally worth it to me), and I prioritize scheduling them just like I would my “yearly physical” at a traditional healthcare clinic.

• Another yearly visit I always do is my OB-GYN and/or midwife (MD or CNM) Yes, I see both! I have an OB for my primary OB, and midwife during pregnancy. I’ve established care with both an OB-GYN and a midwife for the same reason I see an MD and a naturopath — they practice similarly & have brilliant expertise, but often have different approaches. I like hearing “both sides” of the healthcare coin– usually one a bit more medical and one a bit more natural. (I will say, my OB is definitely more natural-minded… but that’s why I chose her to begin with! Similar to my primary care provider, I did my research and picked someone with a more holistic modern-medicine approach). I’ll usually see one per year for my annual visit, so I alternate between them each year to check in on my women’s health. 

• **Another great option for finding a holistic-minded provider: While I personally see 1 medical doctor and 1 naturopath as my “primary” care providers— a great “middle ground” could be seeking out a “functional medicine doctor” or an “integrative health” doctor in your area. These are MDs, DOs, NPs, PAs, that practice in a more holistic, integrative way— but are still grounded in science and often practice in the traditional medical model. In my experience, they are more likely to assess your symptoms and look for the root cause, run labs, be open to natural remedies/herbs, etc. than a “typical” MD, but are also more likely to be covered by insurance than a naturopath.

• Dentist! I go to my dentist twice per year for a general cleaning. Dental care goes soooo far beyond your teeth— it is correalted with overall wellbeing and health outcomes too! So, yes, dentistry is absolutely part of my “medical” healthcare team! While there are not any holistic dentists in my area (womp, womp), I would definitely go to a holistic practice if it were more geographically available to me! However, I don’t care enough to travel or put a ton of effort into finding a holistic dentist— my regular ol’ dentist is great. I didn’t hunt this one down or seek it out super intentionally— I have literally just gone there throughout my life, know my dentist great, and love the care I receive. So, in summary— dental care— 1-2 times per year!

supplemental healthcare providers (seen as needed)

So what I outlined above is my meat and potatoes main care team! These are providers I see in a yearly flow to stay on top of my health. But I alsooooooo see a few additional providers on an as-needed basis, which I’ve outlined here: 

• Chiropractor: I go to the chiropractor a few times a year — both for more acute things (like if I tweak something while running, have back pain, tight neck, etc.) or just for general musculoskeletal maintenance/alignment. I love my chiropractor (I’ve been seeing him since high school!). He sees a lot of athletes which I enjoy and fits my needs. I found him through word of mouth referrals from a runner friend!

• Acupuncture is something I intermittently seek out for specific health support. For example, if I have been feeling really stressed, digestion is off, hormonal support, etc., acupuncture can be a helpful tool. (One time I got acupuncture for constipation, and I went to the bathroom literally 5 minutes after my appt ended. It TRULY can help!) Acupuncture is the use of very small needles, hitting certain pressure points. While generally regarded as “woo woo”, there is actually a lot of strong evidence behind acupuncture. It’s not for everyone, but personally, I really enjoy it and have it in my “healthcare toolkit”!

• Health coaching is an empowering way to focus on what you’re working on with your health. You work 1-on-1 with a coach to find clarity, identify roadblocks, make progress, and set goals with your health. If you are someone that feels like you kind of know what you should do with your health, but have trouble actually DOING it… a health coach is perfect. It’s truly an empowering form of health if you’re in a state where you’re needing a little more gumption, motivation, or accountability with your health, health coaching may be for you. There are a lot of “coaches” out there, but I definitely recommend finding a board-certified health coach (credentials: NBC-HWC).

  In addition to being an RN with my DNP, I actually work as a health coach in my “real” job 40 hours per week, so I’m lucky enough to have lots of peers and friends to trade services with if I need an extra health boost! Health coaching is SO helpful when you’re feeling a bit “stuck” in your health and want someone to provide you accountability, motivation, and guidance along the way! (Join the waitlist for when I start offering 1-on-1 health coaching with me!)

• Massage: I get four massages per year, one per season. While it’s absolutely relaxing, I also consider this a part of my health maintenance routine — especially as an athlete, massage can be sooooo beneficial for the body, alignment, and proper musculoskeletal function. Let this be a reminder that there are more “healthcare providers” than just going to a clinic and seeing your doctor— I truly consider anyone who supports & uplifts my health to be a part of my “personal healthcare team” and a quarterly massage is something that genuinely supports me & my health— body, mind, spirit.

health coaching coming soon…

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pregnancy-specific providers:

Pregnancy is a unique time in a women’s life and catering your care to best serve you during this time is important. While the “foundation” providers we talked about should be of paramount importance (OB, midwife, etc.) during this time, there are other providers that can help during this time. While I haven’t personally tried all of these yet, they are things I am either considering, planning to try, or curious about as I navigate pregnancy.

• OB/Midwife: This goes without saying! I mean, if nothing else, finding your primary pregnancy provider to take care of you, give guidance, and monitor the pregnancy is so important.

• Acupuncture: As mentioned above, acupuncture can be used for hormonal health and pregnancy symptoms. I saw my acunpuncturist for nausea in first trimester, and plan to use it closer to delivery and post-partum (for things like milk supply, inducing labor, etc.). Many women find it helpful for helping with cycle regulation and pre-conception prep (although I personally don’t have experience with that as my cycle was already quite normal).

• Pelvic floor PT: While I am doing my best to maintain my pelvic health through kegels, mobility, and strength throughout this pregnancy, it’s no doubt that the act of labor can cause a LOT of changes to your pelvic floor. I fully plan to do this after labor to help re-strengthen and regain proper function of my pelvic floor after birth! Proper pelvic health functioning is SO important for pelvic organ support, bladder and bowel control and sexual function, and seeing a pelvic floor PT can be really impactful.

• Webster-certified chiropractor: If you are going to get chiropractor care during pregnancy, it can be helpful to see a Webster-certified chiro who is trained in pregnancy-related chiropractic. Webster technique is intended to help with spinal misalignments while focusing on the mother’s pelvic area and the baby’s position/alignment for optimal results during pregnancy and labor.

• Lactation consultant: In my time in pediatrics & taking care of littles, I have seen first-hand how impactful lactation consultants can be! A lactation consultant can give a mom tangible tips, guidance, and advice on breastfeeding, latch, proper nourishment, etc. This is honestly a career I think I would LOVE (classic type 7 who has a “potential job ideas” list on her phone with 74839298 options, ha!). But, truly, a lactation consultant can be a GAME CHANGER. If you are going to breastfeed for an extended length of time, why wouldn’t you invest in support & guidance from a lactation consultant to optimize it?!

… but wait, there’s more!

Everything in this blog post is what I’ve chosen to meet my personal needs, so just search for whatever those things may be for you! There are SO many types of providers that may be beneficial to you— physical therapists, dieticians, diabetes educators, occupational therapists, specialists, etc. based on YOUR needs. I can’t cover every single provider out there, but just. a few basic examples:

• If you need more support for nutrition, seek out a dietician or nutritionist that you feel aligned with.

• If you’re struggling with mental health, maybe therapy or an appt with a psychiatrist would be more useful.

• If you have a specific health condition, find a doctor/provider who specializes in that.

• Ultimately, building your personal care team is about being intentional and finding what you need for your personal health journey.

Other things to consider:

• Do I want to see someone in my area? Or am I open to traveling/virtual visits?

• Is it imperative that they are covered by insurance? Or am I open to paying out of pocket?

• Not only should you consider providers based on your HEALTH needs, but also your LOGISTIC needs. This looks different for all of us!

how to find good healthcare providers

First and foremost it takes a little work — you’re not just going to magically find your dream person. I didn’t find ANY of my providers “on accident”. I asked for recommendations from friends, read bios, googled, read reviews, trial and error, etc. before finding the matches for me. A good provider doesn’t just fall into your lap— you have to seek them out!

I would suggest starting with identifying the main things you’re hoping for in a provider. For me, I wanted someone who had a proactive approach to health, who cared about real food nutrition, who lived an active lifestyle, and (most importantly!) someone I felt aligned and comfortable with. I personally am willing to travel a bit, have a virtual visit, or pay out of pocket for certain things if it’s the right fit.

• CLARIFY WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU: This will look different for all of us! Write down a list and REALLY think of the top 3-5 priorities that you are looking for (anything more than that is probably too many— you’ll never find someone who checks EVERY box). Is it important that they are nearby? In-network with insurance? That they have a holistic philosophy? That they have a friendly bedside manner? That they are a specialized expert in a diagnosis you have? That they can help with your general health needs? Or do you want hyper-specialized? Do you feel more comfortable getting care from a certain sex of provider? Any certain healthcare organization you want them to belong to? Only YOU can determine what is important/relevant to you here— but for each “type” of provider, make a quick list of what your main priorities are! For example:

  • I am looking for a female OBGYN, who lives within 30 minutes, and has a lot of experience in PCOS

  • I am looking for a family medicine doctor that can see EVERYONE in my family regardless of age, I want them to have a friendly bedside manner, and treat general health conditions.

  • I am looking for a functional medicine doctor to help manage my IBS— I want them to be specialized in gut health. I am open to paying out of pocket and traveling/doing virtual visits fo the right provider.

• REVIEWS: The most foundation step! Google your area and read Google reviews. (Quick tip: take these reviews with a grain of salt! Instead of the 1 or 5 star reviews, read the 3 or 4 star reviews — they’re a little less dramatic and probably a more average/representive people who had a good, average experience– not the extremes. Every provider gets bad reviews!). 

• CREDENTIALS: Regardless of the type of care you’re looking for, you’ll want to check their credentials and background to see if it’s in line with what you’re hoping for. I personally am quite picky with this! I believe there are many things people can be self-taught in (business, writing, photography, finances, etc.)… however, healthcare providers should go through formalized training in my opinion. For me, seeking out credentials/training is a really important part of finding providers I trust (especially when it comes to the more holistic providers— which can be more unregulated!).

• IN-NETWORK: If it’s someone who is within the traditional healthcare model, another step would be checking if they’re in network for your insurance so you can save money on care. You can typically do this by calling your insurance company and giving the name/clinic of who you want to see.

• ASK THE STAFF/RNs/SCHEDULERS: If you find an in-network clinic, one thing you can do is call and tell the scheduler or nurse you’re talking to what you're looking for in your provider (personality, specialties, healthcare approach, etc.) and ask for provider recommendations. In my in-office job as an RN, people did that all the time! (For example— “I am looking for a younger male pediatrician for my son that has a really good beside manner”). The staff know the doctors & providers SO well — their specialties, what they’re good at (or not so good at) — and are totally open to offering advice on who to establish care with.

• WORD OF MOUTH: Another really effective tip is word of mouth — whether it’s friends, an older neighbor, your chiropractor, or people on the Nextdoor app, find people you’re aligned with and ask them if they have any recommendations on a doctor, massage therapist, chiropractor, or whatever you’re looking for. Word of mouth is a GREAT way to get recommendations. 

• JUST… START!: Sometimes we stall & drag out feet & procrastinate until alllll of our ducks in a row. You may be putting off an appt simply because you don’t think you’ve found “THEE” perfect provider for it. However, sometimes you just need to get the ball rolling & establish care. You’ll either like the provider or you’ll learn what you don’t like and be able to hunt for that on the next person. While I want you to find a provider you LOVE— don’t let “finding the perfect provider” keep you from actually getting care, scheduling an appt, and moving forward with your health.

• YOU MIGHT NEED MULTIPLE: Remember that one provider isn’t going to meet ALL of your needs— often times you’ll need different people for different things!

• READ BIOS, RESEARCH, AND PUT THE TIME IN: And finally, my biggest tip: explore the health organization website and RESEARCH. Often times, healthcare clinics give a little “bio” on the provider where you can learn morea bout their training, interests, etc. In fact, the healthcare system I use has videos for their primary care providers. Oftentimes providers will have a video that explains who they are and their practice philosophy.

  I watched probably about 100 videos before I picked my primary care provider. He talked about whole food nutrition and staying active in his short little video, and honestly, I just liked his vibe. If there isn’t a video there will usually be a short bio written by the provider that will help give you a sense of their healthcare approach. Hearing directly from them, whether it’s a video or a bio, is so helpful in figuring out if they’re a good fit for you. To me, I’d rather put the “work” in BEFOREHAND and try to find someone I like— instead of just blindly establishing care with someone, finding out it’s not a good match, and then having to switch. To me, it seems MUCH more efficient to put the research on the front-end to better improve your chances of finding a provider you jive with!

• DON’T SETTLE: But ultimately, at the end of the day…if it’s not a good fit — switch! I PROMISE it doesn’t hurt their feelings and they don’t take it personally. Again, from my experience as a clinic RN, people switch providers alllllllllll the time and it’s no skin off anyone’s back (like, I hate to say it… but they probably won’t even notice). You deserve to have people on your healthcare team who are a great fit for you! So, if you don’t like your provider, SWITCH!

that’s a wrap!

So that’s my personal healthcare team of superstars, and how to find one of your own. I have found such a positive experience in entrusting my care to a variety of experts who have different approaches to health and areas of focus — treating my whole body with a combination of focuses and modalities to truly find what’s right for me.

I am always talking about the “foundation” of health here on. theblog, and finding a healthcare team you love can be one of those “basic” (but game-changing) aspects of health.

I’m cheering you on and wishing you the best in finding your own rockstar providers, and I hope these tips are helpful for you!

XX,
Kate

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