Full Bio for Dr. Emily
About Dr. Emily
Dr. Emily, also known as Em Naturopathic, is a Vitalistic Naturopathic Doctor specializing in preconception and pregnancy preparation, fertility, pregnancy support, birth education and birth planning, and natural pediatrics.
Emily graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona Honors College with dual degrees in Honors Physiology and Psychology, along with a minor in Nutritional Sciences, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. She was honored with the Outstanding Senior Award for her graduating class in recognition of her academic excellence, leadership, and dedication to medicine.
She later graduated from Bastyr University San Diego, where she was selected to join the highly selective Vitalism Fellowship alongside renowned naturopathic elders, an honor typically reserved for post-graduate practitioners. This experience further deepened her passion for traditional naturopathic medicine and the principles of vitalistic, nature-centered healing that continue to guide her work today.
Dr. Emily is happily married to her husband, and together they are preparing to welcome their first baby boy, an experience that has made her work supporting mothers and families feel even more meaningful and personal.
How Emily Discovered Naturopathic Medicine
From a young age, Emily dreamed of becoming a doctor and originally planned to pursue conventional medicine as an anesthesiologist. She immersed herself deeply in the medical world through internships in anesthesiology, work in the cardiology unit at Banner Health Hospital in Tucson, wound care settings, observing both vaginal and C-section births, and serving as a Spanish translator and triager on medical trips to Agua Prieta, Mexico.
But during her sophomore year at the University of Arizona, something shifted. After a long day working in the cardiology unit, Emily realized many patients were not truly healing, and the deeper she immersed herself in the conventional model, the clearer it became that it was not the kind of medicine she felt called to practice.
An integrative family medicine physician mentor later introduced her to naturopathic medicine and connected her with a naturopathic doctor to shadow. From her very first day in the office, she knew she had found the medicine she had been searching for. She fell in love with the philosophy of addressing root causes, supporting the body’s innate healing ability, and caring for patients through a more holistic and individualized lens.
That experience completely changed the trajectory of her life and ultimately led her toward the path of vitalistic and nature-centered healing.
A Commitment to Vitalism and Leadership
Dr. Emily is deeply passionate about preserving the traditional roots of naturopathic medicine and helping revive vitalism within naturopathic education.
During her time at Bastyr, she founded an international community of over 165 naturopathic students and physicians dedicated to preserving the principles of traditional naturopathic medicine and vitalism. Through this community, she helped organize mentorship opportunities, educational lectures, and conversations surrounding traditional naturopathic philosophy and healing.
Her leadership also contributed to helping naturopathic elders achieve their highest-ever student attendance at the 2024 Vital Gathering Conference while continuing to support the reintegration of elder mentorship and traditional naturopathic teachings within student communities through the 2025 and 2026 gatherings.
Dr. Emily is also passionate about craniosacral and visceral therapeutics. She partnered with Dr. Greg Yasuda to help host visceral therapy trainings at Bastyr San Diego and served as a teaching assistant for craniosacral courses during her education. These therapies remain an important part of her philosophy of care and reflect her belief in supporting the body’s innate healing mechanisms.
Specializing in Preconception, Pregnancy, and Pediatrics
Dr. Emily’s work is centered around helping women and families build strong foundations for lifelong health through preconception care, fertility support, pregnancy support, birth education, pediatrics, and nature-centered family wellness.
Through mentorships, preceptorships, and clinical training, she has developed a deep passion for supporting women and children during some of the most foundational and transformative stages of life. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that strengthening vitality before conception and throughout childhood has the power to positively impact future generations.
Dr. Emily offers virtual support in areas such as:
Preconception care
Fertility support
Pregnancy support
Birth education and birth plan guidance
Vaccine consultations
Homeopathy
Acute care
Support for children with developmental and chronic health concerns
Using a vitalistic and nature-centered approach, Dr. Emily works to support the body’s innate wisdom, strengthen vitality, remove obstacles to cure, and help families reconnect with a more intentional and grounded way of living.
Natural Motherhood Collective
Dr. Emily strongly believes in Docere, the naturopathic principle of “doctor as teacher.” This belief inspired her to create Natural Motherhood Collective®, aspace designed to connect mothers and mothers-to-be from around the world who share aligned values surrounding pregnancy, birth, motherhood, family, faith, and nature-centered living.
Inside the community, women gather for live lectures, Q&As, office hours, book clubs, motherhood circles, birth story sharing, and ongoing education surrounding topics such as botanical medicine, homeopathy, pregnancy preparation, postpartum healing, homeschooling, prevention, acute care, natural family living, and more.
More than anything, Dr. Emily hopes this community helps women feel more confident and empowered in caring for themselves and their families while building meaningful relationships with like-minded mothers walking a similar path. Her vision is to create a space rooted in wisdom, connection, encouragement, and a more intentional and grounded way of living for ourselves, our families, and future generations.
Alongside the community, Dr. Emily also offers a limited number of virtual consultations and care containers for mothers and families seeking more personalized support.
Faith & Philosophy
Faith is an important part of Dr. Emily’s life and work. As an Orthodox Christian, she believes deeply in the wisdom of creation, the importance of family and community, and caring for the body in alignment with God’s design for health and wholeness.
For patients and community members who share similar values, Dr. Emily loves creating space for deeper conversations surrounding faith, motherhood, healing, intentional living, and spiritual growth alongside the physical aspects of health.
At the heart of Dr. Emily’s work is a desire to help mothers and families reconnect with nature, strengthen vitality, cultivate meaningful community, and move toward a more intentional and grounded way of living.
