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About Us

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Our mission is to help you find your best health.

At the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM), we work for you. The you who wants to feel better than just okay. The you who wants honest and straightforward answers to your health concerns and questions. We believe in your body’s ability to heal when given the proper support. We want to empower you to take charge of your own health choices

In particular, we believe that naturopathic medicine, with its unique principles and practices, has the potential to be part of a prevention-focused, integrative healthcare system that can reverse the tide of chronic illness burdening the United States. Founded in 1993, we are an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that educates, raises awareness, and works to improve your access to evidence-based natural healthcare options. INM empowers patients to take control of their health journey by providing unbiased,evidence-based resources that address health promotion and disease prevention. Through our findanaturaldoctor.com database, we provide access to trustworthy and up-to-date information on licensed naturopathic doctors working in the U.S. and Canada.

INM is also deeply involved in the professional natural medicine community with our industry-leading residency consortium that provides quality medical residencies to newly graduated naturopathic doctors (NDs). We also founded and host the Naturopathic Medicine Collaborative, a collaborative group of 80+ stakeholder organizations in the natural medicine community. Our Primary Care Task Force (PCTF) seeks to address primary care physician shortages and provide better outcomes for underserved communities by integrating naturopathic doctors into Community Health Centers (CHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).  

Our multi-modality MD/DO board is leading the way on interprofessional and integrative medical education between MDs and NDs, most recently with “Whole Person Pain Care,” a collaborative lecture held at the University of Colorado, Denver, featuring John Finnell, ND, PhD(C), MPH, and Sharad Kohli, MD.

Medical Integrity

The Institute for Natural Medicine holds its leadership, medical experts, and content team to the highest evidence-based and peer-reviewed research and medical standards. We recognize that our value is only as great as your trust in us to produce accurate, meaningful, and safe health content. We utilize a rigorous editorial process and commitment to medical ethics to earn that trust.

INM’s interprofessionally-acclaimed publication, “Naturopathic Physicians as Whole Health Specialists: The Future is Whole Person Health Care” (2020), has been instrumental in defining naturopathic medicine’s role in the greater healthcare landscape. INM’s leadership has continued to make significant contributions through the Integrative Medicine Clinician’s Journal and collaborations with the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM), the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC), and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. 

Committed to impactful research that shows the efficacy of natural treatment options, INM’s research arm is continually developing new clinical studies and educational programs to expand the evidence base for natural and integrative treatment options. Our research is practical, seeking to identify areas where preventative, natural treatments can make significant impacts on community health and chronic disease. 

INM has proudly partnered with the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) to advance the education of practitioners, patients, and consumers concerning the safety and quality of dietary supplements. INM also works toward safer, high-quality supplement education and usage with the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP) and the American Botanical Council

The Institute has also represented naturopathic medicine at the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)‘s Whole Person Healthcare Stakeholder meeting.

Content Team

Contributors and Content Partners

Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC)

The AANMC was established in 2001 to advance the naturopathic medical profession by actively supporting the academic efforts of accredited and recognized schools of naturopathic medicine.

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)

Founded in 1985, the AANP is the national professional society representing licensed or licensable naturopathic physicians who are graduates of four-year, residential graduates programs.

Psychiatric Association of Naturopathic Physicians (PsychANP)

Founded in 2016, PsychANP is the leader in developing naturopathic mental health education and practice, including residencies and continuing education consistent with the evolving standards of naturopathic mental health.

Amy Hobson, ND

Dr. Hobson serves as an Advisor for the Power of Provider Initiative at the Washington State Department of Health and an Advisor to the American Medical Association’s CPT Editorial Panel. She is a former WANP Vice President and Governmental Affairs Chair and is a founding board member of the Naturopathic Academy of Primary Care Physicians.

Gaynel Nave, ND

Dr. Nave is a naturopathic educator and a board member of PsychANP. Her practice is focused on facilitating women reconnecting to their identities by addressing the connection between their hormonal and mental well-being.

Amy Rothenberg ND, DHANP

Dr. Rothenberg runs a private practice in Massachusetts and is the AANP 2017 Physician of the Year. Dr. Rothenberg's writing can be found on NaturalMed.org, Better Nutrition's Naturopathic Health Hub, Medium, Thrive Global, and The Huff Post.

BreAnna M. Guan, ND

Dr. Guan is the owner of Balanced Natural Heal, a women’s health and fertility practice. Her mission is empowering women and families to thrive during fertility, pregnancy, and parenthood, making a lasting impact on future generations.

Alex Tan, ND, MSN, PMHNP

Dr. Tan works at One Medical Group as a naturopathic primary care provider and after-hours provider on the triage team. He presently divides his time providing primary care, psychiatric medication management, psychotherapy, and serving as President of PsychANP.

Mona Fahoum, ND

Dr. Fahoum is the owner of Meridian Medicine and Essential Wellness, and holds advanced certification in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement. She serves as the Bastyr Center Clinical Services Director, is a past WANP president, and consults for Symphony Natural Health with a focus on women’s health.

Tara Peyman, ND

Dr. Peyman is vice president of PsychANP and clinical director of the Integrative Mental Health Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since 2007, she has focused on homeopathic and integrative treatment of bipolar disorder and mental illness.

Kimberly Lord Stewart

An investigative food journalist and food-labeling expert, Kimberly is the author of Eating Between the Lines and has worked as an executive-level editor for Today’s Practitioner, Functional Ingredients, Natural Food Merchandiser, and more. She is the recipient of two Association of Food Journalist awards.

Victoria Chan, ND

Dr. Chan focuses on integrative mental health care and is the founder of The Banish Anxiety Method, a program that addresses underlying causes of anxiety. She is a board member of PsychANP and aims to combine the best of modern medicine and natural modalities.

Lachlan Crawford, ND

Dr. Crawford is the Director of Integrative Medicine at Walden Behavioral Care, an inpatient facility for eating disorders and psychiatric conditions. She is a PsychANP board member and co-founder of Water and Wood, an experiential integrative medicine company.

Natiya Guin, ND, MEd

Dr. Guin's medical practice is centered on raising healthy families. She has taught medical courses within the University of California system and guest lectures at Bastyr University, LMU, and to communities globally on self-care, preventative care, family medicine, and pre- and post-natal care.

Editorial Process

Every person lives their best life when powered by their health.

It’s the vision that drives our content.

The Institute for Natural Medicine (INM) is dedicated to helping all people achieve their health goals. Our articles, interviews, podcasts, and videos explore your most pressing and perplexing questions about wellness and illness—from prevention and lifestyle choices to natural treatment and holistic, integrated care.

We want you to derive value from everything you read, listen to, and watch on our site and social channels. If our content inspires, informs, or empowers you, then we’re fulfilling our editorial goals.

When creating content, we aim to be clear, accurate, honest, sensitive, inclusive, and—most importantly—understood by our readers. The medical information and advice we provide are backed by scientific evidence. However, medical language can be difficult to understand. We want to break down complex concepts so you know exactly what you’re reading. When you finish an article, you should feel enlightened, not confused.

Editorial Standards

We have a high bar for editorial quality. Our readers expect no less. Every article on a particular condition or treatment is vetted, reviewed, and edited by a licensed doctor. Our editorial team comprises natural medicine’s preeminent experts. They are highly trained, widely respected, and well-versed in the latest scientific literature.

Writers, Editors, and SMEs

INM writers have years of experience covering health and wellness issues. Their diverse voices represent the health interests and needs of varied cultures and communities. Many have lived experience with the topics they address.

Our writers consult subject matter experts (SMEs) to infuse INM’s content with even more wisdom and credibility. SMEs are often medical experts but also patients, public health officials, advocates, and others on the frontline of health care and service.

The editorial team works tirelessly to ensure all content meets the highest standards for clarity, consistency, and correctness.

Supportive, Science-Based Evidence

All assertions related to health and medicine are supported by reputable sources, including peer-reviewed journals, technical reports, government publications, conference proceedings, and verified health and medical websites. Medical editors verify facts, claims, and references. INM prefers human research but will cite relevant animal research when clinical data is unavailable. References are cited inline and listed at the bottom of every article.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The foundations of whole health and natural medicine are also pillars of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe in meeting people where they’re at and honoring the traditions, cultures, and practices that shape the human experience.

Health equity can only be achieved if we talk about it. At INM, we don’t shy away from discussing disparities, injustice, and disproportionality. We seek to support and protect the health of all people. 

We are committed to improving health outcomes for communities of color, indigenous populations, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, and historically marginalized and underserved communities.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We constantly explore new tools and technology that help us communicate more effectively and expand our reach. Although we do not use artificial intelligence to generate copy, we rely on AI tools to streamline the editorial process and ensure our content is plagiarism-free.

Our Impatial Approach

INM writers strive to create objective content free of personal feelings, biases, and external influences. We do not endorse or reject particular points of view. Content of an opinionated nature, such as editorials and regular columns, is labeled as such. Any copy provided by or produced in partnership with an advertiser is marked “sponsored.”

Connect

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Vision

Whole person health enriched by the medicine of nature

Mission

Do everything we can to enhance the human potential for health

History

Founded in 1993 as a non-profit 501(c)3 in Oregon, INM was initially established to engage in philanthropy and advance public education concerning naturopathic medicine. Here is an overview of our journey:

1997: 

  • INM reorganizes and advances under the new leadership of INM Chair and NCNM President, Clyde Jensen, PhD.

2001: 

2003: 

  • INM plays a key role in obtaining licensure for naturopathic doctors in California.

2013: 

2015: 

  • Inaugural Naturally Well children’s nutritional education program launched at West San Gabriel Valley YMCA for both children and their families.

2016:

  • INM’s Community Outreach Coordinator Heather Carrie, MAS launches the Ambassador Program to help amplify accurate and up-to-date information on naturopathic medicine.

2017: 

  • INM and AANP launch the Campaign for Naturopathic Medicine, the first sustained national public awareness campaign on naturopathic medicine with a goal to provide a foundation of accurate, positive, targeted information about naturopathic medicine in media. 
  • INM launches a Patient Gallery with grateful patient testimonials from naturopathic medicine featured on the INM website.
  • 250 children are taught cooking, diet, and nutrition through the third Naturally Well health and wellness program.

2018: 

2019: 

  • INM hosts the Future of Naturopathic Medicine Conversation over the course of the year, with over 700 NDs participating
  • INM is awarded Guidestar Silver Transparency Status, a testament to its credibility and commitment to transparency, and continues to receive this distinction until awarded the Guidestar Gold Transparency designation in 2021.

2020: 

2021 

  • Guidestar Gold Transparency awarded, which continues to the present.
  • INM’s President & CEO, Michelle Simon, Ph.D., ND, presents at the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Strauss Wisneski Lecture series on “Developing Resilience in an Era of COVID.
  • INM’s ND and MD/DO Advisory Boards are established.
  • INM’s President & CEO, Michelle Simon, Ph.D., ND, publishes alongside INM Board members, Joseph Pizzorno, ND, and Joseph Katzinger, ND, Modifiable Risk Factors in Sars CoV-2 in Integrative Medicine Clinician’s Journal (open source in PubMed).

2022

  • NMSA-INM Business Series webinars launch to prepare ND students to run their clinics succcessfully.
  • Dr. Simon participates as an invited panelist at the NIH NCCIH Sponsored Stakeholder Meeting for Research on Whole Person Health.
  • INM reaches the top 8%, budget size-wise, of an estimated 1.7 million US non-profits.
  • INM launches a new Find an ND directory at www.FindaNaturalDoctor.com
  • INM Residency Consortium rolls out a pilot program with the first six of 82 drafted naturopathic primary care residency competencies known as Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs).

2023

  • INM Interprofessional Educational Series Launched with Complex Pain Management Webinar at UC Anschutz Medical Center, John Finnel, ND, LAc
  • Naturally Well classes launched at long-term partner Eje Academies Charter School, El Cajon, CA
  • Inaugural Food as Medicine clinical research program launched with participants in rural Cabarrus County, NC

Affiliations

Naturopathic Medicine Collaborative (NMC): We host a group of more than 80 stakeholder organizations in the naturopathic medical community to collaborate on naturopathic medical research and partner on campaigns that support the profession.

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP): INM is proud to be collaborating with AANP on the dynamic Campaign for Naturopathic Medicine to increase awareness of naturopathic medicine through foundational articles, inspiring patient testimonials, social media outreach, and more.

Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC): AANMC was established in 2001 to advance the naturopathic medical profession by actively supporting the academic efforts of accredited and recognized schools of naturopathic medicine. We are proud to partner with AANMC in inspiring and supporting the next generation of naturopathic doctors.

American Botanical Council (ABC):  Together, INM and ABC are collaborating on an herbal guide for consumers.

Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM):  INM is an organizational member of the AIHM.

EJE Academies: EJE Academies, a bilingual charter school in El Cajon, CA, is licensed to deliver Naturally Well kids healthy living and nutritional education program to 3rd and 5th grade classes.

Naturopathic Academy of Primary Care Physicians (NAPCP): INM and NAPCP collaborate on educational events for the INM Residency Consortium and through the Primary Care Taskforce.

Naturopathic Medical Student Association (NMSA):  INM and NMSA have an agreement to work collaboratively together.  Together, they produced a business success webinar series and have successfully collaborated on joint fundraising efforts for mutually beneficial initiatives.

Northwest Rural Primary Care Association (NWRPCA):  INM and the NWRPCA collaborate on the Primary Care Outreach Taskforce and on a job board in community health centers and FQHCs.

United Natural Products Association (UNPA:  INM and UNPA have agreed to collaborate on educating practitioners, patients, and consumers concerning the safety and quality of dietary supplements.

World Naturopathic Federation (WNF):  INM is an organizational member of the WNF and had participated in stakeholder position statements and letters.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Institute for Natural Medicine (INM) recognizes that health equity can only be achieved by meaningfully addressing the social determinants of health that contribute to health disparities in our communities.  Each person possesses intersecting identities based on, but not limited to, their age, racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, gender, socioeconomic, and physical dis/abilities. INM strives to provide comprehensive whole person health education that honors the diversity of traditions, cultures, and ways of life within the human experience. We believe that awareness of how these factors interact with one another is the most effective way to provide equitable and comprehensive healthcare access, education, and research for all ages and people.

As an organization, we reaffirm that the foundations of whole health and integrative medicine are inseparable from the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strive to be an anti-racist institution that acknowledges the structural inequities in our society and, in particular, our healthcare system. Through our promotion of holistic practices, whole person health care, natural health, and integrative medicine, we seek to meaningfully contribute towards a society that equitably supports the health of all people.

In our messaging, we seek to elevate the voices of historically marginalized groups. We consider accessibility as a significant factor when disseminating our materials. We commit to considering diversity and cultural background when hiring. 

INM is committed to adapting and collaborating across systems to empower all people in their health, including communities of color, indigenous populations, LGBTQIA2S+ Americans, and other historically marginalized and underserved communities.

Ads & Sponsorship

INM remains steadfast in its commitment to independent and unbiased content creation, prioritizing the interests of our audience and mission over the influence of paid ads or sponsors.

INM is funded through a combination of individual donors, corporate sponsors, and organizational partnerships. We transparently list all of our current donors and funders on our Donors and Sponsors page. Our content and editorial decisions are never influenced by our sponsors or donors.

Collaborative content with our partners (such as the AANP) or collaborative programs with any of our sponsors are clearly marked and co-branded. In such cases, partner organizations may review or provide input on programs or content. However, in all such cases, INM continues to hold all our collaborative work to our high standards of medical integrity, accuracy, and integrity.

We also choose not to display paid advertisements on our website or on any of our affiliate program websites. This is an intentional decision to protect the integrity of the information we share with our audience, ensuring that we only share accurate and trustworthy information on natural medicine. 

Terms & Conditions

INM aims to educate, raise awareness, and work to improve your access to a system of natural healing led by naturopathic doctors. Content on this website is not meant to diagnose or treat individuals and is not a substitute for consulting with your doctor. Always seek assessments and treatment from qualified health professionals for your conditions and concerns. If you suspect you or a loved one are experiencing a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.

Privacy Policy

INM is dedicated to safeguarding your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. We may collect information such as your name, email address, and other relevant details to improve your experience with our services. We will never share your information with third parties without your explicit consent, except when required by law. Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for enhancing functionality and tailoring content to your preferences. 

We take all necessary precautions to protect your data, maintain its accuracy, and ensure its confidentiality. By using our services, you agree to this policy and any updates made to it. Please visit this page to view the full Privacy Policy:

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