The Picture of Happiness – My Apple Tree

It’s The Picture of Happiness Month here on Dr. Stephanie.

Today’s guest is Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel.  She says:

Our apple tree blooming in spring is a sweet reminder of my daughter’s birth and of the fruits yet to come.

 

For Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel, Springtime + Apple Trees = Happiness

For Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel, Springtime + Apple Trees = Happiness

 

Dr Kaycie Rosen Grigel owns the Golden Naturopathic Clinic, LLC in Golden, Colorado.  She specializes in hormone balancing, digestive disorders, immunity, and head and neck pain.  She loves gardening and cooking and can often be found having outdoor adventures with her husband, two daughters, and dog Sultana.

Dr Kaycie Rosen Grigel owns the Golden Naturopathic Clinic, LLC in Golden, Colorado. She specializes in hormone balancing, digestive disorders, immunity, and head and neck pain. She loves gardening and cooking and can often be found having outdoor adventures with her husband, two daughters, and dog Sultana.

Being a Mom Has Taught Me How to Do My Job

(photo caption) Me with my 2 girls, mother, and grandmother on Mother’s day 2012.

Welcome to Moms’ Month on Dr. Stephanie! This month I will be featuring guest posts from some awesome moms around the country.  They will be sharing tips, tricks, and funny stories about motherhood.  This will be a fun celebration – thanks for joining us!  Today’s author is Dr. Kaycie Rosen Grigel.  Welcome, Kaycie!

Me with my 2 girls, mother, and grandmother on Mother’s day 2012

My name is Kaycie Rosen Grigel, ND, and I am the mother of two girls ages 2 and 3.  I live, work, play, and garden in Golden Colorado, and own the Golden Naturopathic Clinic,LLC. For my career I chose to be a Naturopathic Doctor; we are primary care doctors who focus on addressing the underlying factors of disease and using the least invasive therapies possible to correct any imbalances in the body.  I also co-author a blog called Health From the Hearth which focuses on helping families learn to eat well to support their body’s health needs in each season of the year.

What I have learned from being a mom is that each of us as mothers are true doctors to our children.  In my practice, I listen to each patient, get to know them, then set out a plan for helping them understand how to care for themselves so they can feel their best.  This includes helping them learn how to eat properly, sleep well, exercise, feel good about their relationships, and take medications when appropriate.  In Naturopathic Medicine, one of our fundamental principles of practice is the latin word Docere–this defines doctors as teachers.  Similarly, as mothers our job is to nurture our children in a way that ultimately helps them learn to care for themselves and thrive as independent beings.

Beyond the theoretical similarities between my work and mothering, being a mom has deepened my skills as a doctor in a very tangible way.  For my pediatric patients, I better understand the subtleties of what they may be experiencing, what treatments work best for different situations, and even what they will be willing and able to take.  Similarly, for my adult patients, I better understand the time and energy constraints that contribute to habits that are detrimental to health.  This includes things like forgetting to eat until dinner, not getting enough exercise, or not sleeping through the night for four years running.  In my office, people have the opportunity to examine the template of how their life is laid out and make changes that ultimately will improve their health.  As a mother, I get to facilitate that process and help my children make the same types of good choices every day.