We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carrie T. Dennie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carrie T. below.

Alright, Carrie T. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

One of my favorite clients I’ve ever had is a lovely lady whom I’ll call Jane. Jane came to see me with a primary concern of GERD or acid reflux. She had been taking 2 medications for acid reflux for over 10 years and had recently discovered during her first DEXA (bone density) scan that she had osteopenia (initial stage bone loss) and osteoporosis (more severe bone loss) in different areas of her spine. She had done some research on Google and discovered that chronic use of
acid reflux medications can increase the risk of bone density loss. She came to me to try to wean herself off her medication. After making sure she had the approval of her Primary care doctor (who prescribed the meds), we started working
together. The whole process took about 6 months and by the end she was successfully off both of her medications and managing her acid reflux naturally. She went from having acid reflux after every meal and at bedtime to only
experiencing it when she ate out and likely was exposed to some of her triggers. At our last appointment, Jane expressed that she was so happy to have achieved her goal and that she was surprised how other areas of her health improved. She
specifically mentioned better quality bowel movements, improved sleep quality and stress management. She expressed how much she enjoyed working with me and that she would be recommending my care to her loved ones. Coincidentally,
Jane recently reached out after having an acute stomach bug that sent her to the ER. We had a lovely phone appointment and she stated that she just had to contact me because she knew I would help her with what to eat while she was recovering from the bug and provide any support to make sure her gut healed up. She also shared that she is still managing her acid reflux naturally and that she still rarely experiences the reflux.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi! My name is Dr. Carrie and I was born and raised in Kalamazoo, MI. I always knew that I wanted to be a doctor and I’ve always been drawn to helping people. I’m passionate, nonjudgmental and detail-oriented when it comes to the care of my patients. Why? Because I know firsthand about the mental turmoil that occurs when you’ve been told that you don’t have alternatives to the care you’ve been prescribed. In the past I felt hopeless, discouraged, frustrated and ignored regarding my health care which ultimately led me to a decision to find another way to care for others. Once I realized that I would have to be my own advocate, I began reading books and scouring the internet for alternative ways to help improve my health. When I discovered Naturopathic medicine, I knew it was my calling. I packed up my life and moved to the Chicagoland area to attend National University of Health Sciences (NUHS). During my time there, I was able to get off the prescription drugs and learned many tools that I use to support my health. I successfully completed an internship at the integrative medical clinic at NUHS which focused on developing patient-centered wellness plans to improve a variety of health conditions using natural methods.

I graduated with my Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine. While at NUHS, I tried acupuncture for the first time and fell in love with it. I eventually dual enrolled and graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Science in Acupuncture degree, as the valedictorian of my class.

Naturopathic medicine is a holistic system of medicine which supports the natural healing ability of the body. It is a combination of the wisdom of nature and the rigors of modern science and medicine. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage clients with acute and chronic conditions, while addressing disease and dysfunction at the level of body, mind and spirit. NDs focus on whole person wellness through health promotion and disease prevention while identifying and addressing the underlying causes of each individual person’s condition. NDs are trained as primary care providers and specialize in natural healing modalities such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, vitamins, minerals and botanical supplements, homeopathy, clinical and functional lab testing, pharmacology, drug-nutrient interactions and more. My aim is to personalize care and provide my clients with a wellness plan that is tailored to the individual and their lifestyle. I am also passionate about educating and empowering my clients to actively participate in managing their own health.

The art of practicing Naturopathic medicine is working individually with each person to help them understand what is going on in their body so that they can make educated choices regarding their health care. My goal is to equip and empower each person with the tools to maintain and advocate for their own health. I do this by taking the time to understand your unique situation in order to create a personalized wellness plan because it is a great privilege to be entrusted with your wellbeing.
My areas of interest include general medicine (ie. cold/flu or infections), dermatological conditions, gastrointestinal dysfunction, allergies, women’s health, infertility support, stress management, weight management, detoxification, and complementary health care.

I am also an Acupuncturist. Acupuncture is a healing technique that is over 4,000 years old. It originated in China and is practiced on almost every continent due to its efficacy. Acupuncture is all about balance – Qi or vital energy runs in our bodies in channels to nourish organs and tissues. When Qi is depleted, in excess or blocked it can cause pain, dysfunction and illness. Each treatment involves the insertion of hair-thin, sterile needles into specific points on the channels to affect the flow of Qi and restore balance.

I believe that Naturopathic medicine and Acupuncture are powerful tools to restore health and maintain wellness. My strategy is always to look at the whole person and identify the root cause of illness while supporting the innate ability of the body to heal.

In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends, reading books, traveling, eating delicious food and being active.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I would totally choose Naturopathic medicine again. I am proud to be an expert in holistic health and I leave work every day feeling so fulfilled because I’m able to help my clientele understand what’s going on in their bodies and improve their health as we work together. I am different from other doctors in that I strive to approach each client visit with kindness and without judgment. I take the time to listen to my clients, understand their health concerns and get a clear picture of their health at their initial appointment. I think my willingness to work with my clients at the pace that they feel comfortable is something that sets me apart from other practitioners. I understand that healing is a journey and I want my clients to feel empowered and be successful at achieving their health goals.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

My most effective strategy for growing my clientele is word of mouth referrals. Naturopathic medicine is not as well known in Michigan so the word of mouth referrals are effective because my clients are likely sharing their experience working with me and their friends and family members can ask them questions. It all boils down to trust. My clients trust me and will refer their loved ones to me because they see the benefit in the care that I provide.

One other strategy I use is networking and visibility. I try to make as many connections as possible in Grand Rapiids and beyond and I’m always looking to build my referral network so that if my clients need another type of practitioner, I can provide them with one who can provide them with a quality service or care. I am always open to speaking about Naturopathic medicine and sharing tips to help people improve their health.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://integrativewellnessgr.com/experts/carrie-dennie/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cdenniend
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cdenniend
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-t-dennie-nd-msac-5642411b
• Other: https://linktr.ee/Cdenniend https://www.drcarriend.com

Image Credits
Fresh Start Studios