We recently connected with Dr. Liz Roper and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Liz , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?
Some of my most beautiful moments in this medicine is working with women deemed “infertile”. I’ll tell a story about just one case where there was a couple who was trying to conceive naturally for 5 years unsuccessfully. I worked with both the husband and wife for 3 months and then they moved further away. I didn’t see them for a while but I found out later they got pregnant that 4th month. I didn’t get any updates from them till about 1 year later. They had actually gotten pregnant right after their last session with me but unfortunately had lost the baby. They were finally able to conceive but couldn’t hold onto a pregnancy. They suffered 5 devastating miscarriages from the time I saw them last. They reached out and I asked them to please make the drive and start coming back in. I wanted the woman to hold off on trying to get pregnant until her body was ready and strong enough. We had to work on replenishing her body with the lost nutrients, balance out her hormones again, and focus on the grief and frustration that was being held in her body. We needed to rebuild her uterine lining so that it was thick enough to provide the nourishment that a fertilized egg needs and make sure her egg was top quality. Once we determined she was ready they ended up getting pregnant on their first try. It is incredibly important to continue pregnancy care to ensure adequate blood flow to the uterus and keep the mom balanced in a way that can sustain a pregnancy. I had her come in 2 times a week throughout her first trimester and weekly during her second. She still was struggling accepting that this pregnancy was going to “stick” even in her third trimester because recurrent pregnancy loss is incredibly traumatic. I prepped her for labor and then later helped induced her for a natural childbirth that she handled beautifully. It wasn’t until she finally held her little girl in her arms that she finally accepted that this was all real. Fertility work is extremely emotional and I get really involved with my patients. I grieve with them and I celebrate with them. Seeing the change in her face when she finally understood she is a mom to this new baby girl was the most amazing and emotional experience I’ve had to date. That one moment. Pure love and relief. That all the pain she had been through was worth it.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I got into this medicine because the lack of answers in my own health journey. I knew I wanted to try natural medicine but there are so many different modalities it became overwhelming. My background is in Chemistry and I believe in research and science so I wanted to find a modality that was proven clinically. Eastern Medicine has been unchanged. Thousands of years of intense observation and data collected and tested on how the body responds and moves in a physical, mental and emotional level. When I began my studies I was blown away. I knew I was on the right path.
When I began my practice I started out more generalized but the longer I treat patients the more I see where the need is for Eastern Medicine. I end up treating patients that have tried everything and nobody could help them. I still am a general practitioner but I focus heavily on Gynecological issues like PCOS and Endometriosis. Half of my practice is probably fertility and then naturally pregnant women. I love to help people dealing with any psycho-emotional issues such as anxiety or depression. I also love working with people trying to understand their gut health and the issues around that. As a whole though, I excel in complex chronic illnesses.
The Medicine Tree has become like a family to most of my patients. It is a warm and inviting clinic that is truly part of the Golden Community. We are helping people feel their best and giving them the tools they need to take control of their own health. Education is a key part of our patient’s success. We empower.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Listening. Active listening. When a patient comes in, they have typically seen lots of other providers and don’t feel anyone is hearing what they have to say. If the lab work comes back “clean” then they get dismissed. It is incredible the change you can see in a person when someone takes the time to listen to their story.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I am a busy mom of two littles and I am building a practice from the ground up. I quickly got to what I considered “success” but realized it wasn’t all I had hoped for. I was on the fast track to burn out. I had to reflect on what was exhausting me so much because when I am with my patients I feel energized but at the end of the day I was left with nothing for my family. I had to figure out how to live my life in balance. I closed down for a few months during high times of covid and this gave me the space I needed to rework my clinic structure. I realized I needed to hire more help and strategize. I have ADHD and I work best when busy and focused. The practice I was running before I wore too many hats. Now I am laser focused on what is in front of me without switching gears. I have dedicated patient hours, dedicated office hours and I schedule treatment planning, education and research instead of doing it all sprinkled around each day. It has been a game changer in my efficacy! What works for others may not be best for you so it is always advised to know what your needs are, how does your brain work and thrive?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.getmedicinetree.com
- Instagram: medtreegolden
- Facebook: @themedicinetreegolden
Image Credits
Annabelle Denmark