Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rhonda Steinke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rhonda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

In my undergraduate training at Marquette University, I was working as a Certified Nurses Assistant on a Medical/Surgical floor of a hospital gaining hours of experience to apply into the Physicians Assistant program. I observed morbidly obese patients allowed to eat high caloric foods with little nutritional value. I observed patients laying in bed attached to pain medicine pumps looking lifeless until a loved one came in and sung a song or brushed their hair. After observing these simple valuable parts to health we overlook in medicine I knew I wanted to practice different. I wanted training that looked at the body as a whole system. I wanted to learn how to enhance “life” in a patient so their symptoms weren’t just managed, they were well. I wanted a career where the patient was involved in the conversation of where the disease came from and what was needed from them to heal.

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 practice Naturopathic Medicine. As physicians we first make sure our clients are medically safe. I refer frequently to medical doctors for medical management and prefer to focus on areas people feel lacking in their health plan. Some patients symptoms do not qualify for a medicine so we find a subtle more natural medicine. Others the medicine doesn’t work so we find a safe alternative. Some patients believe the medicine makes them feel terrible so we look for something safe to add to improve their symptoms so they can remain on the necessary medicine. Here is an example, let’s say someone with Menopausal hot flashes that is fearful of taking Hormone Replacement medicine we will start by improve categories of health and use dietary therapy, maybe some hormone modulating botanicals, a homeopathic remedy and some Pranic Healing. All of these things improve the vitality of the patient helping them become more resilient and healthy in all aspects of life. Maybe it is Hormone Replacement Therapy that is needed in the long run maybe it isn’t but the patient becomes healthier in the process. Often times I’m working with people who may have a disease but it is not the main thing affecting their quality of life. Let’s say someone with Diabetes and they know they need to walk but their feet hurt too bad to walk. So we will work with physical medicine, Acupuncture and Pranic Healing to improve the pain and slowly add in fitness goals customized to improving blood sugar levels.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2018, my husband and co-owner of our practice, Health Through Nature had the opportunity to join a practice where he could create more of an impact than our small private practice. Without him practicing in the office, I couldn’t make it financially, something had to change. I was offered advice that the best thing the practice had to offer was our advice. I took that to heart and made big changes. It wasn’t easy but our employees found different opportunities, I moved from an office suite into a room, stopped an in-house medicinary and started answering my own phones. Our overhead was cut 80%. It was a humbling change but our patients were still taken care of and that was the most important thing. I had no idea this would have been what was necessary as a business to get through the upcoming times of the pandemic.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn the standard image of a physician. The definition of physician is simple, a person that is qualified to practice medicine. There has been judgement passed in how I practice medicine even though I’m qualified and this has brought insecurity.

Over the years I’ve gained confidence in my specialty as a physician. My mission is to help people heal in the least invasive most effective way, to help people have vibrant living and quality of life. I’ve found comfort in this quote: “The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease”—Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)”.

One memorable comment from a patient is a mom who stated their 2 year old son was so excited to “go to Dr. Steinke’s house”. No fear, no dread of seeing the doctor. This is the way I want all people to feel about their doctors visits that they are excited to go, have a great experience, feel trusted and listened to, and feel better after they leave.

Contact Info:

• Website: healththroughnature.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healththroughnature/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthtnature
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-steinke-1363a61b9/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/healthTnature
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@healththroughnature
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/health-through-nature-gilbert-2
• Other: Pranic Healing website: healththroughprana.com

Image Credits
Matthew Potts