Frequently Asked Questions

A Naturopathic Doctor (ND) has a total of 8 years of training. After receiving a 4 year bachelor degree they attend a 4-year graduate-level medical school and are educated in conventional medical sciences including anatomy, physiology, microbiology, immunology, clinical and physical diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis, cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology and pediatric care.

In addition to the standard medical curriculum, they are required to complete training in clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine and counseling. Upon completion of medical school graduates must pass rigorous science and clinical board exams to be licensed by the state as a primary care doctor.

No. We are a cash based practice. Even if we were covered in-network as NDs in California, we would not take insurance because it really limits how we can help you.

Initial consultations are $495. This purpose of this appointment is to assess your current state of health and determine the reason for your current state of health a and an analysis and assessment of our current health and get a good understanding of what is going on in your body. Before receiving treatment and a plan you must purchase a program. Due to the personalization of our programs, pricing varies as a result we will give you an exact price at the end of your first visit.

We have found that the quickest way to have the biggest impact on someone’s health is to do a health immersion program (Our Wellness Boutique Programs). Most often they are in person, but can also be virtual when patients do not live in the area. We don’t want to just give you information, we actually want to change the trajectory of your life and programs are the best way to achieve this goal.

The only times your insurance will come into play at Wellness Architecture is when we order standard blood work AND/OR if you have flex spending or an HSA you would like to use. We are happy to write a letter to have this approved if you need. Most of the time you can just use your benefits card with no hassle.

If you have a PPO, you can use your insurance for standard blood work. If you have a high deductible, it may be more cost effective to pay cash for your labs. There is a very extensive panel that we order at the beginning of your process that we have a negotiated price of less than $225. Insurance charges over $3000 for the same panel.

Yes. It is standard for us to order an extensive panel of bloodwork at the beginning of your program. We typically order labs 3-4 x year during a HealthSpan program. If we need to monitor something we may do this more often.

Yes. We typically reserve speciality testing for the end of our Wellness Boutique Programs or at the start of our HealthSpan Programs. The reason for this is that over the years I have realized the need for specialty testing is often eliminated during the process of getting healthy and does not change the outcome. If you have a special interest in speciality testing during your Wellness Boutique Program and don’t mind the added cost, please ask.

This is not standard or typical, but in certain cases we will give you a superbill. For most of our patients this does not fit in our model of healing.

We prefer check, ACH or direct bank account payments through Quickbooks. We also take Visa and MasterCard for programs and supplements. There is a 3% service fee for programs paid by credit card.

In order to ensure that we have room in our schedule for all of our patients, we have a 2 business day cancellation policy. We require prepayment for initial consultations. The fee for missed appointments is the cost of the visit. Of course, exceptions can be made for unique circumstances.

We have both online and in-office stores. You may choose to have your products shipped or come and pick them up at our office. If there is a product or prescription that you need please give us one week notice in case we have low stock to ensure you don’t miss any days taking your supplement. What you need will generally be in stock, but there are a few items that are special order and require a little more time to receive in the office for you.

The supplement industry is an unregulated industry. Quality and expiration dates are questionable when purchased through online vendors. Often when you purchase online to find a lower price you are getting expired products or from illegal sellers. An example is fish oil. If you purchase through an unreliable source, you may be ingesting something that causes inflammation rather than squelches it. To ensure you are getting the results we know we get from our supplements, our preference is that you purchase through us. We get our products directly through the manufacturers and have professional accounts with these companies.

Typically professional lines are only sold through the manufacturer. We want to make sure the supplements you take are the ones we prescribe because we know the results we can expect. We don’t want you to waste your time or money on questionable items.

The resounding answer is NO! Unless there is something anatomically broken, or missing, 99% of the time, we can fix it. And when I say anatomically, I mean no cartilage between joints, or permanent damage from past medical interventions. Things like that. And if you are unsure if we can help you, please schedule a discovery call.

Your body will detoxify in the process of our programs, but we do not do any intentional chelation. If you have known heavy metal toxicity and require chelation, we are not a fit for you.

No. In the United States it is prohibited to treat cancer with natural medicine. We can however, help you get back on your feet after treatment. There are other doctors who specialize in supporting your body while you are going through treatment. And we are happy to refer you to someone who can assist you.

No. We do not specialize in treating Lyme disease. But we can refer you to someone who can.