A Pulmonologist’s Journey: Blending Expertise, Compassion, and Whole-Person Care
In 2006, I came to Denver to begin my fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado. I remained in academic medicine at National Jewish Health for over a decade, where I helped establish a multidisciplinary Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Clinic and a Chronic Respiratory Failure Clinic for those with muscular dystrophies, late stage COPD, and other causes of a weakened diaphragm.
It was there that I found some of the most meaningful work of my career.
Caring for individuals living with ALS and supporting their families is both humbling and deeply connecting. ALS brings a wide spectrum of emotions, including fear, uncertainty, and grief, but also profound expressions of love, resilience, and connection. Being invited into that journey is a privilege I take very seriously. My work has focused on helping patients navigate respiratory challenges, anticipate changes, and maintain quality of life with dignity and clarity.
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, I served on the front lines in hospitals across the country. At that time, we had limited therapies and no vaccines. What struck me most was the unpredictability of the disease. Some patients with significant underlying conditions survived, while others who were previously healthy did not.
It raised a question that stayed with me: how can physicians better support patients facing potentially life-threatening illness?
This question echoed what I had witnessed in ALS care and some cause of Chronic Respiratory Failure. Health and illness cannot always be explained by physiology alone. There are deeper layers such as resilience, environment, nutrition, movement, spirituality, and connection that shape outcomes in ways we are still working to understand.
These experiences changed the trajectory of my work.
I began to intentionally expand my approach, integrating evidence-based practices such as breathing techniques, nutrition, stress regulation, and mindfulness alongside conventional pulmonary care. I entered a fellowship program through the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine to bring a more comprehensive, whole-person framework into my clinical practice.
At the same time, the pandemic highlighted a growing tension in modern healthcare. I found that the time and presence required to truly understand patients, especially those facing complex and life-altering illnesses, often conflicted with the constraints of insurance-driven systems.
In response, I founded Integrative Pulmonary Clinic. The clinic is built around a simple but essential principle: patients deserve time, attention, and care that considers the full picture of their health—the body, the mind, their values, and their environment. This approach is especially important in conditions like ALS, where thoughtful respiratory care, proactive planning, and emotional support all play a critical role.
Take the Next Step
If you or a loved one are navigating a chronic respiratory condition or seeking a more thoughtful and personalized approach to pulmonary care, I invite you to learn more about Integrative Pulmonary Clinic.
Schedule a consultation, explore our approach, or reach out with questions.
Appointments can be scheduled here without a referral.
Please join us at our next event: ALS and Breathing: A Guide for Patients and Families.
May 6, 2026: 6:00 PM MST
Fee: Free
Register here
Or later that same day:
May 6, 2026: 6:00 PM MST
Fee: Free
Register here
Who it’s for:
Anyone with ALS
Caregivers of those with ALS
Providers who care for ALS
Putting My Own Oxygen Mask on First
For 15 years, I have cared for patients with a wide range of lung conditions in both clinics and hospitals. Over time, I realized I often felt frustrated when patients struggled to change habits that were harming their health. Eventually, I understood that my frustration was not with them — it was with the limitations of the medical system and with my own inability to fully support them in the ways they needed.
Like many physicians, I frequently had too little time to explore the true roots of my patients' health concerns. Healing involves the whole person, yet my specialty training often narrowed my focus to pulmonary symptoms rather than the deeper causes or the broader life context. Administrative responsibilities such as billing and documentation also took me away from the meaningful conversations I knew my patients wanted and deserved.
Although I had spent a decade in training and had access to advanced medical equipment, I realized that some situations required options beyond medication or procedures to create meaningful, lasting change.
This clarity led me to action.
My Journey Into Integrative Medicine
In 2024, I joined the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, a program that blends conventional treatments with scientifically supported complementary therapies.
Integrative Medicine helped me connect the dots between symptoms, lifestyle, and root causes through a whole-systems lens. It evaluates six foundational pillars of health — nutrition, sleep, body, mind, connections/community, and spirituality — and tailors care to each patient’s individual values and needs. It also provides evidence-based tools such as breathing practices, acupuncture, nutrition guidance, mindfulness, and herbal therapies to help restore balance and promote healing.
Turning the Mirror Toward My Own Health
One of the unexpected gifts of this journey was discovering how much my own pillars of health needed attention. Some were cracked; others were nearly toppling.
To rebuild my foundation, I started with two areas: mind and body. I wrote myself a “prescription”:
• Meditate for 10 minutes each day
• Walk 10,000 steps daily — no matter the weather, my schedule, or travel
Caring for my own health made me better equipped to care for my patients. It deepened my empathy, sharpened the tools I use in practice, and grounded my recommendations in lived experience.
As we hear on every airplane: Put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others.
Introducing Integrative Pulmonary Clinic
This insight is why I am excited to launch Integrative Pulmonary Clinic with a series of Zoom webinars that bring my own health journey alongside yours. These short, practical sessions explore the six pillars of health using tools and practices I use personally and have seen make a meaningful difference.
I am truly excited to share them with you.
We are all on this journey together — and we thrive when we support one another.
Upcoming Events
These events are designed to be affordable, practical, and accessible to anyone, no matter where you live. You do not need to be a patient of Integrative Pulmonary Clinic to attend.
Understanding Sleep: Science, Myths, and Practical Tools
Struggling with sleep or curious if trackers and sleep aids really work? Join a sleep physician for a clear and practical session for both patients and clinicians.
We will cover:
• Realistic sleep goals
• Insomnia and common myths
• Wearable and tracker accuracy
• The role of sleep aids
• What truly supports restorative sleep
Fee: Free
Date: December 8, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM MST
Register here
Rise with Purpose: 7-Day Guided Morning Routine
Start your mornings with clarity, intention, and energy.
For seven days, join a guided 30-minute morning practice including journaling, movement, meditation, visualization, affirmations, and reading.
We will also explore the science behind these practices and how they support mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Dates: December 10–16, 2025
Time: Daily, 6:00–6:30 AM MST
Fee: $20 total for all 7 days
Register here
Healthy Snacks Made Simple
Learn easy, nourishing snack ideas that fit a busy life, plus recipes you can start using right away. Come and get inspired.
Fee: $10
Date: December 12, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM MST
Register here
Book Club: How to Know a Person
Join us to explore powerful insights from How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks.
We will discuss practical wisdom for understanding others with generosity, depth, and curiosity — even when we differ.
Fee: $10
Date: December 17, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM MST
Time: 7:00 PM MST
Register here