IPC is Growing: Finding Clarity Through Collaboration

Starting a new business has been both exciting and humbling. As a first-time business owner, I have intentionally grown Integrative Pulmonary Clinic (IPC) slowly and thoughtfully. I wanted to make sure that any growth remained true to my values and, most importantly, responsive to the needs of my patients.

Over the past few months, I have gained a greater sense of clarity about the role IPC can play in our community. Two collaborations in particular have helped shape that vision.

Partnering with ALS United Rocky Mountain

One of the most meaningful developments has been my collaboration with ALS United Rocky Mountain. Caring for individuals living with ALS and supporting their families has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.

As I wrote in a recent blog for ALS United Rocky Mountain:

"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 do not take lightly."

You can read the full blog here:

This collaboration inspired me to begin offering free educational programs focused on the impact of ALS on breathing and lung function. These events have brought me tremendous fulfillment.

After one presentation, a friend and colleague shared this feedback from an attendee living with ALS: "She is still talking about how much she loved your talk! She loved the diagrams and how you explained how diaphragm weakness affects breathing and appreciated your explanations of what she has been observing."

Another attendee wrote: "You did an excellent job presenting the information. I especially liked the explanation of how ALS actually affects the diaphragm."

Hearing comments like these reinforces my belief that patients and families benefit from clear, practical information delivered with compassion.

Through this collaboration, I hope to be a resource for individuals living with ALS and help them navigate their health journey with greater confidence and understanding. IPC will also be participating in upcoming ALS United Rocky Mountain events, including the annual ALS Walk.

Expanding to Boulder Through Helios Integrated Medicine

The second exciting development has been my collaboration with Helios Integrated Medicine in Boulder.

Helios is a well-established integrative medicine practice that brings together a variety of healing disciplines, including women's health, Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, IV therapies, and other integrative services.

Beginning in May 2026, IPC started offering integrative pulmonary care at the Helios offices in Boulder on Tuesday mornings. This partnership expands access to comprehensive pulmonary care that combines evidence-based pulmonary medicine with integrative approaches that support whole-person health.

I am excited to bring this model of care to Boulder and collaborate with the talented team at Helios to help patients breathe better, feel better, and improve their quality of life.

Who Benefits Most from IPC?

These collaborations have done more than expand the reach of IPC. They have helped me better understand where our clinic can provide the greatest value.

Through my work with ALS United Rocky Mountain, I have seen how much patients and families benefit from having a pulmonary physician who can help translate complex medical information into practical next steps. Through my partnership with Helios Integrated Medicine, I have been reminded that many patients are seeking a more holistic approach to respiratory health, one that considers not only the lungs, but also sleep, stress, nutrition, movement, and overall well-being.

As a result, I have gained greater clarity about the patients who are most likely to benefit from our services.

Patients with Neuromuscular Diseases such as ALS

Patients living with ALS and other neuromuscular conditions often face complex respiratory challenges that require specialized expertise, careful monitoring, and thoughtful coordination.

Multidisciplinary ALS clinics remain the gold standard of care. These clinics bring together neurologists, respiratory therapists, speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other specialists to create a coordinated treatment plan.

IPC serves as a complement to these multidisciplinary teams by helping patients and families implement recommendations between clinic visits. Through home visits, telehealth, pulmonary expertise, and extended clinic appointments, we aim to help patients stay out of the hospital, prevent respiratory complications, and maintain the highest possible quality of life.

Patients Seeking an Integrative Approach to Breathing Health

Many patients are looking for ways to improve their breathing and overall health while minimizing unnecessary testing and medications whenever appropriate.

Integrative pulmonary care focuses on understanding the factors that influence breathing beyond the lungs alone. This may include stress management, mindfulness practices, nutrition, sleep optimization, breathing techniques, physical activity, and social connection.

For many patients, these approaches complement traditional medical care and can meaningfully improve symptoms and quality of life.

Looking Ahead

When I came to Denver in 2006 to complete my pulmonary and critical care fellowship at the University of Colorado, I could not have predicted where this journey would lead. My years at National Jewish Health, caring for patients with complex respiratory diseases and helping establish the Chronic Respiratory Failure Clinic, taught me the importance of expertise. My experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic taught me the importance of seeing patients as whole people. My training through the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine showed me that healing often involves much more than medications and procedures alone.

Integrative Pulmonary Clinic was born from the desire to bring these lessons together, combining advanced pulmonary medicine with a whole-person approach while providing patients and families the time, accessibility, and support they deserve.

Today, I care for individuals with asthma, COPD, sleep disorders, long COVID, chronic respiratory failure, neurological and neuromuscular diseases, and other complex pulmonary conditions. My goal is simple: to help each patient feel heard, cared for, and empowered to be an active participant in their health journey.

As IPC continues to grow, I remain committed to the reason I started this clinic in the first place: providing thoughtful, compassionate care that gives patients the time, expertise, and support they need to navigate complex health challenges. I am grateful to the patients, families, colleagues, and community partners who have joined me on this journey, and I look forward to continuing to learn, serve, and grow alongside you.

Thank you for being part of the IPC community.