Wild Fern Natural Health, founded by Dr. Brigid Crowe in 2010, is making quite a name for itself as Ashland’s preferred naturopathic clinic. Not long after moving to the current location at 64 N. 3rd St. in downtown Ashland, Dr. Brigid expanded the Wild Fern Natural Health team to include Dr. Christina Caselli, ND, and office manager Lindsay Trevino. Together, these three women are transforming the lives of Rogue Valley residents seeking optimal health.
Most patients come to Wild Fern Natural Health frustrated by symptoms such as headaches, mood swings, low energy, poor sleep, and weight gain. While many are women in their 40s and 50s, the clinic treats people of all ages. Regardless of age or gender, one thing is clear—patients who dedicate themselves to a customized treatment plan at Wild Fern Natural Health get well.
We recently had the chance to chat with Dr. Brigid, Dr. Christina, and Lindsay to learn what the buzz is all about at Wild Fern Natural Health.
Thanks so much for speaking with us today. Wild Fern Natural Health has really grown since we last spoke. Tell us about some of the exciting changes that have taken place over the past year.
Brigid: Thanks so much. We’ve worked hard to get where we are today. It’s really satisfying to know that we’re impacting the health of so many in our community every single day. We continually strive to do our best and we’ve worked hard to be even more efficient, delivering exceptional healthcare to as many people as we can without compromising our exceptionally high level of care. In November of last year, we had the opportunity to move into our current location on 3rd Street in downtown Ashland. It’s such an ideal place for us—a beautifully restored home with such a warm and inviting feel—it’s a perfect fit. In March, we welcomed Dr. Christina Caselli. She lives and practices in Mt. Shasta and commutes up here to Ashland one day each week so that we can be even more available to our patients. It’s been such a blessing to expand our ability to accommodate the needs of existing patients and bring in new patients more quickly with Dr. Christina on board. She is a fantastic physician and brings a wealth of experience to the practice.
Welcome Christina! How are things going for you at Wild Fern Natural Health?
Christina: It’s great! Dr. Brigid and I knew each other through mutual friends and colleagues and when I heard she was looking to expand her practice I jumped at the chance. We have such similar styles, and we both approach natural health from a functional medicine perspective. I knew it would be a good match. I am meeting a lot of new people and although my husband and I love our community down in Mt. Shasta, it’s fun to come to Ashland each week to contribute. Last month I taught my Total Health Reset Class for four weeks with a motivated group of folks. It was a huge success, so we’re already making plans for the next one in January. Exciting! Until then, in addition to seeing patients for regular office visits, I continue to offer private coaching through the Total Health Reset program during my office hours.
So, Total Reset, huh? It sounds like a cleanse. Can you help readers understand what the class is all about?
Christina: Well, it is and it isn’t. It’s like a cleanse because it gives the body a much needed rest by eliminating inflammatory foods, focusing on proper sleep, and reducing the body’s toxic load. However, the Total Health Reset is not exactly a cleanse because it is not intended to deprive and shock the body into a healthy state. Instead, the idea is to make simple changes and increase supportive supplementation for a concentrated period of time to “reset” the body and ease into a more balanced state.
I highly recommend doing this seasonally to get back on track with healthy habits that help you look and feel fantastic. So many of us (myself included) stray from our ideal health regimen from time to time; hitting the reset button is the perfect way to get back in alignment with what we know works best. I’ve been teaching this class in Mt. Shasta for a number of years and was excited to offer it here in Ashland for the first time last month. My favorite aspect of this particular class is that it is not your typical, rigid, painful cleanse. It’s a gentle way to clean up your diet, increase your energy, boost your immune system, and re-establish self-care habits that will carry you through the coming season. Meal plan ideas are offered for a standard, anti-inflammatory diet as well as a low-carb, paleo-style version for those avoiding grains and legumes. We really try to accommodate lots of dietary preferences and needs. It’s painless and so worthwhile! We’ll be hosting another one in January so check out our website or like us on Facebook for details.
Brigid, you seem really happy in your new space. How has moving into your own clinic affected your ability to meet the needs of your patients?
Brigid: We’ve been in the new clinic almost a year and it has really allowed us to expand our offerings to patients. The space is gorgeous, full of natural light, and quite cozy. With Lindsay managing the office and running the apothecary, patients are well taken care of on the administrative side of things, which is such a relief. Her attention to detail and friendly manner keep things running like a well-oiled machine. She makes it so Dr. Christina and I can be fully present for our patients in the moment, which is amazing.
With the addition of Dr. Christina and Lindsay to the team, we’re able to see patients and operate the apothecary five days a week. We really are doing all we can to help our patients achieve optimal health. I couldn’t be prouder of the work we do.
You mentioned there’s an apothecary on-site. Lindsay, can you tell us a little bit about that?
Lindsay: Sure! A lot of people don’t realize that the apothecary is open to the public. All of our supplements are of the highest quality available and meet Dr. Brigid and Dr. Christina’s exacting standards. We carry products made by Genestra, Pure, Thorne, Metagenics, Nordic Naturals, Wise Woman Herbals, Biotics Research, Herb Pharm and other professional-grade nutraceuticals. We also have handcrafted botanicals, tinctures, and homeopathics available for purchase. The apothecary is open during our regular clinic business hours and walk-ins are always welcome. We also offer 24/7 apothecary sales online. It’s easy to set up an account and shipping is free for all orders over $50. It’s super convenient and you don’t need to be a patient to buy supplements online or at the clinic.
You’ve got some other practitioners sharing the office as well, is that right?
Brigid: We sure do! We are quite fortunate to share our space with some really outstanding practitioners. Hilary Best and Ashleigh Adams at Best Mediation offer Family and Divorce mediation. Shannon Tinder and Ruby Henrie are exceptional massage therapists. Shannon offers deeply soothing and integrative bodywork based on Swedish, Myofascial, Lomi Lomi, Craniosacral, Polarity, Reiki, and Holistic Pelvic Care modalities. Ruby specializes in Specific Therapeutic Massage and Craniosacral Therapy, as well as Ashiatsu Deep Tissue. She has worked in chiropractic and spa settings, giving her the unique ability to combine relaxation with specific care. We feel lucky to be surrounded by such amazing professionals.
Lindsay, you have a lot of experience volunteering in the community. How does that play into your new role at Wild Fern Natural Health?
Lindsay: I’ve been passionate about reaching out and offering help to those in need whenever possible for a long time. At the clinic we’ve started coordinating monthly opportunities to be of service where patients and friends can pitch in and help us make a difference. We even offer a small discount to customers who make an apothecary purchase on the day that donations are made. It’s a win-win!
In September, we organized a sock drive to provide much needed, high-quality wool socks to firefighters working tirelessly to fight the many wildfires in our area. In October we started collecting much-needed cold weather supplies for homeless residents in Ashland. These are donated to the Ashland Community Resource Center, which distributed them directly to those in need. With the cold weather already upon us, we’ll continue to collect these items throughout the month of November as well. Check out our website or Facebook page to join our email list to learn how you can get involved. There is so much more we can do!
Lindsay, what do you do when you’re not running the show at Wild Fern Natural Health?
Lindsay: I moved to Southern Oregon five years ago with my two spirited sons from rural California. I farmed and was involved in environmental education, so spending time outside is a big part of our lives no matter where we live. Being of service to my community is a big part of what fuels me as a person. I am a regular volunteer with the Ashland Community Resource Center, an important organization that helps low-income residents build better lives. Wild Fern Natural Health is all about helping people help themselves to achieve optimal health. I really see this work as service to the community as well. Dr. Brigid and Dr. Christina expect patients to do their part in paving their individual paths to wellness. I believe in helping those who are willing to help themselves, which makes this place a perfect fit for me. My sons are students at Willow Wind Community Learning Center and we love being a part of the Ashland community.
Christina, you’re new to the practice, but not to the profession. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Christina: I grew up in Southern California and literally spent my childhood on the beach. I came to naturopathic medicine after overcoming my own frustrating health challenges. I spent my early 20s trying to get to the bottom of my symptoms and tried just about everything with little relief. Nature had always been a refuge for me so it was such a logical fit for me to find my own path to wellness in the healing power of nature. Once I got well, I knew I had to take my experience to the next level by sharing it with others. After five years of medical school, I had a deep sense of meaning for my life and knew I could now be of service in a very important way.
The greatest gift I have been given in all of this is the awareness that in order to serve others I must first care for myself. This includes spending time outdoors every single day, no matter the season. My husband and I live in Mt. Shasta so breathing in the fresh mountain air hiking or backcountry skiing, and heading off to the coast on the weekends to surf, or to the river to raft in the summer is what keeps me truly alive and energized. For this I am so very grateful.
Brigid, you’re a very busy woman. What’s new in your life outside of the clinic?
Brigid: I like to call it “full.” Indeed, like my patients, I am balancing a full life with the roles of mother, wife, daughter, friend, physician and business owner all while walking my talk and trying to fit in self-care. It’s an art!
My son is becoming increasingly independent, is in the second grade at Willow Wind Community Learning Center, and seems to be gathering more activities himself. We try to bike to school, work, fiddle lessons, and soccer practice whenever we can—another way for Mama to sneak in some exercise.
Balance for us also means honoring the seasons. This year, with Lindsay and Christina holding down the fort at the clinic, I was finally able to do a little more travel. I was able to go home to Maine to spend time with my 84-year-old mother, my siblings and their families this spring. This summer, my husband, son and I finally paid a long overdue visit to family and friends in England, Ireland, and Wales.
At this time of year, the harvesting of our monstrous vegetable and fruit garden is wrapping up. Despite the joy and connection our garden brings, fall also brings a relief from “keeping up” and a time to turn our energies towards reading, playing music, cooking, board games, and art projects. Any travel at this time of year will be for continuing education to brush up on skills and investigate current research to bring back, share, and implement with patients. It’s a full, rich life and I’m grateful to be living it.
Your clients report really fantastic outcomes as a result of working with you. Do you have any success stories to share?
Brigid: As a matter of fact, I do. Last year in our interview, I told you about a patient who had great success in healing a thyroid condition with a combination of nutritional healing, supplemental support, and reduction in her toxic load. Well, as that patient has worked to create some really strong foundational health habits, her older teenage children have decided to get on board as well. After just three months, her 19-year-old daughter is getting relief from debilitating menstrual cramps and fatigue. Her commitment to cleaning up her diet and implementing a regular exercise routine, in addition to some much needed supplemental support to balance her hormones and iron levels, are making a world of difference in a very short period of time. These are the patients that really inspire me. Although all of us stand to gain from some very basic changes in routine, when young people get on board early in life, so much is possible. The bar is raised so much higher when you commit to radical self-care at a young age.
Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Brigid: Thanks for the opportunity. I’d like to thank our patients for being so supportive as the Wild Fern Natural Health clinic has grown. I went into naturopathic medicine to help people get well, but achieving this lofty goal is only possible when motivated people show up and are willing to do the work necessary to achieve optimal health. Our patients are amazing. They are fiercely committed to their health and inspire me everyday with their determination. We are so grateful for the hardworking, passionate folks in our care. They truly are the reason we are here.
Learn More:
Wild Fern Natural Health
64 N. 3rd Street, Ashland
www.WildFernNaturalHealth.com
541-708-0066
