February 7, 2019

Meet Dr. Shawna Eischens of Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic and Five Seasons Health

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Shawna Eischens.

Dr. Eischens, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Since childhood, I resonated with naturopathic concepts such as, finding the cause of concerns and realizing the power of nutrition, sleep and exercise long before I knew that naturopathic medicine existed. I was curious WHY illness or pain happened and how our body and mind worked. Today that translates into my determination and passion for my patients to find their root causes of imbalance to bring them back into a state of health.

As a teenager, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatments came with side effects, didn’t take into account her as a whole person, and didn’t offer hope for long term healing. I felt the frustration and pain that many others may feel and hoped that there was a better way for her to heal, but we didn’t know any different at the time.

After my mother’s passing, my work was focused with children, people with special needs, senior citizens, and people with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. This lead me to understand the importance of empathy, listening, and bringing hope and light to those struggling to see any flicker of light.

Years after completing my undergraduate degree, I became a massage therapist. It was during my massage training that I was introduced to acupuncture. In one acupuncture treatment, I noticed more relief for my concerns than I did in all of my time under conventional, allopathic care.

It was around this time that I first heard the term ‘naturopathic physician’, and although I was clueless about any details, there was something that intrigued me about it. The more I learned, the more I realized that this is what I was meant to do with my life.

Fortunately, that curiosity that started in 2005 eventually lead me to move from Minnesota to Arizona for Naturopathic Medical School. For years, I struggled with my own health concerns and didn’t properly deal with the tremendous loss of my Mom. Conventional treatments didn’t address the cause and were either suppressive, palliative or not very effective.

It wasn’t until grief blindsided me years later that I would be FORCED to deal with things that I had suppressed and distracted myself from in the past. Fortunately, I now knew of a different way to heal! I responded beautifully to a properly prescribed homeopathic remedy immediately and over time continued to heal with homeopathy and the addition of Neuroemotional Technique. It became apparent that I HAD to help others with mental/emotional concerns experience this powerful transition I felt first hand as I can say, it IS possible to heal and so very worth it!

Losing my Mom helped pave the way for my journey as a naturopathic physician. I knew that her nor my health concerns appeared overnight. I knew with certainty that there had to be a more safe and effective way of healing, and my passion to help others gain hope, prevent similar circumstances, and maximize their quality of life was ignited! Now I understand how to help others prevent AND reverse chronic and devastating diseases so they and their loved ones can enjoy a healthy, happy, and balanced life.

Today, I am able to look back with gratitude for the struggles and valleys as it has made me a less judgmental, more compassionate, and more determined person and physician. I understand that the body is capable of innate healing when given the proper environment to do so.

I understand that we all deserve to be heard and loved. I understand that dealing with your baggage may not be fun, realizing your worth may not be easy, and investing in yourself may seem daunting, yet I can assure you that it’s easier than continually carrying the burden. It is so worth it because YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha, does anyone have an easy path without challenges?

~Witnessing my Mom’s battle with cancer and eventual passing was brutal. ~Leaving everything and everyone I knew and loved in MN to start an expensive and challenging journey in a new place for a new career seemed daunting although now I know that it was definitely the right choice.
~After my graduation and final board exam, there was a time when I was faced with the reality that I had no place to live, no job, no income paired with extreme debt, no significant other or family nearby, and no idea when any of these circumstances may be any different.

It is because of these past challenges that I am filled with gratitude and compassion on a daily basis, have so much passion to help others live their optimal life, and appreciate anyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic and Five Seasons Health – what should we know?
It’s fun to recall how I became a part of both of these compassionate and cohesive teams. Both clinics are located in Scottsdale, not far from 101 and Shea, offer naturopathic treatment options, yet are quite uniquely different from one another.

My physician and mentor, Dr. Thomas Kruzel is the owner of RNMC. I first met Dr. Kruzel at a conference he was speaking at years ago and knew that I wanted to gleam any bit of his knowledge any chance I could get. I would keep in touch with him, consult with him on challenging cases, and one time stated in a teasing tone “You know I’m going to work with you some day.” He didn’t laugh out loud like I was prepared for, but rather explained how he had an opportunity to bring another physician into the clinic. That was 5 years ago and I am still thankful to be a part of the Rockwood team with one of the best N.D’s I have had the pleasure of knowing.

The majority of us at RNMC are naturopathic primary care physicians and offer various treatments ranging from wellness and women’s exams to IV’s, acupuncture, physical manipulation, specialty lab tests, and much more. It is not uncommon to see a range of patients from newborn to elderly for various acute or chronic concerns in this office.

Dr. Rob Ellsworth and his wife Sue are the owners of Five Seasons Health and it was in a much less academic setting that our paths first crossed. My soon to be husband and I were checking into our resort in Mexico for our wedding when I met them. They had sat next to one of my patients on the plane and were aware of my name and what I looked like, yet it was fate that lead us to the same resort at the same time. We instantly connected and became friends.

Dr. Rob specializes in prolozone and other regenerative injections, and sees many patients with Lyme disease and chronic pain. At Five Seasons, a variety of IV treatments including ozone is done by an incredible nurse named Serena. Many patients here feel like they are family when they walk into the office for their treatments. I can say the same and am thankful to have been welcomed so warmly by the entire clinic.

I am at Five Seasons Health on Monday mornings and help patients with GI, emotional, or hormonal concerns heal and balance, as well as offer PRP micro-needling facials to help patients gain confidence and improve their skin quality.

How do you define success?
Success to me is a feeling of satisfaction I get when I know I have done my best and I am accomplishing my goals that I have set for myself. This success may saving funds to travel to a new destination with loved ones, helping a patient transform their life, or achieving a fitness goal.

Since I have such a strong desire to help people THRIVE vs. just survive, I get great pleasure and joy from watching people invest in and commit to their health. We all deserve to be happy, loved, and heard, yet so many people have self-limiting beliefs that prevent them from truly achieving their greatness.

When I have the blessing of helping people realize and reach their true potential, it is a feeling of success that I can’t describe.

Contact Info:

Address: 9755 N. 90th St. Suite A 210 Scottsdale, AZ 85258 (Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic)
8560 E Shea Blvd Suite 130 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 (Five Seasons Health)
Website: http://drshawnae.com
Phone: 480-767-7119 (Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic); 480-423-7060 (Five Seasons Health)
Facebook:
Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic-Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic

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