About Dr. Donigan
I am a licensed physician, board certified in Internal Medicine and a NARM Master Practitioner. I practiced Primary Care for over ten years and have helped patients face realities of life and death. I’ve always approached my work holistically and relationally. I consider the therapeutic relationship to be an integral part of the healing process. My continued medical education has taken me down many paths including Functional and Integrative Medicine as well as Psychedelic Plant Medicine and Trauma-Informed Care. My original interest in healthcare has remained my passion – the mind-body connection. As a physician interested in root causes, I find the role of neuro-regulation (the process by which our nervous system alters our physiology in response to our experiences) to be a powerful and often overlooked determinant of health and wellbeing. Most therapies that endeavor to impact neuro-regulation aim to change behavior. While behavior is important, focusing on behavior alone often falls short of deep and lasting change. NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) addresses the source of behavior (our state of being) to increase one’s capacity for balance and wellbeing. My work blends applied knowledge of physiology and psychology with philosophical and spiritual practices. While healthcare continues to fragment treatments into silos of sub-specialization, I enjoy bridging disciplines and translating complex concepts into relatable information.
PHILOSOPHY
The heart of my practice is to deepen your appreciation for what it means to be human. Understanding the intelligence of your body, you can learn to use your felt experience constructively, giving rise to greater agency and self-compassion. I act as a mirror, supporting your exploration into places you cannot see alone. I am your travel companion, with resources, knowledge, skill and experience to help you navigate your journey.
To heal means to become whole. To be human is to be vulnerable. Illness and injury are not moral failures, but inevitable parts of being human. The trauma of life, also known as heartbreak, is a universal cause of disconnection from self and others. It is in safe relationships that we reconnect and heal.
To doctor means to teach. The breadth of my training and experience allow me a vast perspective on the many options available to you. I’m grateful for my western medical education and know there are many paths to wholeness. I integrate and apply my knowledge with intuition and innovation. I enjoy translating complex concepts into relatable information with creativity and humor.
I take seriously the privilege and responsibility of doctoring. To do no harm means I am a perpetual student of evolving science and medical discourse. I believe you deserve dignity, honesty and kindness. You cannot be reduced to a symptom, result, diagnosis, weight, age, gene, or belief. You are miraculous in your complexity, resilience and potential
My doctoring is an expression of who I am. How I “show up” - my conscious participation in our shared space –affects your healing process and matters to our realizing a more humane world. I aspire to live meaningfully amidst the beauty and tragedy of life. Everyday, I practice curiosity and compassion.