Kyle S. Email & Phone Number

In the fall of 2015, I decided to start a new adventure, one where I uprooted my life and moved to Washington by myself. Like most fairytales, my self-improvement journey started roughly; I needed to learn who I was as a person and what values I wanted to uphold. After learning what parts of myself were a part of me conforming to how society thinks I need to act, I learned how to be an authentic person and compassionate to others who perceive the world differently than me. I was able to secure a job in the field I have dreamed of my whole life of joining. Working in a functional medical office allowed me to look at diverse types of natural medicine. Meeting with a Naturopathic doctor, I was able to ask questions about how they go about treating their patients. We discussed how patient health literacy can save lives in most situations and how Naturopaths treat a patient as a whole and not just symptoms, which resonated with me and inspired me to set in motion the schooling needed to become a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. I began self-reflecting on my journey this far and realized how far I could have been if I had a provider with a mindset not rooted in neurodivergent people being a burden to society. In the winter of 2020, I commenced my studies at Clark, knowing I was ready to practice the skills I would need as a future practitioner. I learned techniques for studying appropriately and worked on effectively communicating with others in a way that conveys my thoughts even if I stop and find myself in my speeches. Once I got to NUNM, however, I realized I was too rigid in my thinking and became more flexible with how I perceived learning and conveying my knowledge. While at NUNM, I fell in love with the culture delicately curated by the staff and students to make everyone feel included. As a child, I craved for people to see me as a person, though many still need time to acknowledge this in neurodivergent people. In the future, I want to be the provider for every child and adult that walks through my doors, and the patient knows that I see them as human.