Katrina Bogdon, owner of Our Healing Roots, is a naturopathic doctor based in rural Seymour.
In his business, Bogdon stressed that his role as a complementary care provider should run alongside traditional drug treatment.
“Here, I act as a consultant,” she explained, “I don’t call myself a doctor, and I don’t diagnose or treat illnesses, so a lot of people already see their GP.”
She continues, “My specialty is breast cancer and oncology, so sometimes patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments want to use natural therapies alongside them, which can interact with those medications. My job is to integrate these different approaches and make sure they are done safely and that we are using approaches that are based on good scientific research and clinical evidence, while at the same time trying to reduce the side effects of conventional treatments so that we can get better outcomes.”
Bogdon’s approach to his clients involves a lot of one-on-one education time to let patients know what treatments are available to them.
“It’s a fairly small practice, and one of the reasons for that is that when you meet with a naturopathic consultant, the visits are much longer (than meeting with a traditional doctor),” she says. “We put in a lot of extra time and research, and that makes a big difference. It’s a godsend for what traditional medicine people have to do, but they don’t have as much time to spend, and a lot of it is dictated by insurance companies.”
Bogdon said she loves the educational aspect of her job.
A big part of her job is educating clients about the complexities of what causes their symptoms and how to address them.
“Conventional medicine is very good at treating the acute phase,” she says, “but I think sometimes with chronic illnesses, there are complex underlying factors at play. When you go to a conventional doctor, they can prescribe you medicine but they don’t take the time to really talk about the ‘why’. Taking the time to break it down and explain what’s going on with you can make a big difference.”
Clients who see Bogdon can receive tools such as lifestyle coaching, instruction on how to use specific supplements and herbs, and homeopathic care.
Our Healing Roots offers not only a medical perspective, but also group lifestyle programs on how to live a healthy life. Bogdon offers classes on how to make home products from natural materials and has held yoga classes in the past.
Bogdon studied astrophysics before studying medicine.
During her college years, she had the opportunity to work at NASA’s “Vomit Comet” where she conducted experiments, but she soon realized that she had a passion for interacting with and helping people, and so decided to pursue a career in medicine.
She took a year off between studying physics and naturopathic medicine and used that time to volunteer with AmeriCorps.
Bogdon attended a pre-med program before attending a four-year naturopathic medical school in Portland, Oregon.
She then completed a residency program in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she founded Our Healing Roots in 2013. She previously worked at the Cancer Treatment Center in Tulsa.
She later moved her practice to Springfield and then in 2019 moved permanently to Seymour.
Bogdon’s passion for his career and his clients’ well-being is clear.
“I really like the idea of working more with plant therapy, using the least invasive approach possible, and taking the time to really get to know people as people,” she concluded.
Her office is located about six miles north of Seymour at the intersection of Highway C and “Short” Highway P.
