Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Sexton.
Hi Michelle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have over thirty years of experience as a midwife, herbalist, and naturopathic doctor. I started my journey into healthcare as a childbirth educator and subsequently became disillusioned with the lack of options women had for birthing. This realization let me to midwifery training. I assisted women at home births for a decade and realized that in my community, there was also a gap in providers that knew anything about complementary/alternative or integrative medicine. Subsequently, I attended naturopathic medical school in Seattle, WA, at Bastyr University to expand my scope and to be able to care for people across the lifespan using natural approaches.
I also, serendipitously, became involved in research into the effects of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) on human health and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington. This experience led to developing a clinical specialty around the use of medical cannabis beginning in 2010. Since that time, as a trusted pioneer of clinical cannabis use, I have continued teaching the ECS and cannabinoid medicine to healthcare providers, and this is a passion of mine. This educational role has been continued at the University of California San Diego, where I am the lead clinician at one of the first ‘cannabis clinics’ in the US. I am also the only clinical ND in the University of California System! Patients can schedule appointments to see me for a clinical cannabis consult or for a full naturopathic medicine evaluation either at UCSD or by telehealth at my private clinic, which I run out of my home office in Pacific Beach!
The culmination of this life work has been the publication of my new book “Eat, Sleep, Relax, Protect, Forget: An Endocannabinoid (ECS) Guide to Systems Wholeness for Women.”
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I was a single mother during the time I was in medical school. I also had moved far away from all of my family and social support system, including two of my children who were already out of high school. This was, of course, very stressful for myself and the children who moved with me. Adapting to a new culture, trying to make friends, developing a social network, trying to study this proved to be a very challenging situation that was very stressful.
I was also a non-traditional student at age 43 when I began medical school. This meant that I had a very different way of learning from that of my younger colleagues- plus, they were young and free, without children. This again made it challenging to make friends in school, but I was able to develop three close friendships that are still present in my life.
Being a naturopathic doctor in California has been very challenging. In Washington state, where I first practiced, NDs were fully integrated into the healthcare system as primary care providers. We had full prescribing authority and were able to function as such. In California, we have very limited scope of practice, which is a shame given the shortage in primary care providers in the State. Being able to work in the UCSD system has made all of the difference for me!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am probably most known for my expertise using cannabis as a medicine. This is a topic I have extensive clinical experience with, founded upon the evidence or research basis for this. Given my study of the pharmacology of the system that cannabis interacts within our bodies, I have had a unique perspective. I opened the first cannabis analytical laboratory in Washington State, and this was to learn more about what was in the cannabis that patients were using. I also published one of the first cannabis surveys that detailed more about how and why people were using cannabis as a medicine.
Working from an evidence-based base or quality care based on the most up-to-date research and knowledge, whether with cannabis, other botanical medicines, or natural approaches to health, is something that sets me apart. For much of history, many professions based their practices on expertise derived from experience which was simply passed down in the form of tradition. Many of these practices have not been justified by evidence, which is sometimes called ‘quackery’. Sometimes, naturopathy is seen as such. What many people in the general public may not know is that naturopathic medicine, practiced by those licensed in the state of California after completing a 4-year degreed program, is not protected as a profession. Lay people can also call themselves ‘naturopaths’ but have not met this credential.
My lifetime of experience, beginning in women’s health and botanical medicine gives me an advantage in my medical practice. My grandfather and mentor was a general practitioner MD and surgeon who used to say, “Why do you think they call it a medical practice”? We gain experience and wisdom with every patient and every new experience. The patient-physician relationship is prime for me – I very much value and respect the patient and strive to listen with compassion to the patient story. We work from there, in partnership, to develop a realistic plan for establishing health.
I am currently the most proud of my new book: Eat, Sleep, Relax, Protect, Forget: An Endocannabinoid (ECS) Guide to Systems Wholeness for Women. Change is stress and requires the need to be resilient, to adapt! To survive, our biology needs continual adjustments – intended to be temporary and then to return to set points. Our bodies have an exquisite and relatively unknown system that enables this homeostasis: the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system provides that we: Eat, Sleep, Relax, Protect and Forget. In today’s stressful world, we can use all the help we can get to restore our set points mentally, emotionally, and physically. Using a toolkit of holistic and integrative practices, you can go beyond simply surviving to thriving! The endocannabinoid system (ECS) will be your guide to healing the body/mind, treating the cause, and addressing the whole person for optimal health across the lifespan.
Here is a link where readers can purchase the book at a discount. I’m also available locally to give talks to groups!
https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?U0OHY9ieMsgtPcWrhzhCgFLGRwGicoZBR6Uth9l8QT
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
This is a tough topic. Finding a mentor that you ‘click with’ can be a struggle. Serendipity has worked well for me in this process, along with effort. It has been necessary to keep putting myself out there, and especially as a woman, to be immodest or even audacious! Women taking bold risks can be ostracized, but we can’t let ourselves be intimidated. Keep open to any opportunity, as you never know when something magical can materialize!
Contact Info:
- Website: msextonnd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.michellesexton/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msextonnd
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-sexton-a40408b/
- Other: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?U0OHY9ieMsgtPcWrhzhCgFLGRwGicoZBR6Uth9l8QT
