By Shin Yu Pai

This past May, Kula Movement welcomed Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Vaishali Verma to its studio space on Ballard Ave. A graduate of Bastyr College, Dr. Vaishali specializes in digestive issues, women’s health, pediatrics, preventative and primary care medicine. With additional training in India as an Ayurvedic physician, Dr. Vaishali’s Ballard practice brings together tools from both naturopathic and Ayurvedic traditions to treat imbalance and illness.

As an ND, Dr. Vaishali’s practice centers on promotion of optimal health through encouraging individual self-healing. Using clinical and laboratory diagnostic testing, Dr. Vaishali makes recommendations using modalities such as nutritional and herbal medicine, counseling, hygiene, naturopathic physical therapy, intravenous and injection therapy. She strives to educate and empower her patients through treatment of the whole person and encouragement of healthy lifestyle choices. Her knowledge of Ayurvedic medicine further enhances her naturopathic training. Though rooted in radically different traditions, both systems emphasize prevention and use diet to treat underlying conditions.

Few women in her native country choose to become Ayurvedic doctors, or to carry on the family business, but Dr. Vaishali spent five-and-a-half years studying the 5,000-year old medical tradition. Ayurveda means the “science of life” and focuses on integration and balance of the mind, body, and spirit through understanding one’s own individual constitution, or prakriti. Through identifying an individual’s ideal state of balance, imbalances are diagnosed and interventions such as lifestyle changes, botanical medicine, bodywork, and meditation help bring the body back into balance.

Dr. Vaishali credits her father, who was an Ayurvedic physician, with inspiring her to become a doctor. “I grew up watching him treat his clients with all his effort,” she says. There were several occasions where he provided his services for free to patients who couldn’t afford care. He devoted his life to serving others. He wouldn’t mind waking up in the middle of the night to provide emergency services whenever required.”

In addition to her studies, Dr. Vaishali also shadowed her father in his clinic, where he mentored her through sharing his practical experiences and his success stories in treating difficult cases. “He taught me it’s important to listen to the patient’s story. By sharing their stories, patients release emotions which help in healing physical ailments.”

As the mother of a young child, Dr. Vaishali balances being a caregiver with building her business. She schedules patients around her daughter’s preschool hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. “This constraint affects my clientele. People who are only available in the evenings cannot come to see me.” Outside of her clinic hours, Dr. Vaishali manages the marketing for her practice and attends networking events to increase understanding of Ayurveda and naturopathy. “People don’t know that naturopathic physicians are trained as primary care physicians. Moreover, people are not aware of the treatment successes with Ayurvedic and Naturopathic medicine care, especially in chronic cases.” To educate the public, Dr. Vaishali offers occasional workshops and cooking classes at Dandelion Botanical.

Before bringing her practice to Ballard, Dr. Vaishali who lives in Fremont with her family, practiced in Bellevue at an integrative clinic where she offered both Ayurvedic and pediatric naturopathic services. “I feel lucky to have my office at Kula Movement,” she says. “I love to work in Ballard, where people understand the importance of healthy diet and lifestyle, and are more open to alternative treatment options.”

Dr. Vaishali Verma, BAMS, ND, offers a free 15-minute initial consultation to first-time clients, and a 30-minute free Ayurvedic consultation that allows clients unfamiliar with Ayurveda to get acquainted with its principles and philosophy. Dr. Vaishali offers Happy Hour B-12 shots at Kula Movement on Wednesdays between 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. $20 per shot, cash only. Her office hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 8 a.m to 2 p.m.