IVY Integrative / About IVY / Our Story
Story Time
In 2014 Chelsea Leander Birch (our current Naturopathic Doctor and Herbalist) traveled to Nepal with her heart set on helping a nation drowning in malnutrition. What she found was a much larger problem: A desperate need for doctors. "But what does it look like to be a doctor in a place like this?" She asked herself. "A place void of pharmaceuticals, x-ray machines, and labs." After much research, she decided to pursue a path in naturopathic medicine where she could learn how to use her hands, water, local herbs, and nutrition to bring the body back to balance.
After years of grueling naturopathic medical school, she ventured back to Nepal in 2019 to see her new medical mind unfold. She joined with the Acupuncture Relief Project and started 3 village clinics that are still up and running today. In short, everything that she had learned in school worked...magically. Ironically, during her time in school and Nepal, friends and family from her hometown continued to mention the need for naturopathic medicine in Charlotte, NC. And so, in the midst of COVID, she returned home to start a home clinic...which soon became busy enough to move her clinic to South End.
Dr. Birch's plan was to start a holistic clinic with multiple practitioners five years down the road but...due to COVID...multiple practitioners were struggling to make ends meet and so she opened up IVY to local holistic and skilled practitioners.
And so, here we are today: A interwoven network of passionately skilled holistic practitioners who have come together to make something beautiful out of difficult times.
We love it here - You, Carolina, are our village.
Why IVY?
The chosen name of "IVY" is two-fold:
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1) IVY supports the growth and health of a forrest by providing nutrients to the soil, communication amongst the trees, nectar to pollinators, and shelter to small animals. With the Carolinas being our forrest, our goal is to support every parent, business professional, child, and retiree for the greater purpose of helping you play your role fully in our community.
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2) IVY grows overtime. Our practitioners are deeply invested in helping you grow too! We believe that knowledge brings growth and ought to be an integral part of your therapy. Our goal is to teach you about your body so that you leave empowered and educated about your ailments after your appointments.
