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Heron Wellness Approach

The Integrative Behavioral Health Roadmap illustrates my approach to helping individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, stress, and substance use concerns. Stabilization with medications and collaboration with therapists or treatment programs is the first step in addressing serious mental health and substance use diagnoses. Sadly, this is often where treatment of these conditions begins and ends.

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During the intake, we’ll review your past medical and behavioral health history as well as past treatment history and relevant laboratory testing. 

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Next, we focus on stabilization and safety. The comprehensive initial assessment and discussion with family and previous treatment providers as needed will guide the initial treatment plan which may include the use of appropriate medications for stabilization of mood or anxiety, treatment of withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and treatment of any acute medical concerns. 

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Laboratory analysis to evaluate physical health including infectious disease, organ system dysfunction as a result of substance use, inflammation, and hormone imbalances will also help to guide initial medical management.

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Sleep is imperative to the healing process. The body needs sleep to heal the gut, immune and inflammatory processes, and mental and emotional dysfunction. Sleep is also necessary for creating new neural pathways that are needed for learning and implementing lifestyle changes and new habits that will support healing and recovery. Medications, supplementation and behavioral skills will all be utilized as needed.

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Calming the nervous system and developing new strategies for dealing with stress are required for improving mood and anxiety and reducing reliance on substances. Working with ear acupuncture and meditation and breathing practices here in the clinic, as well as being referred to specialists in the community including therapists, acupuncturists or other healers will be considered in your treatment plan.

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In addition to developing new strategies for managing stress and reducing or eliminating substance use, the fight or flight system (cortisol activation) must be addressed. Trauma is often at the root of behavioral health and substance use diagnoses and creates significant roadblocks to recovery by continued activation of cortisol system. Ongoing partnerships with treatment providers and therapists will be imperative to treatment. Additionally, lifestyle strategies will be slowly implemented to further reduce the activation of the cortisol system. 

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As you move forward in the stabilization process we will begin to focus on nutrition and gut health. The concept of the connection between the gut and the brain is becoming increasingly important in mental health and substance use disorders. We will slowly begin to incorporate nutrition education and the development of healthy nutritional habits that are realistic and achievable. We will also address any nutritional deficiencies that have developed as a result of any substance use. 

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Creating self-care routines and healthy habits for nutrition, movement, sleep and stress management are critical to ongoing healing and recovery. We will work together to create positive behavioral changes that are realistic, measurable and sustainable. 

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Strong and healthy social connections are critical to healing from mental health and substance use disorders. Isolation and loneliness are risks for recurrence and return to use of substances. Community ear acupuncture, mutual self help groups, group education and treatment and peer support are resources we will discuss to help you engage in relationship and community. 

How My Approach Is Different

At Heron Wellness, Dr. de la Garza draws upon her diverse training and clinical experiences, as well as collaborative relationships with providers in the community,  to develop a personalized treatment plan that works for your unique lifestyle and circumstances. By integrating education and treatment modalities in lifestyle and functional medicine, hormone optimization, ear acupuncture, and meditation in both individual and group visits, we can address your needs from a holistic perspective.  

These are just some of the ways we will work together to create your treatment plan:

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Using a variety of standard and advanced laboratory testing modalities.

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Using a "food as medicine" approach - through intensive education and positive behavioral interventions to help you build the knowledge and skills you need to feed your body and mind the foods they need to heal.

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Using individual and group visits and education to help empower you to create realistic, measurable, positive change that leads to successful outcomes

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Focusing on optimal health, based on your unique biological needs, NOT just the absence of symptoms or disease.

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Reducing reliance on medications as we can to reduce medication interactions and negative side effects, and allow the body and mind to begin to truly heal.

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Collaborating with talented, committed medical providers, behavioral health clinicians, nutritionists and dietitians, physical therapists, personal trainers, acupuncturists and healers in our community to help you achieve your wellness goals. Community. Collaboration. Healing.

How It Works

After an initial consultation, we'll develop a treatment plan that works best for you. This will involve more frequent visits and financial investment up front. As you start to experience improvement and success we can reduce the frequency and intensity of treatment as well as move you into a maintenance membership plan. Most people experience significant improvement over the course of 3-4 months of intensive treatment and education.  

15-Minute Consult

A short 15-minute discovery call to identify the key problems along with the best next steps.

75-Minute Initial Visit

In-depth 75-minute intake visit to review your history and create an initial treatment plan. 

Membership 

Membership pricing is determined by needs and treatment intensity and is adjusted as needed.

Care collaboration - with you at the center and your guides to support you. 

Group and individual education on mental health healing, substance use disorder, nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management create empowerment and self-reliance are utilized in this practice and I invite you to explore opportunities to connect with other humans.

Success Stories

Patient Words Of Support

  • I can’t recommend Dr. Amy enough, she is a pleasure to work with in every way. Four years ago she helped me through the most difficult time of my life by genuinely caring about me and truly wanting me to get well. Together we came up with a plan that worked great for me and included very regular visits with her, medication, talk therapy, and an amazing mindfulness course centered around addiction. She has also seen and helped several family members and close friends across all areas of the health and wellness spectrum.  I will forever be grateful that I found her when I did and plan to see her for years to come.

  • I started working with Dr. Amy De La Garza 7 years ago. I had suffered for 22 years from shingles that never resolved known as post-herpetic neuralgia. I suffered from excruciating pain, sleeplessness, and a struggle to function in everyday life. Committed, respected physicians tried different combinations of drugs including narcotics but I never received relief. Dr. De La Garza's functional medicine approach has helped me receive my life back.
  • Amy is the most amazing Dr. I have ever seen in my life. She is so passionate about working with addicts. She spends the time to really talk to you and get to know you. I can walk into her office and tell her anything and never feel like I’m being judged or dismissed. She’s been a Dr and therapist rolled into one. She has helped change my life!


Is Heron Wellness Right For You?

Do you have questions about our program and starting your path to wellness?  Please reach out to us using the QR code or link to Spruce Health below to schedule a consultative call.  

Schedule A Discovery Call

Take The First Step Today

Journey Back To Health

Do You Have Questions About Starting Your Path To Wellness?
Reach out to me using the QR code or the button below to Schedule a Consultative Call.

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Areas Served


Heron Wellness is located in Salt Lake City, Utah and serves patients throughout the Greater Salt Lake City Area and Eastern Utah including Provo, Highland, Cedar Hills, Summit, Park City and Ogden. These areas include but are not limited to the counties of Salt Lake City, Davis, Weber, Morgan, Summit, Wasatch, Utah and Tooele.

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