Hear from Our Student Graduates

I am the co-owner and founder of Life Wellness Center in Santa Fe. I found out about Naprapathy when we recently hired a SUNM graduate. Promoting and supporting our practitioners is important to me. So, I took the time to learn more about Naprapathy and how it differentiates from other manual medicine practices. I almost instantaneously became drawn to the profession. I am inspired by naprapathy, particularly in its original form, in every way. I am fascinated with its history and unique approach to physical medicine. I enrolled in the doctorate program a year and a half ago and have been bestowed with a community of abundant support! Naprapathy seems to tie together all of my interests in wellness, nutrition, and manual medicine. This program, which encompasses sound evidence-based principles and an integrative approach to complementary medicine, is a hidden gem which I am proud to behold!

I started out with a science degree from Monash University in Melbourne, but my course has changed several times since college. I’ve always been drawn to helping people, working as a volunteer ski patroller and in the NM film industry as a set medic for many years.

A close friend referred me to Naprapathy after I had been experiencing symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome, on and off for several years. I was having pain, burning and weakness in my hands, and I wasn’t able to gain relief from my symptoms until I came to the Naprapathic Medicine of New Mexico. Receiving Naprapathic treatment helped me to recover from those symptoms, and inspired me to consider the doctoral program.

At almost 50 it was difficult for me to commit to the program initially, but I’m halfway through now, and I feel blessed and lucky to be here. It’s motivating to know that I will be able to help others with manual medicine. What’s more, Naprapathy encompasses a community of experienced practitioners and mentors who have been helping people for many years, and I get to learn from them.

“I came across [SUNM] online, came to an open house, and honestly, I fell in love with it right away. This profession has so many different specialties that you can go into. It’s such a beautiful thing - we have anti-inflammatory medicine, we have functional nutrition, we have manual therapy and the major bodywork aspects of that. Bringing them together is really a new form of medicine. This is functional medicine at it’s best - we treat people, we don’t treat symptoms. There’s no better feeling that having my patients tell me I’ve helped them live a better life.

My doctorate from SUNM has helped me realize my dreams and goals in so many ways. Being a naprapath has allowed me to step into my purpose in life.”

“In 2005, I injured my lower back. A friend had told me about Naprapathy, so I started seeing Dr. LaVista at the Naprapathic Medicine of New Mexico (NMNM) Clinic. I was so happy to have a doctor that cared about me and how I was doing. The treatments were so effective that within 6 months, I was able to retake the firefighter fitness test and pass.

One time at the clinic, Dr. Nuzzo asked me after a treatment if I would be interested in the new university that he was working on opening. I said YES - as long as I could keep my day job with the Santa Fe County Fire Department. I started classes in 2011 and graduated in 2014.

I was the first student to register at SUNM, and was very proud to be part of the beginning of this wonderful university. It was small, and we were developing the class layouts as we learned. I really enjoyed helping grow the class material. It’s just amazing how far SUNM has come since then! Here I am now, working at the fire department and as a Naprapathic doctor.”

“As I approach the conclusion of my time at SUNM, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible journey I have experienced. The knowledge and wisdom imparted by the instructors, the interactions with the patients, and the support from the exceptional faculty have all contributed to my personal and professional growth. Choosing to pursue my education at SUNM has proven to be a fortuitous decision, allowing me to positively impact numerous individuals in a multitude of ways. I firmly believe that the field of Naprapathy is poised for significant growth in the coming decade, offering a promising future for those who choose to embark on a career as a Naprapath.”