The Integrative Veterinarian

Dr. Steve Marsden was born in Ontario, Canada and raised in Western Canada. In our conversation, he describes a pivotal moment in his childhood that led him to consider veterinary medicine as a career.

He earned his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan in 1988, then went into mixed and then small animal practice. He became interested in Homeopathy as a way to help his patients, and earned his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and his Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in 1999.

He co-founded the Edmonton Holistic Veterinary Clinic as well as the Natural Path Clinic for people in 2001. He is also the co-founder of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies and the founder of the Natural Path Herb Company.

Dr. Marsden has written and lectured extensively over the decades of his career and has served in many roles in organized veterinary medicine.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Steve Marsden as we discuss his education, interest in holistic medicine, practice experience, and his current passion of working with senior rescue dogs and educating his colleagues and the public about holistic medicine via his Facebook page and his Cured Cases website

Dr. Christina Montalbano was raised in New Jersey. Her desire to be a Veterinarian led her to do her undergraduate work at Ohio State in Animal Science, then she earned her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017.

After graduation, she did an Internship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Florida, which led to her staying on and completing a Residency in Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. She achieved Board Certification in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2022. She is also certified in Acupuncture and Medical Manipulation from Chi University.

She worked in private specialty practice in New Jersey, then returned to the University of Florida where she is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Integrative and Mobility Medicine as well as Resident Director for the Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation program.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Christina Montalbano as we discuss her education, clinical experience, her current academic practice, and her decades long history as a puppy raiser for Canine Companions.

Dr. Lori Bidwell was raised on a farm in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She earned a BFA in Art History, then returned home and started working at a veterinary clinic and decided to pursue veterinary medicine as a career.

She earned her DVM from Michigan State University in 2001, then did an Internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, followed by a Residency in Anesthesia at Michigan State University, becoming Board Certified in Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2008.

She then returned to Rood and Riddle to become Head of Anesthesia. Afterwards, she was on faculty at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. She returned to Kentucky to work in anesthesia in both equine and small animal practice. At this time she became certified in Acupuncture and Tui Na from Chi University.

After returning to Michigan State University to work in Anesthesia and Equine Lameness and Sports Medicine, she Co-Founded her current business, East West Equine Sports Medicine, where she provides sports medicine services and equine anesthesia consultation and training for equine surgical facilities.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Lori Bidwell as we discuss her education, clinical practice, holistic training, and participation in organized veterinary medicine.

Dr. Lori Bidwell was raised on a farm in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She earned a BFA in Art History, then returned home and started working at a veterinary clinic and decided to pursue veterinary medicine as a career.

She earned her DVM from Michigan State University in 2001, then did an Internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, followed by a Residency in Anesthesia at Michigan State University, becoming Board Certified in Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2008.

She then returned to Rood and Riddle to become Head of Anesthesia. Afterwards, she was on faculty at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. She returned to Kentucky to work in anesthesia in both equine and small animal practice. At this time she became certified in Acupuncture and Tui Na from Chi University.

After returning to Michigan State University to work in Anesthesia and Equine Lameness and Sports Medicine, she Co-Founded her current business, East West Equine Sports Medicine, where she provides sports medicine services and equine anesthesia consultation and training for equine surgical facilities.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Lori Bidwell as we discuss her education, clinical practice, holistic training, and participation in organized veterinary medicine.

Dr. Lori Bidwell was raised on a farm in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She earned a BFA in Art History, then returned home and started working at a veterinary clinic and decided to pursue veterinary medicine as a career.

She earned her DVM from Michigan State University in 2001, then did an Internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, followed by a Residency in Anesthesia at Michigan State University, becoming Board Certified in Anesthesia and Analgesia in 2008.

She then returned to Rood and Riddle to become Head of Anesthesia. Afterwards, she was on faculty at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. She returned to Kentucky to work in anesthesia in both equine and small animal practice. At this time she became certified in Acupuncture and Tui Na from Chi University.

After returning to Michigan State University to work in Anesthesia and Equine Lameness and Sports Medicine, she Co-Founded her current business, East West Equine Sports Medicine, where she provides sports medicine services and equine anesthesia consultation and training for equine surgical facilities.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Lori Bidwell as we discuss her education, clinical practice, holistic training, and participation in organized veterinary medicine.

Dr. Janet Roark was raised in Central Michigan. She knew from an early age that she wanted to be a Veterinarian, and started working in a Veterinary Clinic as a teenager. She also was introduced to wildlife rehabilitation when she was young, through her father's job as a Biologist with the Department of Natural Resources.

She did her undergraduate work at the University of Findlay and earned her DVM from Michigan State University in 2005. After graduation, she worked for the United States Department of Agriculture and started her own mixed animal mobile practice in Michigan.

In 2009, she moved to Austin, Texas and started a mobile mixed animal practice there. She had been exposed to equine acupuncture and chiropractic during her undergraduate years, and was certified by IVAS in acupuncture after moving to Texas.

A personal health challenge led her to using essential oils for herself and then extending their use for her animal patients. In 2019, she started her own essential oil business, educating owners and veterinary professionals about the use of essential oils. As part of this effort, she has written a guidebook, presented lectures both online and in-person, and authored numerous publications both online and in print.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Janet Roark as we discuss her introduction to veterinary medicine, her early work history, her interest in acupuncture and essential oils, and her recent animal chiropractic certification.

Dr. Corinne Chapman was raised in British Columbia, Canada. She found veterinary medicine at a young age, but started her undergraduate studies in psychology before pivoting to pre-veterinary studies. She earned her DVM from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatchewan in 1997.

After graduation, she worked in small animal emergency medicine and did locum work in general small animal practice. In 2001 she started a house call practice in the Calgary area and started studying various holistic modalities. She was certified by IVAS in acupuncture in 2005.

In 2018, she moved to Victoria, British Columbia and joined a small animal practice there. During the pandemic, she earned her Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine from CIVT.

She currently practices integrative medicine at Anicare Veterinary Hospital in Victoria, BC.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Corrine Chapman as we discuss her education, clinical experience, holistic training, and her involvement with the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Kristol Stenstrom was raised in Central Kansas. She did her undergraduate and veterinary studies at Kansas State University, graduating with her DVM in 1994.

After graduation, she moved to Kansas City and did relief work before working as a Research Scientist in companion animal clinical trials.

Looking to make a change, she earned her certification in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture in 2003 and started a house call acupuncture practice. She also became a teaching assistant in the Veterinary Medical Acupuncture program.

She currently has both a mobile and in clinic acupuncture practice and is a teacher in a different veterinary acupuncture program. She and her veterinarian husband also own a four doctor small animal allopathic practice.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Kristol Stenstrom as we discuss her education, research career, pivot into veterinary acupuncture, and her current practice.

Dr. Lisa Radwan was a previous guest, on Episode 9, which aired in April of 2020. In this episode, we talk about her current clinical practice, including the physical space and logistics, the farm that she shares with her partner, Dr. Crystal Urban, and their approach to managing their farm and the struggles around practicing regenerative agriculture.

Please enjoy this extended conversation with Dr. Lisa Radwan.

Dr. Lisa Chase was raised in Boco Raton, Florida. She did her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and Florida Atlantic University. She earned her DVM from Tuskegee University in 2008.

After graduation, she did a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at a large specialty practice. Afterwards, she worked in small animal general practice and shelter medicine in Florida before she moved to Colorado. There she worked in general practice before starting her career in integrative medicine.

Looking to add to her skill set, she earned her certificate in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture from CuraCore in 2017. She then took a position in a Rehabilitation practice and competed a certificate program in Canine Rehabilitation from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in 2021.

After completing her CRI program, she joined a Speciality Practice, where she does both Rehabilitation and Acupuncture.

Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Lisa Chase as we discuss her education, practice and teaching experience, and what she likes to do away from the clinic.