By Elizabeth Liberatore / Photo by Bob and Dawn Davis Photography and Design
Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson’s new book emphasizes healthy lifestyle practices for healing
Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson always dreamed of becoming an Olympic figure skater. Hoping to realize this dream, she vigorously trained and competed from a young age until a skating injury forced her to permanently hang up her skates in her early 20s.
During her recovery, Stephenson became disillusioned with conventional medicine and pharmaceuticals. So, she set out to pursue medical school, with the goal of doing better for future patients.
“It wasn’t until my friends took me to see a lecture on functional medicine by Dr. Jeffrey Bland that I changed the course of my career,” she says.
Today, Stephenson is a certified nutrition specialist, doctor of chiropractic medicine, a recognized physician, and a lecturer in functional and integrative medicine. Since moving to Arizona in 2013, she’s been the chair of functional medicine at Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
“I call myself a lifestyle medicine doctor,” she says. “I have always championed a whole person approach to disease prevention and healing, with an emphasis on healthy lifestyle and natural medicine.”
Hoping to spread her knowledge to prevent chronic disease through lifestyle changes beyond her patients, Stephenson launched a health and wellness media venture, VibrantDoc (www.vibrantdoc.com). She also released her first book, Vibrant, last month. From self-assessment tools to practical advice and meal plans with recipes, her book is a digestible program for readers who want to take control of their health and wellness.
“Arizona is already a vibrant place, but I hope that [my book] can help to make it even more so,” she says.
As well as influencing the Valley’s medical landscape, Stephenson and her husband are widely known for their philanthropic giving. They have supported several organizations and causes, including Celebrity Fight Night and the American Heart Association. Later this month, Stephenson will receive the prestigious Childhelp Woman of the World Award, which will put her in the company of past recipients Oprah Winfrey and Nancy Reagan.