Jessica Muniz, MSN, FNP-C
Jessica Muniz is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who has been with Holistica for over 10 years, serving in almost every position of the clinic from office manager to registered nurse. When she originally met Dr. Mary Shackelton, the founder and owner of Holistica, she was unfamiliar with the philosophy and treatment approaches of naturopathic medicine. However, over the years, the principals of natural medicine are what inspired her to get her Master’s in Nursing and become an advanced practitioner, so she could play a role in advancing functional and holistic medicine. Through her experience in conventional medicine, she has seen both the benefit of evidence-based practice and protocols and has also realized how it often falls short in addressing many acute and chronic conditions.
Through the hands-on and close mentorship of Dr. Shackelton and Dr. Jenny Demeaux, she sees health and wellness through a different lens than what she was taught in school. She believes the body wants to heal itself and be in homeostasis, and as a practitioner, her job is to enter into a meaningful and mutually respectful relationship with her patients to help guide them on their healing journey. Health and wellness is not about prescribing a medication or taking a supplement to treat a symptom, but rather, taking the time to understand a person’s history and how they came to be in an imbalanced state of health. Once we have uncovered the root cause (or causes) of dis-ease, then we can utilize many different tools and therapies to support the mind, body, and spirit to heal.
Jessica brings her wholehearted enthusiasm for treating patients competently and compassionately. She uses research and evidence to guide her clinical decisions and always approaches treatment through an integrative lens. Her goal is use natural therapies whenever possible to promote healing and realizes that there is a time and place for pharmaceutical therapies. She also believes that good nutrition, movement, mindfulness, meditation, immune modulation, hormone balancing, detoxification, and safe and supportive relationships are crucial to someone getting well. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and she collaborates with each individual person to find a treatment plan that works for them.
She graduated with her Master’s of Science in Nursing from Regis University, where she also received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing back in 2013. Additionally, she has a BA in Psychology from Cornell University. She has worked as a nurse in the Emergency Department at Presbyterian St. Luke’s in Denver as well as two years in integrative pediatrics. The rest of her time as a nurse has been devoted to caring for patients at Holistica. Her graduate level clinical experience includes working with homeless veterans at a VA domicilliary, integrative women’s health and pediatrics, urgent care, and working with an underserved and underinsured population at a federally qualified health center.
Jessica is looking forward to serving you and any member of your family, who is interested in an integrative approach to their health concerns. She can perform well-child visits and school physicals as well as address hormone imbalances, gut issues, food sensitivities, fatigue, mood disorders, and any acute illnesses or concerns. Her many years at Holistica have helped her lay a foundation for her approach to care that includes not only treating the whole person but also, utilizing innovative solutions for many conditions.
Jessica loves adventure and spends her time mountain biking, skiing, running, doing yoga, going to concerts, gardening, and playing outside with her husband, 2 boys, and 2 dogs. She really tries to walk the walk but admittedly likes her dark chocolate and happy hours with her best girlfriends.
