Meet Miravone Dorough of Dr. Miravone Dorough at Riverwalk Natural Family Medicine in Naperville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miravone Dorough.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Miravone. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up surrounded by herbs, oriental medicine, and home-cooked Laotian meals. My grandmother is so gifted with cooking so I learned how to use “food as medicine” by watching her while growing up. I was so fortunate to be surrounded by nutritious food my whole life and had a very healthy childhood.

However, the impact of straying from that lifestyle became starkly apparent as I gradually increased the intake of medications and processed foods in my life. The impact these lifestyle changes had on my body took such a big toll and after being treated by a chiropractor (post a car accident), I decided to make a change.

While working towards my Chiropractic degree, I started to still wonder how I could impact someone positively by using what I always grew up knowing- herbs, oriental medicine, and nutrition. Once I discovered the Naturopathic program, I started to feel where my calling truly resided.

I completed both doctorate programs including a certification in Acupuncture and then found out I was pregnant. To be transparent, I was devastated because I was ready to take on the world with my calling. However, I found out quickly that becoming a mom and being able to stay at home for the first year was the finale of my journey as a functional medicine doctor.

I love being able to combine my love for food, my passion for herbal medicine, my deep-rooted joy of being a mom, and my intuition, to make a lifelong impact in someone else’s health and life that will ripple through multiple generations.

I started in practice as an associate doctor where I was able to get comfortable with who I am as a doctor but after a year, I decided to start my own practice. It felt like a leap of faith but after all these years, my practice is doing very well and my reputation in the community is positive. I am currently at Riverwalk Family Medicine and love that I get to work alongside medical colleagues who share my passions. It feels fulfilling when I get to do what I feel I’m meant to do…it really doesn’t seem like work at all.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Let’s keep it real, I really can’t imagine it ever being a smooth road. I feel very blessed that majority of my practice has been referral base so, thankfully, the stress of “trying to stay afloat” hasn’t always been at the forefront of my mind. However, the business side of the business hasn’t always been my strong suit. On top of being a mom, wife, homeschooling my kids, staying active in my community in other ways, and running a practice, finding a balance has always been the most difficult for me. It seems like it will be a never-ending journey of constantly trying to find a balance.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Dr. Miravone Dorough at Riverwalk Natural Family Medicine – what should we know?
I am a Naturopathic and Chiropractic doctor with a family medicine practice with specialties in women’s health and pediatrics. I love being able to support a woman through a pregnancy journey from fertility to postpartum challenges as well as helping families navigate through the obstacles of their children’s health from an ear infection to eczema to a simple cold. I’m very accustomed to being the “last resort” for many patients when medications fail, nothing else works, or patients are tired of being so tired. It’s so rewarding to be able to peel back layers of their health and get to the root of what is really going on after the symptoms go away.

I am proud that my practice is centered around being an advocate for the patient. I always tell patients that we are on a journey together and every treatment plan is individualized for them specifically. I want every patient to leave feeling that I am walking alongside them and rooting for them the whole way. So often patients feel that they leave a medical practice feeling even more discouraged than when they walked in and my goal is to make a patient feel empowered, proactive, and motivated to take control of their health.

I feel that being a Naturopathic doctor sets me apart from many general practitioners. Naturopathic Medicine is founded on the following principles- the healing power of nature, identify and treat the causes, first do no harm, doctor as teacher, treat the whole person, and prevention is key. I love that I can empower my patients by educating them not only about what is going on in their bodies but about the right tools that will help them reach a point where they won’t always need me. That’s always my goal for every patient that walks through my door.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I truly feel that my passion for what I do is the most important to my success. It really drives every part of me from my role as a mom to my role as a functional medicine doctor.

Contact Info:

• Address: 445 Aurora Avenue
  Naperville, IL 60540
• Website: www.drmiravone.com
• Phone: 6306814911
• Email: info@drmiravone.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr_miravone
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/drmiravone

Image Credit:
Ivette Ivens (www.ivetteivens.com) , Megan Saul (www.megansaul.com)

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