There is a quiet truth about being human that modern life often forgets: we are not machines. We are living systems that repair, regulate, and restore themselves each night through sleep.

For adults, the body functions best with seven to nine hours of sleep per night. This is not indulgence. It is biological maintenance. During sleep the brain organizes memories, the immune system recalibrates, hormones reset, and the body repairs the small stresses of the day.

When sleep becomes fragmented, the effects ripple through nearly every system in the body.

If you have been looking out the window at the snowbanks and gray skies wondering whether winter will ever loosen its grip, I have good news.

The sun is staying out a little longer each evening.
The weather forecast is hinting at a few glorious fifty degree days.
And if you listen closely, you might hear a familiar tune playing softly in the background.

🎶 It’s tiiiiiiiiiiiiiime! 🎶

Time to bring back one of my favorite habits to prescribe.

Welcome back to Instructions for the Care of Joyful Humans!

Have you ever wished there was an instruction manual for taking care of yourself? One that did not involve guilt, perfection, or impossible standards? Welcome to Instructions for the Care of Joyful Humans. This is a space where we will highlight small, practical tips to help you feel healthier, more grounded, and yes, more joyful.

You might have expected me to talk about nutrition or exercise here, but no, we are going to start with something much more important for your mental health: creativity!

I’m so excited to share one of the most practical and meaningful perks of membership at Deserving of Joy: Direct Primary Care.

Attached, you’ll find a flyer outlining our in-house pricing for common medications, labs, and injections. These are services I use every day in family medicine, and I’m proud to offer them at remarkably low, transparent cash prices.

As I sit down to reflect on our very first week at Deserving of Joy: Direct Primary Care, I am filled with gratitude. This past week was everything I hoped it would be and more. We shared long, unhurried visits in a calm, living room like space, with the time and presence to truly talk through concerns, explore goals, and care for patients as whole people. This is how family medicine is meant to feel.

As we step into 2026, I just want to pause and say thank you. Thank you for choosing Deserving of Joy: Direct Primary Care and trusting me with your care.  Thank you for saying yes to a different kind of healthcare that is thoughtful, personal, and rooted in relationships.

I wanted to take a quiet moment to wish you a very Merry Christmas.

The holidays were never meant to feel like a performance.

And yet, for so many of us — especially women in the thick of careers, caregiving, and perimenopause — this season can feel less like joy… and more like juggling.

Before you find yourself carrying the emotional load, the family expectations, and the endless to-do list, I want to offer a few physician-guided, heart-centered reminders to help you not just survive the holidays, but truly thrive in them.

Because your well-being is worth protecting — especially now.

As the new year approaches, many of us take a fresh look at our health, our priorities, and—yes—our HSA balances. With recent changes under the Primary Care Enhancement Act, your Health Savings Account can now do more for you than ever before.

As we get closer to opening day, I hope you’re feeling as excited as I am. I want to give you a clear picture of what a Deserving of Joy membership truly includes — because it’s so much more than easy appointments or a monthly fee. It’s a return to something medicine has been missing: access, time, and a real relationship with your doctor.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how health care should feel: calm, personal, unrushed, and centered around you. That’s exactly why I chose Direct Primary Care, and why Deserving of Joy exists.

So what is DPC?

Happy Thanksgiving to my members and followers! Check out a sneak peak of the Deserving of Joy: Direct Primary Care office!

Before I tell you anything more about my new practice, I want to tell you why I built it, because the “why” matters more than the walls, the website, or even the services.

For years, I loved being a family doctor… but I hated the way the system kept pulling me away from the parts of medicine that mattered most. The rushed visits. The battles with insurance. The endless coding requirements. The inability to sit with you, listen, think, and truly care, the way you deserve.