Dr Thi H. Nguyen-Phuoc, ND, PT, LAC
Life took a drastic turn in the summer of 2001 when I was diagnosed with lupus. Over the next 10 years, I struggled to regain my health. Just when I thought I had things under control, I experienced kidney failure. In retrospect, this proved to be a blessing in disguise because it allowed me time off from work to devote myself completely to healing. I was able to confirm how well the body heals itself if given the right support. Not only have I regained full kidney functions, I have been healthy—and without any medication or medical treatment—since November 2010.
While many have called my healing journey miraculous, I don’t believe it’s unique. I believe everyone is capable of similar healing journeys. The path is simple: build the foundations of health while removing the obstacles to health. Of course, this takes consistent effort, which might be the most difficult part of the journey. Yet, just like being lost in the woods, if we keep going toward “North,” we will eventually find home no matter how many turns and switchbacks we must take.
The body speaks with signs and symptoms, asking for help. Whatever your body is saying to you now, I urge you to listen to your body with an open heart and a willing spirit. Listen closely so that you may follow your body’s innate intelligence helping you toward healing and wholeness.
In September 2011, I returned to school in order to become a better guide. The integration of Naturopathic Medicine, Physical Therapy and Acupuncture, as well as my meditation practice and knowledge of Energy Medicine, enables me to listen with sensitivity when the body speaks.
My soul mission is to share the tools of healing to empower you to find your own paths to health & happiness and be a witness to your miraculous healing journeys.
Education
- Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine, Bastyr University, June 2016.
- Masters of Science in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, Bastyr University, December 2016.
- Masters of Science in Physical Therapy, Texas State University, May 2002.
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Plan II Honors Program, University of Texas @ Austin, May 1999.
My Philosophy
Nearly 20 years of clinical practice, I have a few philosophical leanings to live by that have never failed me.
First Things First. While I hear clearly your "chief complaint," I will prioritize what is most important to do first. I will always explain my analysis and share all that I know with you. If we respect the body as an intelligent whole, the presenting symptom may be a "victim" of some other cause. First Things First is a commitment to finding the root cause of your symptoms and treating the whole person.
Never Hurt One to Help Another. As with people, so with exercise and prescriptions, it doesn't make sense if we hurt a body part to help another body part, or tolerate a side effect in order to benefit from a therapeutic effect. I always strive for win/win situations.
Use a crutch until you don't need one. I've had many patients insist that they don't want to take any western medication, or they are against this or that thing, but I think this kind of rigidity is not useful. When you're limping, it's helpful to have assistive device, a crutch, because it prevents further injury to the body and facilitates the healing processes. So while I don't prefer prescribing western medications, I do think there's a place for them. In fact, I'm grateful they are there to help us buy time to then rebuilt the body back from the inside out, from the foundations upwards.
"Oooooh" is OK, "Ouch!" is Not. The body doesn't speak English, Spanish, French or Vietnamese. It speaks with "oooh" and "ouch." If the feeling during an exercise or stretch is "ooooh," it's OK to proceed, but the slightest "ouch" means something is injured and the body is setting a boundary. I will help you interpret the many ways your body says "ooooh" and "ouch," and as you become familiar with the language of your body, you will feel more confident in becoming your own doctor!
When Things Are in Harmony, Nothing Sticks Out. If you stubbed your toe, it'll moan and groan at you. Your toe is no longer in harmony with the rest of your body, so it's "sticking out" in your consciousness. Similarly, when I listen to your body, I'm listening for what tissue or structure "sticks out." Health means harmony every level: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
The 1-2 combo. You often can survive the 1st punch, or the 2nd punch, but when they come right after each other, close together in time/space, that's when you're more vulnerable. I've observed this to be true with health, and often the 1-2 combo is a combination between physical + emotional/energetic injury. Our society places too much importance on the visible and not enough emphasis on the invisible, the unseen threads that pull our heart, mind or spirit, often in different directions. The journey into the hidden dimensions takes skills and trust, and it must be taken if we are truly to heal the roots of our dis-ease.
Listen & Follow. No matter how complex a situation is, no many how many skills or tools lay on the table, no matter how many entry ways exist to solve a problem, the beginning is always the same: listen—truly listen—to what's happening in the present moment; if possible, feel into how the present moment came to be; and follow the intelligence of the body. It will always lead you to the right answers for your healing journey. The mind can be tricked, but the body never lies.
Look, Listen, Love, Learn. My own healing journey has taught me these concepts. Look, not only with our eyes, but also with our hearts and minds and see what is hidden. Listen, not only with our ears, but also with our thoughts and intentions and hear what is not said. Love, not just the beautiful parts, but also the parts that need understanding, compassion, and gentleness. Learn, not just the fun stuff, but also those lessons that stretch us, strain us, challenge us, and change us. If we can look and listen, if we can be open to loving all that we've seen and heard, then we will learn so much about ourselves and the people around us. True compassion comes from having understood ourselves and seeing others in ourselves.
My Specialty
I love problem solving, so I thrive on complex + complicated cases, situations where solutions are elusive. Because of my clinical training and personal healing journey, I often see what others miss. My clinical interests are chronic musculoskeletal pain + injuries that don't seem to heal, autoimmune disorders especially lupus, anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress reduction, and gut health. I've had great successes with treating migraine headaches, with most of my patients reporting at least 50% improvement by session #6 or #8, sometimes complete resolution of their migraines after working with me. Because of my sensitivity to energy, I love working with children and supporting mothers during peri- and post-natal health as well as treating fertility + infertility.
Patient Testimonials
"My experience with Dr. Thi treating me has been amazing. I am grateful for such a compassionate doctor whose own personal journey along with combined skills to wellness has made a continuous difference in my life." -- DW, 63F, Sept 2020.
"My trusted and brilliant physical therapist recommended that I reach out to Dr. Nguyen-Phuoc when I was diagnosed with a medical condition, and I can truly say that the referral has been life-changing for me. My journey to well-being involves an astonishing array of diverse techniques applied skillfully by Dr. Nguyen-Phuoc. She considers herself an engineer, exploring what approaches work best with my whole body and self. I think of her, with gratitude, as a remarkable healer." -- JR, 59F, Sept 2020.
"Experiencing Dr. Thi’s unique skills and knowledge in assisting, allowing, encouraging natural healing to occur without invasive interruption has been a blessing. Among the numerous benefits of her post-surgery treatment for my condition was an amazingly rapid recovery. Her physical therapy techniques and acupuncture approach increased my whole-body well-being and health. Thank you, Dr. Thi!" -- IW, 66M, Sept 2020.
"Dr. Thi is an advocate and a teacher for your health. Her treatments provide balance and healing to the body. Thi’s own healing experience is present in her treatments and teachings. Working with Thi has been a whole body, mind, heart and soul experience in healing and thriving in life." -- LS, 59F, Oct 2020.
"Dr. Thi has a keen sense of working with the human body. She has been trained in Western and Eastern medicine so she has access to multiple approaches to help you with your issues. She is always trying new things with me so I know she is continually investing in her own education to be able to accelerate healing with patients." -- LK, 57F, Nov 2020.
My Medicine Bag
Naturopathic Medicine
- Homeopathy
- Constitutional & Acute Homeopathy
- Cell Salts
- Bach Flower Remedies
- Botanical Medicine
- Western Herbal Medicine
- Gemmotherapy
- Nutrition
- Macro & Micro Nutrients Education
- Food Allergy Testing & Education
- Food Intolerance Testing & Education (Carroll Institute)
- Supplements Analysis
- Dietary Counseling
- Macrobiotics
- Intermittent Fasting
- Ketogenic Diet
- Paleo Diet
- Vegetarian & Vegan Diet
- Eat Right 4 Your Type (Blood Type Diet)
- Physical Medicine (see Physical Therapy)
- Counseling
- Heart-Centered Therapy
- Biofeedback
- Neuro Linguistic Programing
- Life Coaching
- Hypnotherapy
- Past Life Regression
Physical Therapy
- Strain / Counterstrain (Jones Technique)
- Craniosacral Therapy
- Somatoemotional Release
- Myofascial Release
- Visceral Manipulation
- Lymphatic Drainage Therapy
- Zero Balancing
- Kinesiotaping
- Activator Method
- Dry Needling*
- Therapeutic Exercise
- Neuromuscular Re-Education
- Fascial System Balancing (a technique I developed by blending several techniques into one)
Chinese Medicine
- Acupuncture
- Traditional Chinese Medicine including Electro-Acupuncture
- Japanese Acupuncture
- Shonishin Pediatric Needleless Acupuncture
- Dr Tan's Balance Method
- Korean Acupuncture
- Acutonics & Inner Sound Healing
- Aroma Acupoint Therapy
- Esogetic Medicine (aka Colorpuncture)
- Meridian Unwinding (a technique I've developed that's useful in high blood pressure reduction and trigger point releases)
- Chinese Herbal Medicine
- Tai Chi & Qi Gong
- TCM Nutrition
Energy Medicine
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Insight Meditation (Vipassana)
- Meditation for Self-Healing
- Reiki + Distance Healing
- Pranic Healing
*Note : Currently in WA, Physical Therapists cannot perform Dry Needling, a technique borrowed from acupuncture. However, as both Physical Therapist and Acupuncturist, I am able to provide this service.
Meet Mochi
Mango Mochi HuaHua is a 5yo chihuahua-mini pinscher mix. We rescued each other 4 years ago. Back then, he used to be so scared of everything. If you looked at him in the eye, even without speaking to him, he'd bark and run away, and he'd continue to bark at 30-60' distance. He's much better now. He still barks sometimes, but most times, he just wants to lie with you while you receive treatment. Of course, Mochi respects your preference, so if you prefer not to have him, please let me know.