Meet Dani, Nurse Practitioner 

Before becoming a primary care nurse practitioner, I spent years as an ICU nurse.

Day after day, I cared for people whose lives had been interrupted by heart attacks, strokes, cancers, falls, and other preventable illnesses. Many had finally reached retirement—the season they had worked decades to enjoy. Instead, they found themselves spending it in hospitals, rehab centers, and medical appointments.

Those experiences changed me.

They taught me that healthcare shouldn’t begin in a crisis. It should begin years earlier.

For the past decade in primary care, I’ve seen another side of that same story.

Adults in midlife come in exhausted, gaining weight, losing strength, struggling with changing hormones, rising blood pressure, insulin resistance or simply feeling like they don’t recognize themselves anymore.

Most don't need more willpower. 

They need a better system.

I don’t believe one clinician can provide everything people need to build lasting health. The healthiest communities thrive because medical care, nutrition, movement, mental health, and meaningful relationships work together.

That’s why I created Phoenix Rising Midlife Health Clinic.

Our goal isn’t simply to help you live longer.

It’s to help you build a healthier future—one that lets you keep doing the things that matter most.

Because healthy aging doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens through intentional decisions, supported by the right team, long before a crisis forces them.

I'd be honored to help you build that future. 💛

~Dani

Meet Leah, Health Coach 

As a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), Leah believes lasting health isn’t built through willpower or perfection—it’s built through understanding yourself, creating sustainable habits, and having the right support along the way.

Leah developed the Phoenix Rising Health Coaching program to bridge the gap between knowing what to do and actually being able to do it consistently in the middle of real life. Drawing from behavior change science, motivational interviewing, positive psychology, and professional coaching, she helps people build healthier routines that fit their unique goals, values, and season of life.

She has a particular interest in supporting highly sensitive people (HSPs) and others who experience the world deeply or become easily overwhelmed by stress, competing demands, or constant stimulation. While that isn’t required to benefit from coaching, many clients appreciate her thoughtful, individualized approach that honors both physical health and the important role our nervous system plays in lasting change.

Whether someone is working toward better nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, or healthy aging, Leah’s goal is to help them move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and self-trust—one sustainable step at a time.

~Leah

Meet Joel, Psychiatric NP

Mental health doesn’t exist in a separate box.

It influences how we sleep, how we handle stress, how we connect with the people we love, and even how consistently we care for our physical health.

During midlife, many people begin navigating changing hormones, increasing responsibilities, grief, anxiety, ADHD, depression, or simply the feeling that life has become heavier than it used to be.

Medication can be an important part of treatment—but it’s rarely the whole picture.

I believe the best mental health care looks at the whole person. Together, we’ll explore the biological, psychological, and lifestyle factors that influence how you’re feeling while creating a treatment plan that fits your goals and your life.

As part of the Phoenix Rising Midlife Health Clinic team, I work closely with your primary care provider and health coach so we’re all moving in the same direction. When your medical care, mental health, and daily habits support one another, lasting change becomes much more achievable.

Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, chronic stress, or simply don’t feel like yourself anymore, my goal is to help you find a path forward with clarity, compassion, and evidence-based care.

I'd be honored to be a part of your journey.

~ Joel

Meet Dr. Nic, Our Physical Therapy Partner

One of the ways we help patients preserve strength, mobility, and independence is through functional movement assessments performed by our physical therapy partner, Dr. Nic.

If you’ve already explored Our Approach, you’ve seen why we believe physical function is one of the most meaningful indicators of healthy aging. Nic helps us bring that philosophy to life through individualized assessments that identify opportunities to improve movement, reduce injury risk, and support long-term health.

I grew up in rural Mapleton, Oregon, along the Siuslaw River, where an active outdoor lifestyle first sparked my appreciation for movement. I earned my undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Western Oregon University before completing my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the University of Puget Sound.

Since graduating in 2008, I’ve practiced in outpatient orthopedic physical therapy in both private practice and hospital settings. I’m a Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), a Certified Mulligan Practitioner, and certified in Astym—advanced training that allows me to better evaluate movement, improve function, and support recovery.

One of the reasons I’m excited to partner with Phoenix Rising Midlife Health Clinic is that we share the same philosophy. Physical therapy isn’t only about recovering from injury—it’s also about understanding how your body functions today so you can stay active, capable, and independent for decades to come.

When I work with Phoenix Rising patients, my goal isn’t simply to identify what hurts. It’s to understand how your body moves and help you build the strength, mobility, and confidence to keep doing the things you love.

Outside the clinic, you’ll usually find me running, hiking, cycling, woodworking, fly fishing, cheering on my favorite sports teams, or spending time with my wife, Mindy, and our four children: Roland, Perri, Olive, and Wilder.

~Nic