Integrative Medicine

Valerie Stephens, MD offers her services as a practitioner of Integrative Medicine at Thrive Acupuncture and Wellness through her practice, Integrative Health & Wellness, LLC. 

Integrative Medicine, according to Andrew Weil, MD, is the “intelligent combination of conventional and alternative medicine.” It aims to restore the focus of medicine on health and healing, emphasizing “whole person medicine” looking at all aspects of lifestyle and acknowledging we are more than just bodies. Practitioners of Integrative Medicine will also source other aspects of complementary and alternative medicines in their recommendations for their clients. 

Dr. Stephens brings her long career as a Gastroenterologist to her practice of Integrative Medicine. She offers clients a unique, compassionate and holistic perspective on their health, with her years of experience working as a Medical Doctor in conventional settings. Dr. Stephens enjoys working with patients with GI related concerns and Long-Covid symptoms, and is open to all consultative requests. 

Dr. Stephens requires that new patients book a free 15-minute phone consultation to begin working with her. Appointments can be booked through our Thrive Acupuncture online booking or by calling our office at 605-858-9571. Her practice does not accept Insurance, but our office will happily provide you with a Superbill for your own submission. 

She says, “traditional medicine has many positive attributes but has failed the public in many ways including managing chronic disease, prevention of disease, nutritional guidance and obtaining a healthy lifestyle. There is a role for multiple therapies and my mission is to help patients achieve optimal health by applying multiple evidence-based modalities.” 

ABOUT DR. VALERIE STEPHENS, MD

A native of South Dakota, Dr. Stephens worked as a gastroenterologist (the study of the alimentary tract, liver and pancreas) at Rapid City Medical Center in Rapid City SD from 2006 - 2022. Prior to that she worked in the same capacity in Everett, WA at Western Washington Medical Group. She earned her MD at the USD Sanford School of Medicine in Vermilion, SD and subsequently earned her Fellowship in GI at the University of Minnesota. Prior to entering medicine she was a cartographer in Minneapolis, MN, after graduating summa cum laude from University of Minnesota, Mankato in Geography. 

Disillusioned with the current state of medicine, Dr. Stephens completed a Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona Andrew Weil School of Integrative Medicine in Tuscon, AZ. She is now Board Certified in Integrative Medicine as of 2023. Dr. Stephens is an advocate for her patients. She sees patients as unique individuals that require personalized care, not as a statistical algorithm endorsed by insurance companies. She enjoys learning new things and collaborating with other practitioners in the community.