Berkeley Naturopathic Medical Group

The good: Dr. Korza provides decent advice WRT nutrition, some of which may be familiar if you’re already aware of the benefits of a plant-​based diet. She also prescribed an alternative treatment that may save me from having to use some more nasty meds. Primary care doc says not to hold my breath on that, but I’m giving it a shot.
The bad: As of August/​September 2014, the fees specified in the «Welcome Packet» sent to new patients are incomplete at best. While the document outlined the costs of initial and follow-​up visits, it did not address fees for off-​line analysis of lab results — which I was asked to pre-​pay at my initial appointment. Not a lot of money, but I didn’t appreciate this surprise charge out of principle. Given how detailed their Welcome Packet is, there’s no good reason to exclude these extra fees from the pricing page.
The ugly: My uneasy feelings about the practice’s pricing were compounded when they tried to charge me a second time for lab result analysis that was only necessary due to their own omission of a test the first time. Again, lunch money, but I felt a bit nickel-​and-​dimed by that experience.
Bottom line: could be a good resource for people with health issues not addressed by conventional physicians, but if you’re watching your budget or simply like to know what you’ll be expected to pay, you may want to ask for a complete list of fees when you make your first appointment.

I’ve been seeing Dr Korza with serious autoimmune problems for almost a year now. I’m close to put these babies into remission without drugs! :))))
She’s amazing! She has vast knowledge of diet, lifestyle and supplements and I am finally treated like an intelligent adult who’s capable of knowing her body (unlike at the rheumatologist where they treat you like a stupid child and try to pump you with toxic pharmaceuticals).
She’s so kind and supportive! I recommend her to everyone! :)

I really like Dr Korza but despite her promises, she wasn’t able to help with my perimenopausal symptoms. She was all about the diet. My hormone problems can not all be solved with diet. She didn’t help with my insomnia, PMS, thryroid, etc. I spent a lot of money. She did help with my acid reflux though.

I came to Dr. Korza after five years of chronic pain that wasn’t relived through surgery, physical therapy or other more mainstream modalities of treatment. I was worried going to see a naturopath because I knew I was likely in for some dietary changes. I found Dr. Korza to be incredibly supportive and knowledgeable. She knows her stuff and has a network of people she referred me to for specialized treatments that really helped me. One year after starting to work with her I am back to my active lifestyle running and rock climbing without pain and have more energy than ever. If you are ready to make changes to support your healthiest self this is the place to come. They are supportive, nonjudgemental and have helped me heal in just the way I was looking for.

Dr. Korza is hands down the best. I had been to four other doctors trying to figure out why over the last year I had been expierencing dizzy spells. They had gotten so bad I could barely stand. Along with other strange symptoms I was sinking fast. The other doctors had no clue as to what was happening and quickly jumped to it might be psychological problems. Well Dr. Korza ran a few more test and found out it was a DNA mutation. With the proper medicine I feel better than I have for my whole life. Thank you Dr. Korza for you have saved my life. And the front of the house are the nicest ladies to deal with.

For ten years I have struggled with fatigue. No matter how much I slept, I never seemed to feel fully rested or as energetic as I once was. In working with Dr. Garchitorena, we discovered that I had a «slow allergy» to gluten. With a simple change of diet and some restorative supplements my fatigue quickly faded away and I began to feel energetic for the first time in years. Additionally, I noticed my mind settled a little and my mood lifted, as well.
Dr. Garchitorena has truly been a gift in my life. I wish I’d have meet her ten years ago.

I’ve had digestive issues for nearly six years now, and I’d almost given up hope. I’d tried everything from medical procedures to colonics to radical diets (including juice fasting)… everything. But somehow, in spite of my hopelessness, I found Dr. Korza and Berkeley Naturopathic Medical Group and made an appointment. Immediately, I felt calm and confident in her presence and her expertise; she dedicated well over an hour to compassionately listening to me about my problems and all the failed attempts at solution, and she explained thoroughly all her thoughts and experience around the issue. After some testing, we found a diagnosis, and Dr. Korza gave me a very clear and doable treatment plan… which I diligently followed.
Now, a few short months and a lot of hard work later, I can say with total honesty that I am cured. I’ve been feeling «normal» for a month now, and just typing it almost brings tears to my eyes. No more pain every time I eat, no more wondering if I have to deal with this for the rest of my life. It’s incredible.
Yes, I had to do some work to get here. The regimen wasn’t easy, but I felt supported by and accountable to Dr. Korza in a way that was incredibly conducive to hard work. Now, I know that if any of my digestive issues start to flare up… or if I have any other physical problems come up, I’m going to be making an appointment with Dr. Korza.
As a side note… I’m not made of money, but I had previously poured thousands of dollars into trying to fix my digestive issues over the last several years. The money I spent to see Dr. Korza was some of the best-​spent money of my adult life. I could’ve *saved* thousands if I’d found her sooner.

I have had amazing results working with Dr. Korza with regard to insomnia and hormonal imbalance. In fact, it has dramatically changed my life for the better. I was averaging about 0 to 3 hours of sleep per night when I came to see her and each month I endured so much pain around that time of the month.
When I saw my Family Pracitioner about these issues she wrote me a prescription for Zoloft. Zoloft? I’m having 10 day periods, pain and insomnia… yes I know that’s enough to make someone a bit crazy but why couldn’t we just get to the root of the problem?
At this point, I decided to go the holistic route and made an appointment with Dr. Korza. The first visit was awesome. No one had ever taken this kind of time to look over my medical history, food and supplement intake, life style, etc.
When I came to her I felt uncomfortable, swollen and wrecked from being so tired. The root of the problem: Hormonal Imbalance. She came up with a plan went over it with me in her office and emailed me all of the details.
I had to completely change my diet and removed soy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, eggs, peanuts and wheat from my diet. I switched to whole foods, low grains and fruit. She also asked me to stop marathon trainings and do lighter, less exercise. She also listened well to me about how many supplements I would be willing to take so she made it incorporate very easy into my regimen and didn’t overwhelm me with a bunch of stuff to take all day.
I won’t lie, changing my diet was a lot of work. And grasping the concept of not running 6 plus miles a day was kind of hard to take. But it was worth the time and investment for my well being. Here it is 10 months later, I am 15 lbs. lighter, I no longer have insomnia. (This is such a victory after struggling for nearly 2 years), my skin looks amazing and I feel so energetic. My pain went away each month and I now only have to deal with 5 days of bleeding vs. 10. I hit 40 and feel better than I did in my 20’s!
I have also figured out how to simplify my routine so you do get the hang of it and it does become less work after a while. In fact, I really enjoy it and am integrating nutrition into my wellness services at my place of work.
There is no magic potion or cure. Dr. Korza will give you the tools to get you on the path to wellness but it is up to YOU to do the work. Remember why you came here and that YOUR health is absolutely worth the time and $$ investment.

I have been seeing Dr, Korza for almost a year now to address basic health concerns specifically my low thyroid that I did not feel was being managed correctly by my regular doctor. From the beginning she made me feel cared for and listened to in ways that I never got from my primary care doctor. She patiently answers all of my questions and provides me with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes dietary changes, herbs, supplements and even lifestyle modifications. Most importantly, I have been able to decrease the amount of thyroid medication that I take and look and feel healthier than I have in years. I recommend her to everyone I know!

Dr. Pam Colby is warm, smart and thorough. I went to see her for digestive problems. She did a careful intake, came up with a plan that suited my lifestyle, and helped me turn around a long-​time problem. What a relief to get personal treatment. I not only feel better, I also have more energy and I think I look younger!

I met with Dr. Pamela Colby recently, and was so impressed with both her knowledge base and her compassion. Unlike most «western-​trained» physicians, Dr. Colby wants to understand the complete picture of your life: your diet, your exercise habits, what stresses you out, and other basic things that western medicine often ignores. The result is that she can customize her treatments to fit your particular situation, and target the causes rather than just the symptoms of what ails you.
All the while she is listening attentively and non-​judgmentally, and is absolutely determined to help where others have failed. If you’re tired of doctors immediately reaching for the prescription pad, refresh your faith in the profession by seeing Dr. Colby!

I saw Dr. Pamela Colby for an annual woman’s exam. Everything was so smooth and detailed. Very different from what I had been used to at Kaiser which was very wam bam thank you… ummmmm what was your name again? Then Pamela took the next 30 – 45 minutes to assess my whole health and gave me some wonderful suggestions on things I could do immediately to address them. She was patient, kind and attentive to detail. Why can’t all doctors be like her?

I spent a lot of money and a lot of time going back and forth to this clinic. I won’t say the name of my Dr. She seemed genuinely concerned about me and my condition, and knew I had another more serious condition that needed to be kept on top of. She neglected to have my blood work done and my health declined sharply and rapidly. She did not take resoponsibility for her (non) actions and blamed me for expecting too much. It scared the ***out of me, so much so that I never have gone back to another naturopath. She was the 1^st one I had ever seen. It has been a few years now and I am gaining confidence to try another, but never again at this place. She did not return phone calls on time, or at all sometimes. It was a huge waste of money, time and emotional energy.

I’ve been seeing Dr. Korza at Berkeley Naturopathic for only 3 months and I couldn’t be more satisfied with my experience. I had been dealing with debilitating hypothyroidism symptoms off and on for the past five years but now feel like a completely new person through a combination of dietary changes and supplements. But here’s the most interesting part of my experience with Dr. Korza– as a 10-​year patient/​strong advocate of eastern and naturopathic medicine, I was surprised to find out how much I had gotten wrong about my health in the past. Dr. Korza’s personalized treatment plan pinpointed my ongoing health issues unlike any other alternative treatment plan and believe me, I’ve tried everything!
That said, perhaps the most valuable part of my experience (apart from the tangible results) is Dr. Korza, herself. Not only is she a first-​class medical practitioner with deep, instinctive knowledge of the human body but she is an incredibly warm and nurturing person who treats her patients with true respect and dignity. It is refreshing to finally have a doctor who I can look to both as a healer and a teacher. I highly recommend Dr. Korza and Berkeley Naturopathic to anyone seeking positive health changes and a truly genuine doctor-​patient relationship.

I’ve been seeing Dr. Korza since June 2011 and highly recommend her.
After a few months of seeing Dr. Korza, I went from experiencing fatigue and fluctuations in energy throughout the day to now feeling much more energized and even. I swear my nails have been stronger and my hair thicker as well.
Naturopathic medicine is what all medicine should be. There’s so much more that goes in to reaching optimal health than just checking in with a doctor if something hurts. Nutrition, lifestyle/​self care habits, vitamin deficiencies, food sensitivities, and systemic imbalances are all crucial, and all addressed under Dr. Korza’s care.
Dr. Korza is warm, knowledgeable, thorough, and amazing at taking the time to explain things (something you don’t often get with regular doctors). She’s definitely someone you want on your team. This was my first experience seeing a naturopath and has been completely worth the investment.

I highly recommend Dr. Colby!
During my second half of the pregnancy, I had early contractions and went to the hospital a couple of times. At the hospital, my OB monitored my contractions and gave me prescription contraction medication, he told me it isn’t necessary to take, but it is better for me… However my guts tells me that I should avoid medication at this point. Plus I tried so hard to eat healthily and practicing prenatal yoga everyday, I haven’t even had a drop of caffeine or alcohol! However this situation is scary to me especially for a first time mom!
So the Naturopathic came to my mind, then I went see Dr. Colby. She is warm, thoughtful and caring person. She is an extremely good listener. I am not a native English speaker, so I always try to avoid seeing an overly booked doctor, they always seems to have too little time to spend on you … But Dr. Colby is different! She is very patience, she always takes time to understand my situations. Then she gave me many good suggestions for my nutrition, even for the pregnancy lifestyle that are good for me and my baby, and explain everything and answered all my questions and concerns very thoroughly. She also gave me some supplements based on my situation beside the prenatal vitamin I was taking the whole time. After a couple weeks of taking the supplements followed by a good nutrition. My condition gets better, the change was significant. Even my husband sees the different.
On May 2011, I gave birth to a extremely healthy baby boy (full-​term). Now my baby and I are continuing seeing Dr. Colby. She is so good with children, every time my son sees Dr. Colby, he seems so exited and happy! We both love Dr. Colby!

I’ve been seeing Dr. Korza for the past 4 months or so, and saw results almost immediately. It wasn’t just a one visit miracle, there were definitely steps for me to follow and a few check-​ins to monitor my progress, but Dr. Korza was so approachable and made it feel so attainable. As of today my primary health concern I came to her with has been eliminated and my secondary is seeing definite progress.
I too was extremely frustrated with my traditional western doctor (s). I had an ongoing health concern that was never treated with anything more than a prescription, only to be revisited by the issue a few weeks later. This went on for two years and I felt practically hopeless because no one tried to help me figure out what the cause was or even to help fix it, they just wanted to load me up with antibiotics.
I decided I had to bite the bullet and go out of pocket to find some hope from an ND. Dr. Korza had great reviews and for many true, good reasons. She really does listen, explain the process of healing, tailors your health plan to your needs and even allows room for you to continue some of the things you might think you’d have to give up (like eating ice cream lol). All in all, it’s been extremely worth it. Even my stress has gone down immensly because I’m not thinking about my health issues ²⁴⁄₇.

Dr. Korza has been a God send– when all the western doctors blamed me for my medical issues she made (makes) an effort to find a solution without blame and continue to search until the problem is solved.

This review is for Dr. Teray Garchitorena.
Naturopathic medicine is the best of two worlds: the wisdom of alternative or complementary medicine and traditional western medicine. Dr. Teray is gifted detective in both worlds. I’ve had digestive issues for a long time and Dr. Teray was able to identify a component that no one else had considered. My health took a giant leap forward as a result of her keen analysis. 5 stars for that.
The office is warm and inviting and the the staff friendly and helpful.

I have had two chronic issues in my life and looking at me one would ever know about them so I tended to ignore them. We Midwesterners are pretty tough and generally believe that if we ignore a problem, it will go away. Of course, this philosophy does not always work.
My first issue was pain in my joints that would come and go for apparently no reason. This was on and off for many, many years and sometimes my elbows and knees ang strangely the bottoms of my feet would hurt so bad I would grimace when I moved. Everything came to a head one day when I literally could not move. I decided that it had something to do with a piece of Costco chocolate cake I had eaten that had to have been filled with more sugar, preservatives and other chemicals than I had eaten in my life prior to that point. By the way, the cake was fantastic, delicious, wonderful, moist and YUMMY! Because of its wonderfulness, I could see why people would go for another piece or another cake the following week, so it is very, very bad stuff. Addictive? Surely!
Through my work with Dr. Hart I learned how much sugar, chemicals and the simple overabundance of specific ingredients (corn — which is in everything) contribute to inflammation in joints and therefore joint pain. We did some tests to determine food allergies and I started eating less of the processed garbage that is available everywhere and more whole foods and my joint pain has lessened considerably. Now, when I eat something that I know is either very sweet or very processed, I can almost count the hours until it hits my bloodstream and causes joint pain. Does this mean that I don’t eat it — of course not entirely. But I know what effects me and how it effects me so I know what to be careful of.
2^nd issue was an inability to sleep. Again, for many years I was sleeping around 3 – 4 hours per night for what turns out were a couple completely reversible reasons. We did a few tests to determine both cause and severity of the sleep deprivation and with a little time, a few simple supplements (which I no longer have to take), and some dedication to a sleep routine I am once again fully rested and I feel fantastic.
For now, barring any specific challenges, I consult Dr. Hart for health and wellness.