Avikai Staff

Founder, Director

Dr. Michelle Turcotte, ND

Dr. Michelle Turcotte is the founder and managing member of Avikai Spa. Dr. Turcotte is a naturopathic physician, graduating cum laude from the University of Washington in Psychology and earning her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University.

Dr. Turcotte’s business background includes founding and operating a successful marketing company for over ten years, which was acquired by Associated Grocers. Her career has also had success in real estate sales for Coldwell Banker in Seattle and Mortgage Lending Bellevue.

Dr. Turcotte has studied European medicine, homeopathy, functional medicine, applied kinesiology, and Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique. She is a licensed NMD in the state of Arizona and is developing and patenting modalities to benefit the spa-goer and performing extensive research and studies in holistic medicine. She has completed certification as a Spa Supervisor through iSPA.

Dr. Turcotte is a founding member of International Medical Spa Association, a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and the International SPA Association.

Avikai Spa features a wide scope of licensed health care providers, including MDs, nutritionalists, RNs, massage therapists, aesthetcians and other licensed professionals. MDs are on staff for lasers and injectables.  NDs and nutritionists are on staff for weight loss and diagnostics.

News Briefs

Naturopathic Physicians to Receive the Same Academic Recognition as MDs

NDs will be classified by the federal government in the same professional category as allopathic medical doctors under a new system recently approved by the U.S. Department of Education. The change becomes effective in July 2008.

The new law places NDs in the “Doctor Degree-Professional Practice” category along with MDs, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, osteopaths, podiatrists, pharmacists,  veterinarians and lawyers.

The degree reclassification formalizes the growing national acceptance of naturopathic medicine as a field of knowledge equivalent to traditional medicine.

Numbers of Naturopathic Physicians on the Rise

From 2001 to 2006, the number of licensed and affiliate NDs in the U.S. has more than doubled in the past six years from 1362 in 2001 to 2780 in 2006.

Definition of an ND: “individuals who successfully complete a four-year graduate-level degree from an accredited naturopathic medical school.” NDs embrace holistic approaches to healing and consider the whole person-body, mind and spirit.”

NDs should not be confused with naturopaths that receive their principle education and training through various formats, such as workshops, seminars, apprenticeships, correspondence courses and other alternative methods. Naturopaths are sometimes called lay or traditional naturopaths to contrast them with the more academically and professionally educated naturopathic physicians.

Since 2000, three additional states (California, Idaho and Kansas) and the District of Columbia enacted ND licensing, increasing the total number of states to 18.

Arizona, Washington, Oregon and Connecticut experienced the most dramatic increases during the five years.

Three factors are associated with the rising supply of NDs in the U.S.: Rising demand for CAM; increased lobbying for licensure; and growing interest among private insurance companies to cover naturopathic services.