Cutting-Edge Naturopathic Care So You Can Heal

Dr. Joshua Z Goldenberg, ND is a registered Naturopathic Doctor in CO and is now also licensed in CA (via telehealth). He is a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Gastroenterology.

Our Philosophy

We don’t believe in one size fits all medicine. We strive to bring you the latest advances in IBS and gastrointestinal research along with the personalized care you deserve.

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Dr. Goldenberg

Dr. Goldenberg, ND is a researcher, registered naturopathic doctor in CO (and also licensed in CA via telehealth), and teacher focusing on naturopathic approaches to GI health, specifically focused on IBS, SIBO, GERD, UC, and Crohn's.

Conditions

While we focus on naturopathic approaches to IBS, SIBO, Ulcerative Colitis, GERD, and Crohn's Disease, we see patients for all manner of GI conditions as well as general naturopathic care.

LEARN MORE

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the Love & Guts Podcast with Dr. Lydia Griparic!

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the SIBO Doctor Podcast with Dr. Nirala Jacobi!

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the One Thing Podcast with Dr. Adam Rinde!

Doctor as teacher
m-Health
Patient visit
New to town
background
why gi?

LEARN ABOUT THE CLINIC

About IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is an extremely common disorder. It affects anywhere from 10% to 15% of the worldwide population.

Millions of doctors' visits
Billions in medical cost
Many people with IBS still feel sick

IBS Stats

People with IBS (worldwide)

Mild

Moderate

Severe

Million people in the US with IBS

Average years before a diagnosis

Million doctor visits for IBS each year

Curious about naturopathic options for your IBS?

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY

Schyuler L.

The journey to improving health can be a long, difficult, and sometimes scary one as you are faced with making huge lifestyle changes. Dr. Goldenberg is the doctor you will want to help guide and support you through these changes.

Prudence Branson

I had suffered with anxiety issues for years. Dr. Goldenberg worked with me on a weekly basis for just 2 months, and instilled in me tools to use when I was experiencing this anxiety. After using his tools for several months, I have been free from anxiety for over a year. His suggestions and caring nature were instrumental in changing my quality of life.

Dr. Goldenberg has a caring nature, a willingness to listen, and an exquisite sense of humor not often found in the medical profession today.

Chuck Duncan

Dr. G helped me get off of all the opiates I was taking for pain! His expertise allows me to experience a healthy, active life again.

Dr. G is a rare doc in that he actually listens to his patients and works with you to achieve unbelievable results! Colorado has a new treasure.

Janis T

Dr J is awesome and goes into more areas of help than most health professionals could ever do and that is from his great training and background in genetics. Everyone should look at trying to utilize his great talent. I am impressed.

Sheila T

I had a very lovely conversation with Dr.Goldenberg and found him approachable, informative, friendly and warm. I very much like his style of practice and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a ND.

Want access to a FREE Webinar on Gut Health? Sign Up Below!

Our Approach

We take the best of naturopathic approaches to IBS and deliver solutions for you so you can finally feel better. Already have a gastroenterologist? No worries, we love to work as part of a larger team and can augment the conventional medical care they deliver with safe, natural, and effective solutions.

Contact Us

Fax: (888) 972-4399

Mailing address:

The Goldenberg GI Center, LLC

13395 Voyager Pkwy Ste 130 PMB 2037

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

info@GoldenbergGIcenter.com

Call usCall us (719) 377-6609

FAQs

How are registered naturopathic doctors educated and trained?

Education

Accredited naturopathic medical schools are four-year, in-residence, hands-on medical programs consisting of a minimum of 4,100 hours of class and clinical training. During naturopathic medical school, students are educated in the biomedical sciences as well as the latest advances in science in combination with natural approaches to therapy. They also study disease prevention and clinical techniques.

In addition to a standard medical curriculum, schools require their graduates to complete four years of training in disciplines such as clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, physical medicine, and counseling. For at least the final two years of their medical program, naturopathic medical students intern in clinical settings under the close supervision of licensed professionals.

Given the importance of hands-on, clinical experience for naturopathic medical students, the accrediting body for naturopathic medical colleges does not recognize degrees from online programs of study.

Differences between how MDs and DOs and naturopathic doctors are trained.

The general educational structure for naturopathic doctors is comparable to that of conventional medical doctors (MDs) and osteopathic doctors (DOs). In all three medical programs, the first year emphasizes biomedical sciences such as anatomy and biochemistry. Second year classes focus on the diagnostic sciences, including areas such as evidence-based medicine and physiological assessment. All programs progressively increase students’ problem-based learning and integrated coursework, enabling students to learn how different concepts affect one another.

After the first two years, the curricula of the three medical programs focus on applying medical knowledge to real-life situations with simultaneous classroom studies supporting this training. During these later years, the education of MDs and DOs begins to differ from those of naturopathic doctors. For example, students of conventional medical complete clerkships, which are courses in various medical specialties. Although MD students see patients during these clerkships, their roles are primarily observational: they are not primarily responsible for patient care.

Third- and fourth-year naturopathic medical students have more opportunities for hands-on clinical training and practice, often at their schools’ teaching clinics and off-site clinics. This period of clinical training is essential to these students’ education—so much so that clinical training is now being introduced during the first and second years of education at several AANMC-member schools. As a result, naturopathic medical students graduate with experience in diagnosing and treating patients, even before they begin formal practice.

A major difference between the training of the MDs and naturopathic doctors is medical residencies. MD residencies are mandated and regulated by conventional medical schools. As a result, many opportunities for residencies exist at a wide variety of medical facilities and are funded by the federal government.

Naturopathic medical residencies are not nearly as common because they are not yet required by most states (Utah is an exception) or funded by the federal government. In place of a residency, many new naturopathic doctors choose to practice with or shadow an experienced doctor before setting up their own practices.

Like MDs, a growing number of naturopathic doctors choose to specialize or focus their practices. Specialty associations currently exist for Endocrinology, Environmental Medicine, Gastroenterology, Parenteral Therapies, Pediatrics, Primary Care Physicians, Psychiatry, and Oncology. In addition, while practicing Family Medicine, many naturopathic doctors choose an area of focus based on a therapeutic, condition, or population subset.

Prerequisites

Prior to admission into an accredited naturopathic medical school, the typical entering student has completed three years of pre-medical training and earned a bachelor of science degree. Students are expected to have completed courses in English and the humanities as well as math, physics, and psychology, with a strong emphasis on chemistry and biology. In addition to prerequisite course work, prospective students must demonstrate appropriate observational and communication skills, motor function, intellectual-conceptual abilities, integrative and quantitative abilities, and behavioral and social maturity.

Accredited schools

There are currently seven accredited schools with eight campus locations in the United States and Canada. A degree from an accredited naturopathic medical school is required for licensure, registration or certification by a state. (Note: In Colorado Naturopathic Doctors are registered not licensed).

The following accrediting institutions provide accreditation services for naturopathic medical schools:

College accreditation is issued by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). All AANMC member schools have been accredited or are in candidate status for accreditation by an ED-approved regional accrediting agency.

Programmatic accreditation is issued by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). All AANMC member schools have also been accredited—or are candidates for accreditation—by the CNME, the recognized accrediting body for naturopathic medical programs in North America.

The exam required to qualify for naturopathic doctor licensure or registration is administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). The Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX) is a two-part examination. Only students and graduates from accredited or candidate naturopathic programs are eligible to sit for the NPLEX. Passing the NPLEX is required before a doctor of naturopathic medicine can be licensed or registered by a state.

Licensure and certification

Licensure and certification are the highest forms of regulation. They are designed to protect the public by ensuring that certain minimum competency requirements are met. They also set standards for the profession.

Currently 19 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands offer licensure or certification for naturopathic doctors. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians maintains a list of states and territories that license or certify naturopathic doctors.

Note that in the state of Colorado Naturopathic Doctors are registered not licensed.

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct practice of medicine that emphasizes prevention and the self-healing process to treat each person holistically and improve outcomes while lowering health care costs.

Naturopathic doctors are educated and trained in accredited naturopathic medical colleges. They diagnose, prevent and treat acute and chronic illness, restore and establish optimal health by supporting the person's inherent self-healing process. Rather than just suppressing symptoms, naturopathic doctors work to identify underlying causes of illness, and develop personalized treatment plans to address them.

Their Therapeutic Order™, identifies the order in which therapies should be applied to provide the greatest benefit with the least potential for damage.

Remove Obstacles to Health. Health, the “natural state” of one’s body, is disturbed by obstacles that lead to disease. The first step in returning to health is to remove the entities that disturb health such as: poor diet, digestive disturbances, inappropriate and chronic stress levels, and individual disharmony. Naturopathic doctors construct a healthy regimen based on an individual’s “obstacles to health” to change and improve the terrain in which the disease developed. This allows additional therapeutics to have the most beneficial effects possible.
Stimulate the Self-Healing Mechanisms. NDs use therapies to stimulate and strengthen the body’s innate self-healing and curative abilities.
Strengthen Weakened Systems. Systems that need repair are addressed at this level of healing. Naturopathic doctors have an arsenal of therapeutics available to enhance specific tissues, organs or systems including: lifestyle interventions, dietary modifications, and botanical medicine.
Correct Structural Integrity. Physical modalities such as spinal manipulation and massage therapy, are used to improve and maintain skeletal and musculature integrity. Note that in CO naturopathic doctors are not able to practice spinal manipulation but may refer to their chiropractic colleagues for adjustments.
Use Natural Substances to Restore and Regenerate. Naturopathic medicine’s primary objective is to restore health, not to treat pathology. However, when a specific pathology must be addressed, NDs employ safe, effective, natural substances that do not add toxicity or additionally burden the already distressed body.
Use Pharmacologic Substances to Halt Progressive Pathology. NDs are trained in pharmacology and how to use pharmaceutical drugs when necessary. If their state license permits, they can prescribe these agents themselves or if not, refer to a conventional medical colleague. Please note that in CO naturopathic doctors cannot prescribe pharmaceuticals.
Use High Force, Invasive Modalities: Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy. When life, limb, or function must be preserved, NDs refer patients to MDs who are expertly trained in these arenas. At the same time, NDs use complementary or supportive therapies to decrease side effects and increase the effectiveness of these invasive procedures.

While many naturopathic doctors are trained in primary care, like conventional medical doctors (MDs), some choose to specialize or focus their practices. Specialty associations currently exist for Endocrinology, Environmental Medicine, Gastroenterology, Parental Therapies, Pediatrics, Primary Care Physicians, Psychiatry, and Oncology. Dr. Goldenberg is a member of the Naturopathic Gastroenterology Association.

Under what circumstances should I choose to see a registered naturopathic doctor?

You want a doctor who will treat all of you, not just your illness. Registered Naturopathic Doctors are trained to treat the whole person. This requires taking the time to listen and understand the genetic, environmental, and behavioral/lifestyle factors that can affect your health. At your initial appointment, you’ll spend up to an hour or more talking with your Registered Naturopathic Doctor.
You want personalized treatment. Registered Naturopathic Doctors understand there is no one-size-fits-all treatment that works for everybody. After your visit, you’ll leave the doctor’s office with a treatment plan uniquely tailored to you, your health status, your health goals, and your lifestyle.
You want to treat the root cause of an illness, not just the symptoms. Sometimes having trouble sleeping, aches and pains, strange or hard to treat skin rashes, and indigestion or stomach discomfort are symptoms of an underlying illness. While these symptoms can be managed, it’s more important to understand and treat the root cause—which is the focus of naturopathic medicine.
You want to actively participate in managing your own health. A Registered Naturopathic Doctor will help you learn what your body needs to get well and stay healthy. Patients have the opportunity to feel empowered and hopeful when they understand and are actively engaged in managing their own health.
You have chronic pain and don’t want to use pharmaceutical drugs such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or highly addictive opioids to manage it forever. Pain that lasts six months or more is more complex than acute pain and requires a holistic, long-term approach to manage. Registered Naturopathic Doctors are trained to work with you to determine which combination of therapies will work best for you to heal or manage your pain safely so that you can resume daily activities.
You have tried all conventional medical options for diagnosing and treating a health condition. Certain chronic health conditions that have symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, or gastrointestinal distress can be difficult to diagnose and treat, and can benefit from a holistic approach. Registered Naturopathic Doctors use diagnostic tools common in conventional medicine, such as detailed health, disease, and prescription drug histories, physical exams, and targeted laboratory testing and imaging. They also consider detailed diet history, lifestyle habits and choices, exercise history, and social/emotional factors to assess patients’ needs. These approaches can open doors to new treatment pathways and options.

What is the difference between a registered naturopathic doctor and an unregistered naturopath?

Registered naturopathic doctors, are regulated at the state level to practice naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic medical students attend accredited, four-year, in-residence, naturopathic medical schools where they study biomedical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, and pharmacology. Their medical education incorporates the latest advances in science and natural approaches to illness prevention and management. Students complete a minimum of 4,100 hours of class and clinical training, including over 1,200 hours of hands-on, supervised, clinical training.

Registered naturopathic doctors can order diagnostic tests such as blood tests, X-rays, MRIs, and, in some states, prescribe prescription drugs and hormones and perform minor surgery. According to the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) 2015 survey of alumni, 50 percent of naturopathic doctors practicing full-time self-report as primary care doctors, while 28 percent report working as natural health specialists. However, please note that in the state of Colorado registered naturopathic doctors are not primary care providers. In addition, like conventional medical doctors (MDs), a growing number of naturopathic doctors choose to focus their practices in specialty areas. Specialty associations currently exist for Endocrinology, Environmental Medicine, Gastroenterology, Intravenous Therapies, Pediatrics, Primary Care Medicine, and Oncology. A registered naturopathic doctor must pass rigorous professional board exams prior to being licensed or regulated in a state that regulates the practice of naturopathic medicine. State mandated regulatory bodies oversee standards of practice, complaints, and discipline for all licensed jurisdictions. In the state of Colorado naturopathic doctors are not licensed they are registered so in Colorado state you will notice them being called "registered naturopathic doctors." Registered naturopathic doctors also carry malpractice insurance and maintain a commitment to lifelong learning through continuing education. These requirements are safeguards to ensure patients’ rights to quality naturopathic care.

The exam required to qualify for naturopathic doctor licensure/registration is administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). The Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX) is a two-part examination. Only students and graduates from accredited or candidate naturopathic programs are eligible to sit for the NPLEX. (Please note: In the state of Colorado registered naturopathic doctors are not considered physicians).

In some states with laws regulating naturopathic doctors, the use of the term “naturopath” or “naturopathic doctor” by anyone other than a licensed/registered naturopathic doctor is prohibited. However, not all states regulate naturopathic doctors and not all states that do protect the term “naturopath.” Therefore, unlicensed naturopaths can have varied levels of education and experience, often from a purely online or correspondence format. Such education is not accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and does not qualify students to take the NPLEX examination or apply for licensure in any regulated jurisdiction in North America.

Be aware that while the terms may be used interchangeably, they are not the same.

As a patient, you should also know that the terms “naturopathic doctor” and “naturopath” are often used interchangeably by medical practitioners in other disciplines and the public, even though unlicensed/unregistered naturopaths do not have the same training or privileges. Knowing the difference between licensed/registered naturopathic doctors and unlicensed/unregistered naturopaths can help you make informed decisions about which type of provider can best help you.

Our Philosophy

Dr. Goldenberg

Conditions

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the Love & Guts Podcast with Dr. Lydia Griparic!

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the SIBO Doctor Podcast with Dr. Nirala Jacobi!

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the One Thing Podcast with Dr. Adam Rinde!

About IBS

IBS Stats

Want access to a FREE Webinar on Gut Health? Sign Up Below!

Our Approach

Contact Us

FAQs

How are registered naturopathic doctors educated and trained?

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Under what circumstances should I choose to see a registered naturopathic doctor?

What is the difference between a registered naturopathic doctor and an unregistered naturopath?

Our Latest Blogs

A Bit About My Journey from Bastyr to Colorado

A Naturo-What?? (Part 1)

Becoming a Naturopathic Doctor (Part 2)

Don't miss out on blogs, recipes, videos, specials, and more!

Our ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿Philosophy

Dr. Goldenberg

Conditions

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the Love & Guts Podcast with Dr. Lydia Griparic!

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the SIBO Doctor Podcast with Dr. Nirala Jacobi!

Check out Dr. Goldenberg on the One Thing Podcast with Dr. Adam Rinde!

About IBS

IBS Stats

Want access to a FREE Webinar on Gut Health? Sign Up Below!

Our Approach

Contact Us

FAQs

How are registered naturopathic doctors educated and trained?

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Under what circumstances should I choose to see a registered naturopathic doctor?

What is the difference between a registered naturopathic doctor and an unregistered naturopath?

Our Latest Blogs

A Bit About My Journey from Bastyr to Colorado

A Naturo-What?? (Part 1)

Becoming a Naturopathic Doctor (Part 2)

Don't miss out on blogs, recipes, videos, specials, and more!

Our Philosophy