Dr. Danielle Hofer’s journey to become a naturopathic doctor, health and life coach began with her father's early heart attack when she was just 11 years old. Witnessing his health struggles despite living a healthy lifestyle deeply impacted her. This, coupled with her lifelong battle with weight, extreme dieting, infertility and undiagnosed Hashimoto’s led her to question the limitations of traditional medicine. After watching her father's health further decline following his quintuple bypass heart surgery, she realized the need to address the root causes of illness.
“I sat in the heart hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana as my dad underwent quintuple bypass surgery and came to the realization that this didn’t have to be my story too,” shares Dr. Hofer. Transitioning from her career as a teacher, she committed herself to helping others prevent and reverse disease by empowering them to take control of their health and move beyond symptom management.
Dr. Hofer's personal experience drives her passion to help others avoid the challenges she has faced. “When you consider the impact of disease on a family, it doesn’t affect just one member—it shakes the entire family. My dad lives three hours away, but he is unable to visit my children or share his wisdom and experiences in person. This loss is generational; we’re losing valuable access to our loved ones,” expresses Dr. Hofer. “If I can prevent that from happening to just one member of one family in the community, it would make everything worthwhile.”
With a focus on treating the whole person—mind, body, and soul—Dr. Hofer’s approach to care is compassionate and attentive. Her goal is to ensure that clients are heard, valued and given the time they need to ask questions and express concerns. “People often tell me they miss the personal connection with their practitioners. We’re in a time where AI and efficiency are dominating, and patients often feel rushed in and out of doctors’ offices. I offer a personal, relationship-driven approach. Relationships take time and I want my clients to know they’re not bound to a ten or fifteen-minute slot,” shares Dr. Hofer.
Dr. Hofer’s holistic approach offers her clients a one-stop-shop for wellness. “New patients often ask me if I'm a therapist, and while I'm not a licensed therapist, I support my clients in all aspects of their lives. My goal is to help each person become the expert of their own experience and I strive to learn everything I can about them to better guide them,” says Dr. Hofer.
Upon booking an appointment with Dr. Hofer, clients choose a concierge package or an à la carte visit and complete a comprehensive health form that provides a detailed overview of their personal health history. During the first session, which lasts about 90 minutes to two hours, Dr. Hofer reviews the health history form in detail. “I’m gifted at hearing the things people say and don’t say and I use that to build a full picture of their health.” Clients can expect to leave their first visit with an initial protocol which may include food recommendations, lifestyle changes and potentially supplements. If needed, Dr. Hofer may order labs to be reviewed at the next appointment in 4-6 weeks.
Each client is different, and Dr. Hofer takes into consideration the needs of each person based on a multitude of factors. Depending on their needs, some clients may be recommended additional treatments like biofeedback, ionic foot baths and other therapies that will be available soon with her move to a new, larger location. “I don’t specialize in just one area like hormones, digestion or gut health. I specialize in you,” shares Dr. Hofer.
For those who may be unsure about trying holistic wellness services, Dr. Hofer suggests giving your current treatment 30 to 60 days. If there isn’t improvement, it might be time to consider a holistic approach. “It's important to be treated as a whole person, not just as a collection of symptoms,” states Dr. Hofer.
You can learn more about Dr. Hofer and her approach to holistic medicine on her weekly podcast Crying in My Cheesecake where she shares her story and empowerment tips and tools to help people live their best lives. Hear the latest episode of her podcast or book your initial visit with Dr. Hofer on her website CryinginMyCheesecake.com.