As a nurse and nurse practitioner, Blair Blanchette enjoyed helping patients feel better. But, there was something missing. “I had this idea of creating a holistic, one-stop shop for more modernized healthcare,” she says.
While in Calgary last summer with her fiancé, Matt Dumba, she was talking about it more and he encouraged her to just do it. Her healthcare clinic, Be Your Kind, opened on November 20, 2023, in Edina.
The name, says Blair, takes into account the goal of creating an environment that's welcoming and inviting to all. “I feel like sometimes healthcare can be a very sterile environment and that was the exact opposite of what I wanted. I wanted something all-inclusive and a place where people feel comfortable. Our clinic is light, airy, and modern with good energy.”
Be Your Kind offers professional treatments for a wide variety of issues. “In one room, a patient can have acupuncture for infertility, walk over to another room to get labs drawn, and then take care of any skin issues after that. It’s all-encompassing and being able to go from provider to provider has been something that our clients really appreciate.”
She feels that when people are in a healthcare setting, they feel their most vulnerable. “You're talking about something that really matters to you and you want the person who’s listening to be an expert on that matter. That's been the basis behind who we hire. We have nurses, acupuncturists, and naturopathic doctors on staff who are all subject matter experts.
“Patients come in during times when they really need us. Being able to be a place of comfort for them and provide them with someone they trust is something we feel very fortunate about. I feel so grateful to be in healthcare and to be able to help people during those times.”
Health issues are so unique to each individual, says Blair. “Be Your Kind really embraces that and works with individuals who struggle with different diseases and ailments whether aesthetic, mental, physical, or emotional.”
She and her staff also take the time to explain to patients why their treatments can be an effective alternative to traditional medicine. “I went through that kind of skepticism too, but the thing that has helped the most is the scientific-based research data that we can show our patients.”
But the best advertising is through word of mouth. “That has been huge when patients tell their friends and family about us.”
To make costs more manageable, the clinic offers three different types of memberships. An aesthetic membership provides discounted prices on all aesthetic services such as fillers and toxins; a weight loss membership includes a consultation to assist with lifestyle changes, laboratory work – if needed – and a full assessment to determine if someone is qualified to go on weight-loss medication; and a health and wellness membership for clients who want to lose weight without medication. It includes one-on-one coaching and weekly meetings where you're part of a community.
“We've had patients who have been able to get off medications because they made some lifestyle changes,” says Blair. “We talk a lot about investing in your health, and that’s something that's lifelong. If you don't invest now, what is the price you’re going to pay later? We really want to take a more preventative approach that can help you avoid drastic treatments or medications for diabetes, blood pressure, or whatever the ailment is.”
She adds, “We also offer some really cool things for women's health treatments. For example, for patients who struggle with urinary incontinence, surgery is an option in severe cases and medications may or may not work. For so long, women just assumed it was something that they had to deal with once they got older, but it shouldn't have to be."
“To combat this issue early on, we're very excited about a treatment we offer - I think there's only one other place in Minnesota that offers it – which is a radio frequency energy device. The patients who have come in and had it absolutely love it.”
Blair, who was born and raised in Minnesota, spends time in Eden Prairie and in Arizona, where Matt is currently playing with the Arizona Coyotes. “He’s been very supportive of this business,” she says. “With playing professional hockey – he played for the Minnesota Wild for years – and being an athlete, he prioritizes his health, and he’s been very helpful, sharing good insight.”
The couple also loves being outdoors hiking, walking their four dogs, camping, traveling or just exploring. “Spending time with family and friends also makes us feel better, and I honestly think that is our form of medicine,” says Blair. “Sometimes people underestimate the power of connections and just being out in nature.”
To find out more about Be Your Kind and how it can help you, go to https://beyourkind.co/.
3918 Sunnyside Road | 952-999-3532
