About Karen R. Threlkel, ND

Karen Threlkel

Meet The Naturopathic Doctor

Dr. Karen Threlkel provides her patients with a full range of naturopathic medical services, including naturopathic medical assessment, specialty laboratory testing, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, detoxification, nutritional supplementation and herbal medicine.

She received her degree of Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from the oldest accredited naturopathic medical college in North America, The National College for Naturopathic Medicine(now called National University of Natural Medicine) in Portland, Oregon. She also holds a Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland at College Park. She is licensed in Naturopathic Medicine by the Government of the District of Columbia Department of Health. Dr. Threlkel is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and is a past president and current member of the Washington DC Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

Dr. Threlkel practices out of an integrative medical clinic, Restorative Health, in Tenleytown.

My Story

People often ask what drew me to Naturopathic Medicine. To me it’s the perfect combination of art, science, and humanity. I grew up dancing and was accepted into the Governor’s Magnet School for the Arts in high school. I was able to attend regular high school in the morning and dance 2-3 hours a day in the afternoon. I wanted to continue to have a life influenced by art and learning so I attended University of Maryland as a modern dance major. Modern dance is grounded in the earth and with the natural ways of being with your body. At its conception modern dance was a reaction to constrictive and prescribed forms of dancing. It was freedom and creativity expressed in new ways. Studying modern dance helped me see life from a different point of view which looking back I can see how that primed me for looking at health in an unconventional and creative way.

After two years of college with only a smattering of dance classes, 2-3 hours per week rather than 2-9 hours per day, I realized I had to make a choice: either quit school, move to NYC and try to apprentice with a dance company or switched majors and finish college. During this time I was taking the dreaded dance kinesiology class which I in fact loved. I wanted to finish my college education but knew it wouldn’t help me with a dance career so I switch to a new major called Kinesiology which is quite literally the study of human motion. While I had to let go of dance, Kinesiology cultivated my fascination of anatomy and physiology.


My life changed when I started working for my chiropractor. I met all kinds of people using body techniques I’d never heard of as well as herbalists and acupuncturists. What struck me the most was how tuned into life these practitioners were. They were living their lives in accordance with what they believed and not what conventional life dictated. They were helping people heal more than their physical problems; they were guiding people to heal their mind, body, and spirit. There is so much more to someone than their physical pain or problem and I wanted to learn what that was.


By attending the National College for Naturopathic Medicine (now called the National University of Natural Medicine) in 1996 I received a great understanding of how human bodies work. More importantly I was exposed to the interconnectedness of the mind and body. I learned that there is an innate intelligence in all of us to heal. I love understanding how the body works and why for each individual. I want to know the depth of why someone gets sick so I know how to help them. For instance are they having daily digestive issues due to stress at work or in their personal life or is there a disruption in the good bacteria of their intestines or do they have food allergies? Do they feel irritable because of poor sleep or hormonal changes?


A symptom is communication from your body that something needs to be addressed and it might be in more than one way. This is probably why you’re curious about naturopathic medicine. You’ve already seen specialists who have run labs and diagnostics and on paper you’re fine yet you feel terrible.


Humans are complicated, unique, and multilayered created of mind, body, and spirit. Healing comes in many forms and I was fortunate enough to go to a school to educate me how to help people see their path better.


If you would like a free 15 minute discovery call to see how naturopathic medicine can help you, please call 202.407.8888 to book your appointment.

A Natural Approach to Wellness

Dr. Threlkel uses personalized naturopathic medical assessments to offer you a holistic approach to your health

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A Wholesome Approach

Dr. Threlkel looks at the whole picture of your health to provide a comprehensive approach to your health that tackles your issues head on.

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Passion for restoration

Dr. Threlkel brings a passion to her work and truly gives her all to her patients so that you can fully take control of your health.

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Health & Lasting Results

Her deep understanding of the human body and of the many afflictions patients suffer means that Dr. Threlkel leaves you with lasting results.

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