My Passion 4 Health

Dr. Ackerley has changed the lives of my whole family. I became a patient two years ago, then I brought both of my children to her a year later. I became a Lyme patient (diagnosed by her) who went from experiencing years of insomnia, depression and anxiety to a fully functioning, healthy 48 year old who just hiked the Grand Canyon! Working with Dr. Mary requires focus and desire to heal, and it is worth every step of the way. My children (one who has Hashimoto’s) are healthier, thriving, athletic and will have a much better beginning to their adult lives after working with Dr. Ackerley. To say we appreciate her is an understatement. Truly, she is a healer.

Dr. Ackerley saw me when I had lost hope in this broken health care system. She listened to my symptoms and took them seriously. She looked at my constellation of symptoms and unlike other doctors she didn't see a patient that was too complicated to diagnose or treat. She didn't try to pass me off to another specialist. She did however help coordinate care and communicate with other providers. She is a wonderful clinician one who takes her time and listens to the patient. Her goal is to help alleviate your symptoms and find the root cause. It seem obvious but a lot of doctors zone in on one symptom and don't see the big picture and thereby not treating the underlying cause. She thinks outside of the typical medical model. Dr. Ackerley is the type of provider I hope to be someday. I left my studies because of my illness. After over a year of seeing our health care system from the inside out I now realize how unique and needed a provider like Dr. Ackerley is. Not only is she empathetic she is also curious. I found out this year that finding a doctor who possesses curiosity and empathy for patients who have been disregarded and discarded by the system is uncommon. Dr. Ackerley cares, is curious and listens to her patients symptoms. Go see her if you are a "complicated" patient and if you have weird symptoms, feel exhausted and don't know why. Although she is a psychiatrist by trade I saw her for environmental exposure testing. She tests for things PCPs don't think to test for. More doctors should train with Dr. Ackerley so they can see compassionate competent care in action. If I had to use one word to describe her it would be brave. Most doctors shy away from complicated patients when multiple organ systems are involved, she takes it as a challenge and makes you feel like a human again in the health care system and not an inconvenience.

Let me start off by saying that this doctor is not cheap and does not accept insurance. However, I wasted plenty of time and thousands of dollars trying to figure out what was wrong with me. That being said I think that doctors in-network are limited in what they can do, and for someone with chronic issues or mystery illnesses, it is probably just worth it to seek alternative/functional medicine that is probably not covered. This was definitely the case for me. I spent over 3 years and probably over 20 doctors trying to get a diagnosis. About a year into feeling sick, I went through antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease but saw absolutely no improvements, so I continued to seek answers. Dr. Ackerley is knowledgeable, competent, and validated all of my concerns. After years of dealing with doctors who had no clue what to do with me, it was refreshing to find someone who has experience with issues like mine and knew what to do right away. With only a blood test, MRI, and 2 appointments, Dr. Ackerley found out exactly why I've stayed sick. These issues were there all along, but someone needed to know what to look for. Some doctors do not take the time to look deeper into issues and test for a variety of things. I got more answers this past month than I have for my entire health journey. I will also mention that if you're not willing to make lifestyle changes: i.e. diet change, cutting out toxins, being consistent with supplements, this will not work for you. You need to be willing to make a commitment to your health, but after feeling bad for so long it was an easy decision for me. There is no magic pill that you can take to feel better. But if you are willing to put in the work, Dr. Ackerley can really help. I am so glad I found her and I will recommend her to anyone.

I highly recommend Dr. Mary, I have never known a more competent doctor! I have worked with several doctors over several years to understand what is happening to me. Dr. Mary was able to answer questions I have had since I was young. I have worked with highly regarded doctors (including Mayo Clinic) that all missed the multiple comprehensive diagnoses that Dr. Mary was quickly able to discern and prove with objective evidence (data). I am extremely happy to have been recommended Dr. Mary, without her extreme competence I would still be suffering without any idea of why my health declined so much. I know I have a long road to possible recovery, but I am very confident in Dr. Mary’s abilities. I am so thankful for all of her help in understanding my diagnoses and helping me improve my health.

Dr. Mary's brilliance expressed in kindness has contributed to much healing emotionally and physically for me. She draws you out, and listens to what is said and not said. She took the time to read through the rather large pile of labs that I brought her, test by test, and explained their significance to me. When I asked her to please repeat something again, she graciously would with patience.

I think for me, it seems, that healing is a long journey, at times quite difficult, however, I am most grateful to have someone alongside me that is willing to look at the whole picture, rather than fragments alone.

Prior to leaving, I was provided with a personal protocol to follow of things discussed during my appointment. This serves as a guide until my follow-up. In the meantime I know I am welcome to email or call in order to communicate questions or concerns.

One last thing, Dr. Mary has an amazing web site, filled with wonderful educational material. She truly does have a passion for health.