Micah McLaughlin

Micah is an extraordinary listener who with great insightfulness gently invites you to become a healthier you. He helps connect the body and the soul in a way that allows us to be whole… I had a sore throat for years. Some days were better than others. But sometimes it was uncomfortable to even speak…I assumed my throat was a physical issue and I think partly, it was. But I realized it was more than that when he asked me a simple question, one that would take me months to answer. He simply asked, “Would you consider yourself to be someone who uses their voice?” I blurted out “yes,” but inside I knew that was not the answer and I knew the answer would take a great deal to find. On my way out, he gave me a sheet of paper with a customized health regimen to follow over the next few months. I don’t think I recognized one thing on that list, but off to Harvest Health I went, ready to try something new…The real work would be the inner work, that hard work of answering that question and allowing myself to heal and grow. With a black sharpie, I wrote “voice” on a 3×5 note card and taped it to my bedroom mirror. The work began. That appointment was three years ago. The sore throats that I had for years, never returned. And that note card still sits perched on my mirror where I see it every morning when I consider myself, what I will wear and who I will be. I see it and am reminded of that appointment where I learned that our bodies are speaking to us always. Continuum Healing helps us listen.

C.B.

I originally started seeing Micah because I’ve had horrible morning sickness with my pregnancies and I was hoping he could help me as we were wanting to try for another baby. The more Micah and I talked, the more it became apparent that there were other more pressing issues negatively affecting my life, specifically relational and emotional ones. Micah kept encouraging me, in a very kind and loving way to press into these things. One huge issue was that I really struggled with boundaries and also devaluing myself. I remember Micah telling me over and over that I was worth being treated with kindness and respect. After awhile, I started to believe him, and also saw that I wasn’t being treated that way by some of those closest to me. This was a huge catalyst for some massive changes in my life. Micah, along with some other resources he referred me to began to help me work through some of these things. I have a long way to go in my journey, but I can now say that I have begun to recognize my own worth and live my life in a way that is congruent with that. I have made so much progress in terms of personal growth in becoming a more healthy person. When I look back at where I was emotionally when I first started seeing Micah a year and a half ago, I am floored by how far I’ve come! I never knew how strong I was. I am pretty proud of myself, and so grateful for the way that Micah has supported me in this process. I guess it speaks to the holistic nature of naturopathy that I could go in for help with a physical problem, and receive help and support for so many other amazing transformations in my life. Words cannot express my gratitude. Thank you and I look forward to continue working with you!!

N.S.

I can’t begin to put into words all that Micah and Naturopathy has meant to me. What began as a discussion about food sensitivities has led to an incredible process of self-discovery. Life-changing. I’m eternally grateful I made that first appointment…

M.O.

When I first met Micah it was as a practicum placement for GVSU. Micah suggested I have an appointment from him so that I can experience what his clients do.  I was shocked how much he was able to discern about my health without poking, and pawning me. He did take some blood but only to test my blood type, not the vials upon vials that the hospital takes.  Going into the appointment I didn’t tell him a thing about me! Not a single bit of health history. Despite my lack of information he was able to correctly point out all my illnesses (I have a few since birth) and my allergies. After my appointment I continued to work with Micah until I graduated. After graduation I took a spell from seeing Micah until I hit a breaking point a year later. When I walked into his office for the second time it was in need of desperate help. At the time I was on three depression medications, and one anxiety medication. Despite the medications I was still suffering from frequent panic attacks.  The first appointment was rough, but Micah inspired hope in me that I hadn’t had before. I knew that I could get better. For me better meant no medications! Not even the ones I had to take for my Asthma. Through regular appointments, dietary, and lifestyle changes, we are making excellent progress. I no longer take medications for anxiety or depression because I no longer have anxiety or depression. I have been able to reduce my Asthma medications and many of the digestive issues I’ve had all my life (constipation, bloating, cramps) are gone. The physical transformation is incredible, but not the only way I’ve changed for the better since seeing Micah. Mentally I’m a new person, I approach life differently. I didn’t understand how much my past was affecting my present and my future. Thanks to Micah’s help I have been able to work through a lot of the emotional trauma from my past and let those harbored troubles go. I like the new me and I’m looking forward to the person I’m going to become. Seriously no joke Micah gets it done.

Jessica

When I first discovered naturopathy I was in a cycle of taking antibiotics several times a year for various illnesses, such as strep throat. With regular appointments, I have not only been able to discontinue using antibiotics, but I have also grown in awareness of my mind and body. In working to integrate emotional and physical health, I discovered factors that contributed to my illnesses that were within my sphere of influence. I learned about energy flow in the body and how my unhealthy patterns were contributing to constricted or excess energy flow, and which ultimately created negative physical manifestations. Through Micah’s muscle testing, herb suggestions, energy work, recommended readings/videos/classes, and encouraging me to take time to breathe, I have discovered a new way of being in the world. Naturopathy has been an integral part of my journey towards wholeness.

L.S.

When I first began seeing Micah I was struggling with depression, an emotionally abusive relationship, failing classes due to a lack of motivation and a variety of other issues. I had seen multiple therapists, tried antidepressants and tested other methods to stop myself from feeling so sad and numb all the time. I had come to the point where I thought I would never find anything that helped me feel significantly better. Then, I met Micah.
Our first appointment was the breakthrough I had been waiting years for. It was the first time I felt like someone really understood me and what I was feeling. Micah was even able to pinpoint some of the underlying issues I hadn’t even come near to with my many therapists before him. I truly can’t express how wonderful I felt to finally not be judged,or “fixed,” or pitied, but actually “seen.”
Since that first meeting I have grow exponentially in my emotional life. It’s been hard work and I am still working on it everyday but Micah has been there every step of the way. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I hadn’t met him.

L.L.

I first started seeing Micah a few years ago because of some very intense arthritis-related pain I was having in my left ankle. I had previously had 4 surgeries, taken numerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and received several cortisone injections. I was at the point where nothing that western medicine suggested was helping. So, at a friend’s recommendation, I made an appointment to see Micah, thinking of it as a ‘long shot’ but feeling like I had nothing to lose. Micah really listened to my story and looked at me as a whole person instead of seeing my ankle as the only part of me that he needed to pay attention to. He recommended some supplements and exercises for me to do at home, did lots of acupressure with me in his office, and was thoughtful enough to refer me to another wellness practitioner for work in a complementary modality. It was truly a holistic approach to healing. I walked out of my second appointment with Micah with no pain at all (previously, my all-the-time, baseline level of pain was between a 4 and a 6 with moments where the pain was a 7 or an 8 and I could hardly walk). Within a few months, I was starting to be pain free for over a week after seeing Micah for acupressure and my pain baseline was a 1 or a 2. A couple of months after that, my pain level dropped to zero with only occasional moments of pain after substantial exercise…I am so grateful to Micah for the invaluable role he has played in facilitating my journey toward health, self-acceptance, and liberation from patterns and ways of being that are no longer serving me. He is truly one of the most knowledgeable, compassionate, and grounded people I know and has been a huge blessing in my life.

Kate R.

I first met Micah 2 years ago when I thought I knew exactly what was wrong with me. I came with a list of physical ailments that I just wanted “fixed”. Little did I know that the office visit would leave me finally understanding, for the first time, that there was nothing “physically” wrong with me. Micah was able to guide me patiently and gently through a process of understanding myself. I never felt anything but safe, comfortable and supported. He was available and kind and answered all of my questions with a calm, neutral tone that allowed me to find the answers in my time,
without judgment. Figuring out that the barriers that existed in my life were of my own creation
also empowered me to take them down. I regained my personal power, my sense of control..and therefore recognized my strengths more fully. In the process, I regained my physical health and have now realized that my journey is lifelong..and I am so excited for it! I am so very thankful that I have found Micah and I consistently lead friends, families and anyone who asks in his direction!

Stacy P.

… My entire life I’ve been surrounded by voices that have, in one way or another, told me that my reality is merely a figment of my imagination and that thoughts and feelings are irrelevant at best. It’s hard, then, to feel like you have much of worth to say… If my story has but one message: there is hope. For healing. For wholeness. For a new life.

When I met Micah I was in year-who-knows-what of a ridiculous cycle. Every October I would fall drastically ill and recover a few days later, only to be plagued for a solid 6-7 months with a cough that, on some days, would leave me bed-ridden. About a month into this this go-around I reached out to him, merely because he was less expensive than a conventional doctor. What I thought was a wise financial decision turned out to be the beginning of a journey that would change and save and heal my life. Journeys, however, are never what we anticipate.

We discovered that my cough, though a very real physical illness, was really rooted in ignored and repressed grief. And as I journeyed forward I dove inward and learned how to be emotionally well, my chronic cough left and has yet to return. For me learning to live wholly well meant learning to allow myself to be where I was, to love who and what I am, and trusting what I think, feel, and desire.

Learning to do the work and healing the root issues instead of merely managing symptoms is a hard but transformative work that has forever changed my life. I am confident that, without working with Micah I would have continued on silently grieving and living a hollow life, just getting by – a far cry from the passion-filled, fully-integrated life I now live, every day: cough-free and animated by a hope and joy that I’ve never known before.

I’ve been going to Micah for almost 2 years now and he has completely changed my life. I’d been living with different ailments for many years and going to doctors that would only give me a pill to help clear the symptoms instead of finding out the root of the issue. Micah was able to pin point the causes and now I don’t suffer the symptoms any longer and feel healthier than I’ve ever felt. More importantly, he has helped me find my voice and strength in myself. Overall, he has helped me become the person that I’ve wanted to be……me.

Laura N.

After my second trip to the ER, I realized that my health problems slowly had started taking over my life. Instead of heeding the warning signs, I continued on with my busy life and tried to ignore the pains and aches. By the time I made the decision to make an appointment with Micah, my anxiety attacks were causing me to lose sleep at night and my digestive problems were causing me to lose work. I felt that my life was an out of control mess. I had anxiety, a stomach ulcer, acid reflux, and IBS.

Through the months that I was going to see Micah, he helped me take each issue one at a time and addressed them from a holistic prospective. He helped me see the emotional connection to each health issue. By going this route, it changed more than my physical health. It changed my emotional health which to me is more valuable than gold. With Micah’s knowledge, wisdom, intuitive guidance and patience, I learned how to love myself and walk a path of healing. This love gave me the strength to nourish my physical body and soul back to health. The issues I was dealing with had me in a holding pattern but because I was desperate to be healed and find wholeness I listened and followed his suggestions.

Today, I feel like a new person and I attribute more than my physical well-being to Micah’s help. The healing set into motion a new pattern in my life and I now have new tools for the issues that come up in my life. I still have some bad days but now I know what to do. I feel empowered to address my physical and emotional needs right away, rather then put them off. For this, I am grateful for Micah and I don’t know what I would do without having him as my natural health therapist.

Amy V.

… Though I thought I was in need of mainly physical healing I soon began to find out that the rashes that were ailing my body were not isolated ailments but were physical manifestations of what needed healing and balancing not only in my body but also in my soul. Through muscle testing my body informed Micah what it needed in the way of herbs to bring cleansing and a homeopathic remedy and flower essence that have been restorative and aligning balms throughout this journey… my skin is free of rashes and I am journeying towards more balance and integration than I ever thought possible. I have and am experiencing deep healing and I am so thankful.

Nicole

My first appointment with Micah was just over 2 years ago. I walked into his office lost to myself and not even realizing it. I was looking for a solution to a problem. What I found in Micah was so much more than a wise purveyor of herbs, supplements or advice. In the genuine presence he brings to his work, I have seen how human connection rooted in the present moment and born of trust is one of the greatest healing tools available. As time went by in my healing journey, I began to question “who am I?” and this truly is one of the most powerful questions to ask ourselves, a question I had forgotten about for too long. Micah creates a healing space to remember life’s most important questions. True healers & teachers not only have cultivated practical skills to lend us, they also help us to see our own capacity to heal and view ourselves as we truly are in their very reflections. Micah certainly has these gifts. In working with him I continue to receive what I honestly seek, both consciously and unconsciously, that which is within me all along. I was desperate, scared & frail when I decided to give a naturopathic approach a try and now I am so much stronger, more able to embody my faith, use my voice in the world and live more into who I truly am in each moment regardless of what life throws at me.

Jen D

My wife suggested I meet with Micah – initially because I was growing more and more withdrawn from friends, family, and her. I knew something was wrong, but really couldn’t put a finger on what it was. I’d sought treatment in the past for depression, but found the medicinal alternative unappealing – numb is better than sad, but it’s not a solution. Micah very quickly saw me – a whole me. A me that I didn’t realize was there. A me I had buried under countless years of stories and ideas that may have been useful to me at a time, but had over the years grown into a gordian knot of restrictive baggage. Micah quickly helped me see, or better yet feel my way through the darkness that I felt surrounded me. He has been an invaluable resource to me and I can’t recommend him highly enough.

G.W.

For nearly 10 years, I have had reoccurring sore throats and infections. Just prior to seeing Micah for the first time, I was encouraged to visit a specialist to consider having my tonsils removed. I was furious. I knew removing a part of my body could not be the answer. Coupled with my many trips to urgent care and the antibiotic prescriptions that had been prescribed to me for nearly a decade, I was feeling frustrated and misunderstood by my current medical community…Since meeting with Micah, I have felt appreciated and am learning to honor and listen to my body in entirely new ways. In the few months we have been working together, I have engaged in a journey of profound self-discovery, acceptance, and healing. My physical symptoms have not been treated as something that can be remedied with a quick fix or generic solution. I am treated as an individual, and my body, mind, and spirit are considered important in every issue that is brought up in our sessions. I am truly grateful for my time with Micah and am amazed at the shift that is occurring in my life towards a path of wholeness. Working with Micah is highly recommended!

J.L.

I was referred to Micah through a mutual friend. Not as a response to a specific ailment, but as an introduction to a level of wellness that most don’t know exists. Our sessions began with a few procedures that seemed foreign to me…iridology evaluations and nutrition response testing. Although I was skeptical about the process, Micah convinced me of their legitimacy through his knowledge and understanding of the techniques, and the results that we eventually found. One memory that’s stuck with me happened when Micah looked at a picture he’d taken of my eye and asked ‘is there anything special about your right leg?’ That’s likely a strange question to ask most people, but to me it was striking…I have a length of titanium rod in my right leg from a cycling accident. The idea that a piece of foreign material in your leg shows up in your iris is not something I expected to learn that day. I was bewildered and impressed by the new idea of medicine I was experiencing. Moving forward, we addressed health concerns that I had, and one by one began resolving them. We’ve focused on improving digestion, cleansing the body, tuning in nutrition and vitamins, and even herbal routines as a preemptive strike to some hereditary health concerns I have. Today I have higher energy, a more peaceful demeanor, and an overall sense of calm, wellbeing, and health that I didn’t know I was missing.

Matt

A few years ago, I was experiencing what I thought was a severe cold that would wipe me out for a few days. Every month. It wasn’t until these episodes started to occur every week before I finally realized something else was going on here… With Micah’s guidance, I learned that my “episodes” were triggered by certain foods and by avoiding-or at least reducing-my intake of these I can avoid the episodes. He has helped me learn how to greatly reduce symptoms from an uteran fibroid naturally instead of relying on hormones or surgery. And right now I am working with Micah to treat MS through nutrition and lifestyle enhancements over medication that made me feel quite lousy.

The improvements in my physical health is just a sliver of the holistic health approach. Who knew that emotional issues were so deeply connected to our physical issues? … And while the emotional work can be a bit uncomfortable at times, it is done in a safe, welcoming environment with absolutely no judgment. And it is so worth it! …I can’t recommend Micah, Continuum Healing, and Naturopathic Health Care highly enough.

Sheri C.

Having worked in the medical field for the last thirty years I was skeptical at the holistic approach to health. Since meeting Micah five years ago, my tune has for sure changed. He has enlightened me on the connection between physical and mental well being, a connection that seems simple, but one that I had not made on my own. He has helped me with various physical ailments through recommending different supplements, diet changes, energy work and acupuncture. Mentally, his work with the Enneagram is very helpful. Through this work, I am much more conscious of my role as a man, and how it affects my every day life and relationships.

Overall, I am beyond impressed with Micah and his ability to see the big picture. He seems wise beyond his years and has been a great asset to my general well being. Thanks Micah!!

M. C.

It took many years to get pregnant with my first child. After several years of trying to get pregnant again, my husband and I thought we might only have one child. Many of my symptoms seems to be thyroid related, but all tests done by medical doctors showed borderline, but normal tests. These tests suggested that my thyroid wasn’t the problem. Finally I sought help from an alternative doctor. That doctor put me on thyroid medicine and bio-identical hormones, which had poor, and some scary, side effects. Finally, at the advice of a friend, I went to Micah. Initially I was quite skeptical, but together we worked to improve my thyroid and balance my hormones using natural supplements and other treatments. After four months of working with Micah my thyroid radically began to work and my cycles began to improve. When my thyroid began to work, I lost ten pound in three weeks, had more energy, and within five weeks I was pregnant. I am now expecting in June of 2011. The process of getting off of medications and trusting that supplements, homeopathics and other treatments that Micah offers was hard. Trust me when I say it is much easier than years of agonizing over infertility, being bound to medications, and living in poor health. I whole heartedly recommend Micah and his services. Thank you Micah!

Robin V.

In my initial correspondence to Micah, I mentioned that I wanted to address issues pertaining to allergies and digestion. A couple of weeks before that email I had a heartburn incident that had me doubled over on the floor, clutching my chest. Upon seeing Micah and being handed a health history to complete, I found myself circling nearly everything on his list of health concerns, including blood pressure, anxiety and depression. I also included on my form that I was taking medication for all of these things. In the kindest and gentlest of ways, Micah asked questions that made me start to wonder myself why a seemingly healthy 29-year-old woman was suffering from so many ailments.

My life began to change even after that initial appointment. I realized the previous diagnoses from doctors were symptoms of deeper issues in my life and the medications were a temporary relief that addressed the symptoms but could not cure those deeper issues. Knowing that Micah would never make me do anything, I dove right in and started confronting my fears, including breaking my dependence on the bottles of pills in my cupboards. A year later, I approach thirty with clarity, confidence, and a significantly lessened amount of junk in my body. This healing has been a journey that I’m sure will continue this decade and for more to come. And, thanks to Micah and a lot of hard work, I’ve left behind the chemically-induced flat line of life and I have natural tools for handling the ups and downs in life, open to the beauty offered by both.

And, if this calm and clarity were not enough, I’ve also had family and close friends affirm the changes they’ve noticed in me this past year and new friends have commented on the positive energy surrounding me.

Kate G.

A couple of years ago my 18-year-old son Cody was having Panic attacks. I did not want to go the conventional way, knowing they would put him on antidepressants. So, when I heard about Micah and his practice I instantly knew that was the answer. After his visit with Micah, my reluctant son said to me, “Micah hit it right on the nail”. I started seeing Micah right after that. I remember the first few visits I was told I need to take care of myself and I literally cried and said I do not know how. It has now been 2 years of seeing Micah and I have changed. I follow Micah’s advice and I am have come a long way. I still have a ways to go, but I know I am headed in the direction of a healthier life style. Now I know what it means to take care of myself and I make sure I do, I went from 20mg of Lexapro a day to 5mg 3 times a week, and I start N.I.T.E. school for naturopathy in July of 2011. My son Cody comes to me for advice and I found what I have been looking for and hope to have my own practice soon.

Janis L.

When my husband and I had been trying for a few months to get pregnant, I happened to mention our lack of progress to my doctor. She immediately wrote me a prescription for Clomid with no further questions or any kind of exam during my 4 minute appointment. It didn’t feel right, and I ended up being lucky enough to be directed to Micah by a friend. He spent over an hour and a half with me, muscle testing and talking to me about my lifestyle. I was convinced that I had a thyroid problem, but Micah went deeper and discovered that I did have a sluggish thyroid – but that wasn’t the root of the problem. Any work we did on my thyroid would only be undone without working on the root, my adrenals. Ten months later, I am waiting for my first baby to come any day now! Have you ever had a ‘Western’ doctor take that kind of care on your fifteenth appointment, much less your first? Thank you, Micah, for understanding that you work on your body and not the symptoms!!

Emily J.

Our unvaccinated, home-birthed, nonflouride-supplemented, chiropractic-adjusted son, by the age of 6, has already teamed with Micah on tackling two very annoying and health depleting issues.

The first visit with Micah was prompted by an infected, dead tooth that was causing decay in multiple teeth…Upon evaluation, multiple tools at Micah’s disposal lead to confirmation that there was indeed an infection in the dead Snaggle tooth. In addition to Breckan’s body not performing correctly with specific nutrients, this lead to the decay. After training his body how to perform as required and conquering the infection, Breckan’s “Yuck Mouth” is in his past. Our second “Mom, I REALLY need to see Micah about this” moment came after our return from a visit to the Grand Canyon in the fall of 2010. Within a few weeks of our return, Breckan developed an awful cough that would appear out of nowhere, with no fever or related symptoms. What made this cough devastating was that it would be accompanied with a gag reflex which would empty out his entire system. Breckan was vomiting 3 -5 times daily after a cough, usually after eating even the smallest amount of food. Micah was able to provide us with the correct, individualized, remedies that helped Breckan’s body recover, as well as detected the nasty parasite that was irritating his cough.

What a blessing to have such a talented, caring individual in Micah for our families’ health. With his support and direction, we have helped our bodies function at their rightful capacity, hand-in-hand with our other health practices, to help tackle curves that life brings our way.

John & Stacy Hall