Way back in the 90s in Chicago suburbia…
Haven’s story began on the Little League field of Clarendon Hills, Illinois. This is where the friendship between us (Dr. Alex and Dr. Kolby) first formed. We grew up like every other millennial, devouring hot dogs with mac and cheese while our parents rushed us to the doctor for every sniffle—they were conditioned to trust the authority in white coats above all else.
Our parents did their best with the resources they had, and we don’t fault them for it. However, like many, they followed modern health trends without understanding universal principles. Our childhood was no exception to this pattern.
We each have our own stories about how the medical system failed us, which you can read about below. Specialists offered us expensive, hyped solutions, but we still couldn’t achieve the health we desperately sought. We felt hopeless, believing we were incapable of healing.
In His unique way, God led each of us on a path back to where we were supposed to be. This journey brought us to Naturopathic Medical school, where we began this challenging yet rewarding adventure together.
If you get to know us, you’ll quickly realize we have very different personalities. Starting a business together wasn’t even on our radar. However, we connected deeply over the philosophical principles of Naturopathic medicine.
During rounds, our peers would discuss diagnoses and treatment plans, often getting lost in the weeds. They’d debate which biochemical pathway to target, which trendy supplement to try, or which expensive lab test to run. We observed that these were just theoretical models—potentially non-existent—with no foundation in how health actually works.
This drove us to seek knowledge beyond our formal education, searching for organizations and mentors achieving results we could not fathom. Our quest for truth took us across North America—from California to New York, Texas to Connecticut, Colorado to Canada, and from Florida to Mexico, Montana, and Michigan. We were determined to find practitioners who were getting the best outcomes, no matter where we had to go.
This journey led us back to the traditional Naturopathic medicine principles—concepts defined and refined over centuries. These were the very principles that had initially drawn us together and sparked our passion.
This journey is why we don’t fully embrace functional medicine. It still views the body through a reductionist, mechanical lens—the same approach as modern medicine. This perspective strips away the body’s innate healing power, treating it like a lifeless, robotic bag of meat instead of a dynamic, self-healing organism.
Despite investing countless hours and substantial resources with these mentors, we found they either ran small local practices—treating the proverbial “Grandpa Bill” down the street—or passed away without successors to continue their work. We recognized our purpose and mission: to bring this ancient wisdom to the modern world, applying its principles, modalities, and therapies to benefit the world.
Haven began as scribbles in a notebook at Kolby’s family kitchen table—nothing more than a modest family investment and a dream to bring our vision to life. Despite being buried in student loans, we knew it was our mission to apply these vitalistic Naturopathic principles to the modern age no matter how challenging it would be.
We’ve explored nearly every avenue imaginable, both personally and professionally, to bring this vision to life. We’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in our journey—consulting top intuitive healers, chiropractors, and functional medicine doctors; undergoing expensive tests; fasting for extended periods; and trying countless other approaches sometimes even forgetting what we have tried.
Even after trying almost everything, we hold nothing back in what we offer to our clients. We share both our successes and failures, driven by the responsibility we feel to pass on what we’ve learned from our mentors to the modern world. Every new avenue we try ultimately brings us back to where we started: the Naturopathic principles that first connected us.
This journey is why we don’t fully embrace functional medicine. It still views the body through a reductionist, mechanical lens—the same approach as modern medicine. This perspective strips away the body’s innate healing power, treating it like a lifeless, robotic bag of meat instead of a dynamic, self-healing organism.
Despite investing countless hours and substantial resources with these mentors, we found they either ran small local practices—treating the proverbial “Grandpa Bill” down the street—or passed away without successors to continue their work. We recognized our purpose and mission: to bring this ancient wisdom to the modern world, applying its principles, modalities, and therapies to benefit the world.
Haven began as scribbles in a notebook at Kolby’s family kitchen table—nothing more than a modest family investment and a dream to bring our vision to life. Despite being buried in student loans, we knew it was our mission to apply these vitalistic Naturopathic principles to the modern age no matter how challenging it would be.
We’ve explored nearly every avenue imaginable, both personally and professionally, to bring this vision to life. We’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in our journey—consulting top intuitive healers, chiropractors, and functional medicine doctors; undergoing expensive tests; fasting for extended periods; and trying countless other approaches sometimes even forgetting what we have tried.
Even after trying almost everything, we hold nothing back in what we offer to our clients. We share both our successes and failures, driven by the responsibility we feel to pass on what we’ve learned from our mentors to the modern world. Every new avenue we try ultimately brings us back to where we started: the Naturopathic principles that first connected us.
About Dr. Alex
Saying that I grew up with a “sensitive stomach” is an understatement. I have puked on more road trips and plane rides than I could possibly count. Sometimes, when we would go out to eat, the meal ended with me being double over at the table.
And stomach issues went hand in hand with chronic eczema that I couldn’t shake outside of caking topical steroids over my rashes (which I would sneak into my dad’s bathroom and steal when I was 7).
But the worst thing of all was feeling anxious and insecure in myself.
I didn’t know it at the time, but I see clearly now how all of these issues were completely connected. The gut is a second brain, so gut issues and emotional issues reinforce each other. And the skin is a direct reflection of the digestive tract.
Things got worse when I went to college and really decimated my health by staying up late into the night, doing drugs, and eating horrendous fraternity food. I began having panic attacks (some in public), which led to agoraphobia. I could barely leave my dorm room or talk to a cashier without feeling panicky.
Needless to say, I hit rock bottom. I have been regaining my health ever since.
Things started to change for me when I focuses on the basic element of health that I took for granted before. Basic foundations, like eating regular meals with enough protein and nutrients, getting to sleep on time, going on walks in the sun, journalin–these things all significantly improved my state of health in the most obvious way.
Once I went to naturopathic school, I was confronted with all of these theories and dogmas about medicine. Different diets that were opposite of each other. Different theories about disease. “Shiny new toy” supplements and products that were the answer to all calamities.
I had done so much healing work over the years, I was completely committed to the process, yet I became confused as ever as to what path I should follow to continue my healing journey. I tried different diets, had appointments with various naturopathic doctors, tried different protocols, but nothing seemed to really make a difference in how I felt.
But through that process, I also learned about the historical roots of naturopathic medicine, before there were fancy products and modern theories of illness. It was a time when pioneers observed the simple truth that the way we live, what we eat, and how we think has the most profound impact on our health. Disease was not a mystery. It was an inevitable result of violating the basic laws of nature that govern health and healing.
When I began to work on the most basic foundations without chasing white rabbits down rabbit holes, my health took a massive leap forward, along with my confidence and self-understanding.
My hope is to help you find the same, with the same common-sense, powerful strategies that helped me climb out of the dark hole that I was in to a place of peace and well-being.
"Only the wounded physician heals... and then only to the extent he has healed himself."
– Dr. Carl Jung
About Dr. Kolby
Speaking has always been been a problem for me. Since my first words at age 3, I stuttered. I followed the advice of “the specialists.” I learned, trusted, and followed. I did the tongue exercises and exposure therapy, but still saw no results.
I couldn’t even order a drink without stammering on the first “L” in lemonade.
My healing journey led me down many paths, each uncovering more about myself but nothing could help uncover why speaking was so difficult for me.
In college, I studied nutrition and exercise science. I followed Tim Ferris since the launch of 4 hour body and worked out everyday, I counted my grams of protein, and I avoided toxins as best I could since I was in my late teens!
However, I still couldn’t speak cohesively.
Then I discovered Naturopathic Medicine. It offered a paradigm that teaches a new way of healing, a framework embracing more than just the physical body, and a solution that doesn’t view the body as a mere machine.
I followed the approach we now teach all our clients. I embraced the pillars of healing, tailoring them to my specific constitution, responsibilities, habits, mindset, toxin load, and nutritional needs.
I supported each pillar of health: Detoxification, Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Mental/Emotional.
By following the principles that were taught to me I decreased the toxin exposure which led to decreased brain inflammation. I focused on foods that healed my digestive tract, which improved brain function. I provided my body with essential fat-soluble vitamins and trace minerals to optimize neuronal connections. I drank spring water to enhance hydration.
I focused on the proper breathing techniques to increase oxygen flow to my brain. I ensured my body was structural aligned.
I worked on my relationship with myself which allowed for me to uncover false belief patterns. I felt a need to be seen, which stemmed from my perception that my two older brothers always received attention while I didn’t. I deepened my relationship with God.
I significantly reduced my exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). I utilized homeopathy to build a more resilient constitution …
And, the list of healing practices continues to evolve every day rooted in the principles of Naturopathic medicine.
I implemented the healing paradigm that we now teach people every day, and my speech hasn’t crossed my mind in years. I overcame the condition that specialists claimed I’d live with forever due to my “oversized” tongue. I intuitively knew there was a different path to healing.
My personal journey fuels my passion for our work at Haven—it worked for me. Now, I have the privilege of guiding others through this same transformative process daily.