Meet Dr. Roy Steinbock M.D. | Board-Certified and Holistic Pediatrician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Roy Steinbock M.D. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Roy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

After completing medical school and a pediatrics residency, I recognized that while my training was invaluable, there was still so much more to learn about true wellness and health. While traditional medicine is very focused on disease treatment, which is important, I also wanted to learn more about how to prevent illness and disease in the first place.

This led me initially towards nutrition and then eventually to natural and functional medicine. At the same time, I was developing a much deeper meditation and mindfulness practice, and this was finding its way into every aspect of my life, including medicine.

After working for a short time in a private practice in Denver that was somewhat holistic but operated under the insurance model, where I was seeing 20–40 patients a day, I quickly realized that I would need a completely different model to help patients on the deeper level that I now had the skills to do.

So, in 2006 I envisioned and created Mindful Pediatrics—a practice where initial appointments are 60–80 minutes long and follow-ups allow plenty of time to go as deep as each patient needs.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more? What sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of, and was it easy?

As a board-certified pediatrician with advanced training in functional medicine, I combine conventional medical expertise with holistic healing principles to uncover and address the root causes of health challenges in children and young adults.

What makes me most proud about my practice is that I’ve become a trusted part of my community and patients’ families. Knowing that I’ve helped so many patients improve their health and lives feeds my soul deeply.

I’m not sure if any business owner would say the path to success is easy. The hardest part for me personally was twofold. While I had worked in my parents’ furniture store before medical school, I did not receive any formal business education. There’s been a lot of trial and error, with stumbles along the way to learning how to run a business efficiently and successfully.

The second, and probably even larger, challenge was that I had to create a practice model from scratch. Though holistic, fee-for-service doctors are commonplace now, this wasn’t the case in 2006, especially for MDs. I had no mentors or models to follow, no books, no podcasts (they didn’t exist yet!)—you get the picture.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary—say it was a week-long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

What I love most about Colorado—especially Boulder—is the closeness and connection to nature. I’ve lived in South Boulder for almost 25 years and love my Shanahan Ridge trail system. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve hiked there, but it’s been several times a week since I moved to Boulder. A hike up to Bear Peak or possibly South Boulder Peak would be first on the list.

After that, a nice stroll down Pearl Street and some tacos at Bar Taco.

For a sweet treat, we love to show guests Piece, Love & Chocolate.

For dinner, a lovely home-cooked meal. Debbie and I love to cook, and it’s one of the perks of being married to a nutritionist.

Lastly, we’d finish the day with evening tea on our deck.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love, and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

There are really three important shoutouts for me:

1. When I had just finished my residency, I developed a case of tendonitis. After Western medicine failed me, I began searching. I’m not even sure how this book came to me, but I read Dr. Andrew Weil’s Spontaneous Healing. I had never even heard of natural medicine at that time. Not to date myself, but the word “holistic” was not yet mainstream. This book opened me up to a world I didn’t know existed but resonated with on a profound level. I wanted to learn more and found my next inspiration in a course called Food as Medicine run by James Gordon, M.D.
2. Food as Medicine: This course jump-started my love and education in natural and functional medicine. It featured some of the greatest practitioners and doctors in the field as lecturers, and to this day, it was by far the best continuing education I’ve done.
3. Finally, my ex-grandfather-in-law, who was a pioneer and visionary in business and finance. He gave me that final kick to dream big and be fearless. His belief in me, and my respect for him, was just what I needed at the time to create a practice with no compromises. To try to practice idealistically and take the risk to see how it would end up.

Website: https://mindfulfamilymedicine.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MindfulFamilyMedicine/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MindfulFamilyMedicine