Felicia Davis is a Program Manager for the Washington, D.C.-based think tank The Aspen Institute by day and a Master Restorative Health Practitioner by night.
But, unlike other Master RHPs, Felicia didn’t complete all four levels at the Institute of Restorative Health to start her own practice. She doesn’t promote her services. And, she has no intention of taking on more clients.
Instead, Felicia’s using the transformative skills she’s learned through IRH to help one sole client heal from over 20 years of chronic illness.
That single, super complex client just so happens to be Felicia, herself.
CHRONIC ILLNESS SINCE CHILDHOOD
Felicia experienced a challenging childhood, riddled with skin conditions, weight concerns, hormone imbalances, joint pain, and mood issues. In college, she experienced severe gut issues and developed chronic fatigue syndrome. In her 20s, she had persistent joint pain and severe allergies that seemed to appear overnight. “I consulted with a lot of different doctors along the way, but most told me it was all in my head – they’d say ‘you’re fine’ or ‘maybe you’re depressed’. I saw one rheumatologist who told me I likely had some type of autoimmune disorder but they didn’t know what kind. Unsure of what was really going on, their only recommendation was to begin immunosuppressive drugs.”
By her mid-30’s, Felicia’s chronic fatigue was so severe that she had turned to drinking massive amounts of caffeine to try to get through her work day. She knew this wasn’t sustainable and that there had to be an answer to what was ailing her, so she began seeing functional practitioners. One after another, she’d work with a practitioner for a few months, inspired by their “get healed in 3 months” stories, only to find herself still chronically sick many months and thousands of dollars later. “I even tried consulting with MDs with functional credentials, but found they were just chasing symptoms. I just wanted answers,” says Felicia.
Eventually, Felicia decided to take matters into her own hands by enrolling in the Nutritional Therapy Association’s NTP program. “I had been on all kinds of diets for a long time, but no one had ever even told me maybe I should try a grain free/dairy free diet or specialty diets like AIP,” says Felicia, noting that once she started learning more about nutritional therapy for herself, a whole new world opened up for her.
THE TURNING POINT
Even after earning her NTP credentials, Felicia still found herself struggling to find answers. But, her experience with the NTA reaffirmed to her that – with the right tools and information – she could crack the case, noting “The NTA taught me so much about diet and food, which helped me feel a little bit better. But, I didn’t experience the transformation I was hoping for. The good thing is – the NTA program is what eventually led me to the Institute of Restorative Health.”
At one point in her journey, Felicia consulted with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) where she learned that some practitioners worked with labs. Soon after, she was introduced to the Institute of Restorative Health via the NTP program and immediately knew this was the next step on her healing journey. “I had supposedly cleaned up my gut already, but it wasn’t working. No one had answers. My NTA education wasn’t enough to support complex cases like my own. That is when I knew IRH was the answer,” says Felicia.
Shortly after completing the NTA program, she enrolled in IRH’s Mastering the Art & Science of Gastrointestinal Healing. And, from there, she couldn’t stop:
“I got my gut into a good place, but I could feel there were other things I was still dealing with. I kept taking the IRH courses and each course layered on a new level of healing. I learned all the different ways clients might present with issues, patterns, and trends. I could finally see why my previous attempts at healing didn’t work.”
When asked what the difference between IRH and Felicia’s previous efforts were, she emphasized the fact that IRH taught her how to support healing based on her own individual needs – “I developed the ability to adjust protocols based on bio individuality – I finally learned how to solve challenges rather than chase symptoms. And, the IRH instructors supported me in that – they worked with me to keep going until we knew what we were dealing with,” she says.
HOW TO HELP YOURSELF HEAL
Felicia shared that her IRH experience has drastically changed her life – not only because of the concepts she’s learned via the IRH curriculum, but because of the support she’s received from IRH instructors, too. “I’ve really leaned on the IRH instructor team and they’ve fully supported me every step of the way. The world needs more RHPs”.
In fact, having a guide or partner is the number one tip Felicia has for other people struggling with chronic illness or unresolved health issues. She was kind enough to share her full list of tips on how to heal yourself, which include:
#1 – Find a partner: “I’ve definitely served as my own health advocate, but I’ve also had practitioners to lean on along the way. I’ve even done private consultations with IRH instructors to get perspective on my own health issues, which has been so valuable,” says Felicia. She recommends every practitioner have their own dedicated coach or mentor, too.
#2 – Focus on the root cause: An important part of Felicia’s journey has been access to lab testing, which she acquired through her IRH studies. According to her, “it allows for a level of personalization you can’t get anywhere else.” Felicia has gone on to complete all four levels of the IRH program, noting that our capstone class – Advanced Clinical Mastery – unlocked so many answers for her and is a class everyone should take.
#3 – Make peace with where you’re at: Felicia also cites the importance of developing a spiritual practice to support yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. This allowed Felicial to accept where she was at and the choices she’s made along her 20+ year journey, noting “I have a much greater understanding of who I am, what I want, and how to be in the world – this is one of the most valuable things I’ve gained.”
#4 – Don’t be afraid to ask for more help: “Whether it’s a therapist or prepared organic food delivery, get the support you need,” says Felicia, adding “You shouldn’t feel bad about being too busy to prepare your own healthy food – there are other options if you need them.”
#5 – Be willing to say no: Last, but certainly not least, Felicia reminds those who are struggling with chronic health conditions to remember they have the power to say no – especially in a world where there is constant friction between taking care of your health and living your life. “You have to be willing to edit your life. Our culture is very go, go, go – accomplish things, do things. This isn’t necessarily a good model for people dealing with chronic health issues. You need to be very careful about who you pick to surround yourself with and who you choose to be your mentor.”
When asked what she’s most proud of with regards to her supporting her most complex client (aka herself), she noted the improvements she’s made on her symptom burden chart. Felicia notes, “I do it every so often and can see that every couple of years that my symptom burden is cut in half. I feel like I’m finally coming out on the other side and am so proud that I did not end up as a statistic.”
If you’re ready to reclaim your health just like Felicia, be sure to apply for Mastering the Art & Science of Gastrointestinal Healing. In less than 12 weeks, you’ll gain the clinical skills and insights you need to start transforming your health.
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FAQ
These FAQs expand on the clinical and practical themes discussed in this case study of complex chronic illness and practitioner self-application.
Why do some practitioners become their own most complex clients?
Some practitioners become their own most complex clients when they experience long-standing, unresolved chronic health issues. These cases often involve multiple overlapping symptoms and require individualized protocols and ongoing adjustments. Working through personal cases can help practitioners better understand patterns, clinical decision-making, and bio-individual responses.
Why do complex chronic illness cases often remain unresolved for years?
Complex chronic illness cases often remain unresolved when care focuses on isolated symptoms rather than underlying patterns. Practitioners may miss key drivers if treatment is not personalized or systematically adjusted. Long-term cases often require layered approaches and persistence over time.
What is meant by a root-cause approach in complex clinical cases?
A root-cause approach focuses on identifying and addressing underlying drivers of dysfunction rather than treating symptoms alone. Lab testing and individualized protocols help guide this process. This approach allows practitioners to personalize care based on each client’s unique needs.
Why is practitioner support or mentorship important in complex cases?
Practitioner support is important because complex cases benefit from outside perspective and clinical guidance. Even experienced practitioners can miss patterns when working alone.
Collaboration may include:
- Mentorship or coaching
- Private consultations
- Clinical discussion with peers
Why is bio-individuality important when designing protocols?
Bio-individuality matters because each client responds differently to diets, supplements, and clinical strategies. Protocols often need adjustment to match the individual rather than relying on standardized plans. Personalization helps practitioners move beyond symptom-chasing toward meaningful improvement.
How can lab testing support root-cause clinical work?
Lab testing supports root-cause work by allowing practitioners to personalize protocols based on objective findings. Testing provides information that cannot be obtained through symptoms alone. This allows practitioners to refine strategies and adjust protocols more effectively.
Why do gut-focused approaches often play a central role in complex cases?
Gut-focused approaches often play a central role because digestive health is commonly addressed early in functional nutrition work. Improving gut health may create a foundation for addressing additional layers of dysfunction. However, gut work alone may not fully resolve complex cases.
Why might gut healing alone not resolve complex chronic illness?
Gut healing alone may not resolve complex chronic illness when other physiological layers remain unaddressed. Additional factors may continue to drive symptoms even after digestive improvements. Complex cases often require multiple stages of intervention.
What early signs suggest a client may have a complex chronic illness pattern?
Early signs include multiple persistent symptoms across different body systems. Long histories of unsuccessful treatment attempts are also common.
Examples described in this case include:
- Skin conditions
- Hormone imbalances
- Joint pain
- Mood concerns
- Gut dysfunction
- Chronic fatigue
How can practitioners track progress in complex cases over time?
Practitioners can track progress using symptom burden tracking over time. Periodic reviews can help identify long-term improvement patterns. In this case, symptom burden was reassessed periodically and showed gradual reduction over the years.
What mindset shifts help support long-term healing?
Long-term healing often requires acceptance of the current situation while continuing to work toward improvement. Emotional and spiritual practices may support resilience during extended healing timelines. Developing perspective can help sustain long-term progress.
Why is lifestyle editing important for clients with chronic illness?
Lifestyle editing is important because chronic illness often requires prioritizing recovery over constant activity. Clients may need to reduce commitments and choose supportive environments.
This may include:
- Setting boundaries
- Reducing obligations
- Choosing supportive relationships
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Felicia Davis is a Master Restorative Health Practitioner and Senior Program Manager at The Aspen Institute. You can connect with Felicia on LinkedIn here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Margaret Floyd Barry, FNTP MRHP is owner and Executive Director of the Institute of Restorative Health. She’s a functional nutritionist, author, speaker, educator, and real food advocate. Through years of experience working with the most complex client cases, including reversing her own autoimmune condition, Margaret uses a powerful system for restoring health by addressing the root cause of illness.
Today, Margaret teaches fellow practitioners the same proven system she uses to get her clients life-changing results through the Institute of Restorative Health – a two-year comprehensive functional nutrition certification program for qualified health professionals. Margaret also runs Restorative Corporate Wellness, a team of Restorative Health Practitioners facilitating health transformations with corporate clients. She is the author of Eat Naked and its follow-up cookbook The Naked Foods Cookbook. She’s also the host of the Clinician’s Corner podcast, where she interviews some of the world’s top experts in the fields of functional health and nutrition
