Dr. Hering was born and raised in the Fingerlakes region of upstate New York. Living amidst the rolling hills, farms and orchards, she developed a deep love for nature. The daughter of a native Spaniard, she also grew up spending time on the family ranch in central Spain, where she learned about the traditions of wine-making, farming, and raising bulls for bull-fighting, all typical of the region.
These experiences rooted her in cultural tradition and a contemplative life that ultimately led to her interest in philosophy and phenomenological study. She attended the Great Books Program at St. John’s College, modeled on the Socratic teaching method, and was inspired by many works including Goethe’s Metamorphosis of Plants and Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit, which became the subject of her senior thesis. During her studies, she became fascinated by the relationship between form and function as expressed in living systems, leading her to the field of medicine and osteopathy.
Dr. Hering completed her osteopathic medical training at Touro University, College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2003. During her medical study she became interested in the evolution of scientific thinking over time, persuaded that the future of medicine lay in understanding this development and reconciling traditional wisdom with modern science. Committed to applying osteopathy in an acute care setting alongside conventional medicine, she served as chief resident in a three-year residency in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City. This unique program integrates hands-on osteopathic diagnosis and treatment with conventional medicine in most major medical specialties, including pediatrics, obstetrics, geriatrics, internal medicine, critical care, emergency medicine, general surgery and orthopedic surgery.
Once in private practice, Dr. Hering completed an additional five year training program in Anthroposophic Medicine (see A Renewal of Modern Medicine). This training deepened her understanding of the forces of growth and regeneration in nature and broadened her appreciation for nature-derived remedies. Anthroposophic Medicine has also expanded Dr. Hering’s commitment to child health by working with therapeutic educators and offering practical guidance to parents of children with different developmental needs.
In addition to seeing patients and running a group integrative medical practice, she serves as president of the Physicians’ Association for Anthroposophic Medicine (anthroposophicmedicine.org), is co-founder for the Foundation for Health Creation (foundationforhealthcreation.org), a non-profit dedicated to patient education and outreach, and is co-founder of Acorn Community Clinic, a non-profit clinic providing access to integrative medicine and therapies to underserved children and pregnant mothers. She is board certified in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, certified in Anthroposophic Medicine, and is a current member of the American Osteopathic Association, American Academy of Osteopathy, Cranial Academy, Physicians Association for Anthroposophic Medicine, and American College of Anthroposophic Medicine.
Dr. Hering continues to develop her passion for teaching. She serves as adjunct faculty at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, serves as faculty for anthroposophic physician training programs and the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training (BACWTT), and serves as guest lecturer at schools and conferences.
She deeply enjoys her daily work with patients and practitioners in her integrative medical practice. To learn more about her clinic, please visit 902santafe.com. She is the joyful mother of two girls educated at a local waldorf school.