My journey to health & healing
Erin Gilbert, APRN, CNM, IFMCP
Erin Gilbert has worked in health care for over 25 years. She is a board-certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, and Nurse Practitioner. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware where she was born and raised. Soon after graduation, she relocated to South Florida where she currently resides with her husband and 5 children.
She obtained her Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner degree from Frontier Nursing University and has delivered thousands of babies including Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and waterbirth. Erin’s Functional Medicine board certification is through the Institute for Functional Medicine.
My career in healthcare stems from my personal health journey and my innate desire to help others. Medicine entered into my life at the young age of nine years old when I was diagnosed with scoliosis. The hospital became my second home as I spent the next several years in back braces. After three and a half years of wearing a back brace 23 hours per day my curvature only progressed and at age thirteen I had a corrective spinal fusion. I was a very shy child to the point of severe anxiety. This made me a good target for bullying which led to further insecurities, difficulty focusing at school and poor health habits.
The silver lining, however, is that my medical condition also led to my interest in healthcare.
As I later pursued my nursing career I found that healing others was so rewarding that I also began healing myself. My confidence grew along with my interest in various areas of healthcare. Always eager to grow and learn more I decided to shadow a local Obstetrician. I attended a delivery with the same doctor that delivered me which was pretty special. That day my passion for midwifery was born.
With four children under the age of seven, I began graduate school. I studied in the evenings, on the weekends, and while they were napping. Within a week of my board exam my fifth child was born.
Over the next several years I developed two autoimmune conditions, multiple food sensitivities, fatigue, and a reduced ability to manage my stress.
I share my personal health journey to convey the message that one’s health is not simply a result of what we did yesterday, or last week or last month. It is our whole story, from birth to present day. My health and busy lifestyle had caught up with me.
Ten years into my career as a Midwife and Nurse Practitioner I discovered the immense importance and impact of Functional Medicine and my second passion ensued. I first treated myself and within months reversed my autoimmune conditions, eliminated my food sensitivities, and found that I had more focus and energy than ever.
Naturally my parenting approach shifted as well to one that is more functionally driven; providing my children with the knowledge, support and tools to help them grow into healthy adults.
Functional Medicine has allowed me to help my patients on a much deeper level and watching their transition to better health is so very rewarding.
“I really appreciate all of your help with everything throughout the years! You’ve been an angel and whoever gets a chance to meet you is truly blessed.”
— Aleksandra