Deeply Personalized Care for Fertility, Perimenopause & Female Longevity
Advanced functional medicine and classical Chinese internal medicine for women 35+
25+ Years Clinical Experience
Provided Integrative Care at Major Institutions Including Apple, UCSF & Lane Fertility
Dr. Datis Kharrazian Functional Medicine Trained
Board Licensed in Chinese Medicine
My Approach
If you are navigating health issues that haven't resolved despite seeing multiple doctors, or if your kitchen cabinet is full of supplements that you tried in hopes they would help, but they never did—you're not alone. Many of my clients come to me after years of feeling dismissed by doctors, or being told their labs are 'normal' despite ongoing symptoms, or cycling through one-size-fits-all recommendations that didn't address their unique situation. You deserve answers that go deeper, and interventions that make a real difference.
My practice integrates classical Chinese herbalism and functional medicine to uncover what is truly driving your symptoms. Rather than relying on standard protocols, I work to solve the puzzle of your unique health situation and find the causes and patterns at the root. I take the time to listen deeply to your story, and I take the time to work through your case, researching as needed as we move through each phase of your healing process.
A treatment plan is only as useful as your ability to implement it. I coach you through the changes, checking in regularly to ensure you can incorporate them into your life, and tracking your progress as your symptoms improve.
When the foundation of your health is stabilized, we can focus on optimization. The goal is to live your best life now and into the future, increasing your healthspan — the years of health and enjoyment you have ahead.
Together, we work to restore your body's innate capacity for healing and thriving — so you can show up fully in your life with energy and joy.
Preconception & Fertility Optimization
Support for preconception preparation, unexplained infertility, egg quality, or recurrent loss--combining functional lab analysis with classical Chinese herbalism.
Perimenopause & Hormonal Balance
Addressing the gut-brain-hormone axis to support resilience against brain fog, anxiety, sleep disruption, and midlife hormonal shifts so you can feel clear and vibrant.
Female Longevity & Healthspan
Rebuilding cellular energy, gut integrity, and systemic resilience to clear chronic fatigue and inflammation—helping you thrive now and protect your long-term healthspan.
About Valerie Mendels
I am a licensed Chinese Medicine practitioner with over 25 years of clinical experience, and I work with clients virtually via telehealth across the US. I am fluent in English, French, and Spanish. Over the course of my career, I have continually deepened my practice, integrating advanced functional medicine and hypnotherapy into my work.
Prior to my virtual practice, I maintained private practices in Maryland, California, and Spain. As the first fertility-specialized acupuncturist in Barcelona in the early 2000s, I introduced fertility acupuncture to the city's reproductive medicine clinics and collaborated with them to support IVF cycle outcomes.
In California, I provided integrative care at leading Reproductive Medicine centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including UCSF Center for Reproductive Health, Lane Fertility, Marin Fertility, and Spring Fertility.
Over the course of my career I have helped thousands of women become pregnant — in some cases supporting IVF cycles, and in others helping them conceive naturally through Chinese medicine and functional medicine.
Beyond private practice, I spent a year as part of Apple's in-house healthcare team at their Silicon Valley headquarters, providing acupuncture and herbal medicine alongside physicians and physical therapists.
I have also volunteered providing acupuncture in Baltimore's prisons and in inner-city drug detox clinics.
After 25 years, having practiced in different settings and different parts of the world, I still find this work captivating — there is always more to learn, and every patient teaches me something new. I love the moment when a client starts to feel like themselves again and recovers their joy for life.
"Valerie noticed a medical issue that my doctors didn't notice, made a recommendation for a new doctor and I got pregnant that month after starting thyroid medication... I felt like Valerie really valued the importance of Western and Eastern medicine and I believe that combination was what my body needed."
Leah G.
"My husband and I had been trying to conceive for over a year... I had been feeling frustrated, dejected, and pretty hopeless. Valerie took the time to really listen to what I needed—both physically and mentally... Each week, I would leave the office feeling relaxed, refreshed, encouraged, and at peace. I'm happy to report that within 4 months, I got pregnant!"
K.H.
In every session Valerie gave me her undivided attention in a way I had never experienced before... After only a few weeks of treatment I was feeling terrific. I had so much more energy and it was a balanced grounded sort of energy. Friends started commenting that I seemed calmer and happier. Physical symptoms that I hadn't even asked for help with started to improve or go away completely."
Katie F.
From the first moment I met Valerie, I knew seeing her was going to be an interesting adventure. What I didn't realize was that I was going to experience a deep sense of well-being... Valerie is wise, gentle, and intuitive. At the same time she is very professional and cares about results—her focus is on her patients from the moment they step into her world.
Brenda O.