A new wellness practice is taking root in Stockton, offering a different approach to health care that focuses on treating the whole person rather than simply addressing symptoms.
Bloom Integrative Wellness, owned and operated by family nurse practitioner Stephanie Doty, recently opened at 207 W. St., Suite B, located on the lower level behind Farmers Mutual Insurance.
For Doty, choosing Stockton as the home for her practice was an easy decision.
“I wanted to set up here because I wanted a place where I can make a difference and help one person at a time,” Doty said. “I love Stockton. It’s a serene place where you can connect with nature, and nature is so important to me.”
After nearly three decades in health care, Doty said she felt called to create a practice that gives patients something she believes is often missing in traditional medicine — time.
Having worked in the medical field since 1997, including as an operating room nurse at CMH and at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Doty has witnessed firsthand the challenges many patients face when navigating today’s health care system.
“We’re kind of rushed through the rigmarole like cattle,” she said. “I want to give my patients time. Sit with them. Talk to them. Get into the root cause.”
That philosophy serves as the foundation of Bloom Integrative Wellness.
Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, Doty focuses on what she calls the connection between body, mind and spirit. During appointments, she works with patients to explore factors that may be affecting their overall health, including lifestyle habits, nutrition, grief, trauma and emotional well-being.
“Everybody is different,” she said. “We all come from different backgrounds. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another.”
As a licensed nurse practitioner, Doty can prescribe medications when needed. However, she believes healing often involves more than medicine alone.
“Being here, I’ll be able to get to know the person,” she said. “I’ll be able to give my patients the time to talk and discuss lifestyle, traumas they have experienced, grief, nutrition and supplements.”
While she can provide some counseling services, Doty also works closely with other professionals and can refer patients to counselors when more specialized care is needed. She currently practices under the mentorship of integrative medicine physician Dr. Lizzy Morgan of Springfield.
Doty said her passion for holistic wellness began at an early age while watching her mother struggle with illnesses connected to emotional and mental stress.
“That experience taught me that healing the mind can also help heal the body,” she said.
Creating a welcoming environment was also a priority when designing the practice. Instead of a traditional clinical setting, Bloom Integrative Wellness features a comfortable atmosphere intended to help patients feel at ease.
“The most important thing is that people feel comfortable and trust me,” Doty said.
She emphasized that patient privacy remains a top priority and that all medical information is protected under federal HIPAA regulations, just as it would be in any physician’s office.
“Being in a small town, some people may worry about confidentiality,” she said. “I want patients to know they can trust that their information is protected.”
The name Bloom Integrative Wellness reflects Doty’s ultimate goal for her patients.
“I want to see people bloom, like the flowers in nature, and become the best versions of themselves,” she said.
Outside of her medical practice, Doty is a wife, mother and community-minded entrepreneur. She and her husband, Justin, have been married for nearly 30 years. Their daughter works as a neonatal intensive care unit nurse, and their son is currently attending college. The family also includes two beloved dogs Athena and Daisey.
Doty has taught Zumba classes since 2013 and hopes to eventually offer wellness classes, workshops and community events through her practice.
She believes wellness should include joy, connection and a sense of purpose.
“Life is not perfect, and we aren’t always joyful,” she said. “But I believe life should be fun.”
Whether she's helping patients uncover the root causes of health concerns, teaching a fitness class or sharing one of her favorite wellness tips — a 22-second hug to help release feel-good endorphins — Doty hopes Bloom Integrative Wellness will become a place where people feel supported, heard and empowered to thrive.
