EmpowerMed Team - Naturopathic Doctors
Women’s Health Specialists San Diego, CA
Built by Women with Experience & Expertise. Inspired by our founder’s journey seeking answers for her own body, EmpowerMed Clinic San Diego, CA provides personalized care designed to empower patients with holistic solutions.
In-Person appointments available at our clinic in San Diego, CA. Online (virtual) appointments available for California.
Our Patient-Centered Approach
EmpowerMed Clinic in San Diego recognizes that many patients, especially women, face too few options for health and hormone balancing and often feel unheard, misunderstood, or even pressured by a system that focuses on band-aid fixes and siloed symptom relief. We’re here to change that.
In response to Dr. Golightly’s own obstacles with conventional medicine, she founded EmpowerMed Clinic to offer a source of comfort and clarity in healthcare — going beyond the surface and building relationships on trust, respect, and shared experience.
You’re a whole person, and we believe you should be treated as one. Our comprehensive process, from intake to treatment, works to identify root causes of dysfunction and acts to correct them through personalized programs with lasting impact, setting a trajectory to meet your long-term health and lifestyle goals.
Our secret: simply to listen. the EmpowerMed Clinic Team takes time to get to know you, hear how you feel, listen to your lived experience, and understand the everyday impacts. It may not sound revolutionary, but it certainly feels that way.
Meet the Team
Meet the Team
Dr. Carleigh Golightly-Downing
Founder, Naturopathic Doctor
Conditions Treated: PCOS, Perimenopause/ Menopause, Fertility, Female Hormonal Imbalances
Dr. Golightly discovered naturopathic medicine through her own struggles with crippling anxiety, hormonal imbalance, and IBS. Frustrated with the pills and lack of guidance her doctors offered, she began to look outside the box seeking the truth about what it really means to be healthy.
Through years of personal research, a relentless pursuit of optimal nutrition and evidence-based supplementation, she was able to overcome her own health issues. It was that experience that inspired her to become a Naturopathic Doctor and help others do the same.
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Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
Advanced clinical training in integrative endocrinology & regenerative injection therapies
B.S. Biomedical Science & Minor in Chemistry, Northern Arizona University
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California Naturopathic Doctors Association
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)
Endocrinology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (EndoANP)
Dr. Bianca Snead
Naturopathic Doctor
Conditions Treated: Autoimmune, Gut Health, Perimenopause
Dr. Bianca Snead is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in San Diego, California. She obtained her doctorate at Bastyr University in San Diego, California. Prior to that, she received degrees in Human Biology and Sociology from Stanford and went on to graduate from Stanford Law School and practice law. She spent a large portion of her legal career helping youth in the foster care system receive the services they needed. Dr. Bianca made her way back to her passion for medicine after encountering her own health struggles with autoimmunity. She found that taking a whole body approach to treatment gave her the most successful results, and she wanted to share this approach with others. She strongly believes that healing the body should begin with finding the root cause and treating the whole person (mind, body, and spirit). She also believes that patient education is key to long term success, and strives to ensure that her patients feel empowered to regain their health.
In her free time, Dr. Bianca enjoys spending time with her husband and son, either playing board games or exploring San Diego. She also enjoys dancing, pilates, and going to movies, musicals and concerts. She is also a former Zumba instructor and is certified in Reiki.
Dr. Dawna Sweeney, ND
Naturopathic Doctor
Conditions Treated: Gut Health, Hormonal Imbalance, Autoimmune Disease, IBS
Dr. Sweeney came to naturopathic medicine as a way to blend her love of nature, science, and helping others. She began as a research scientist in molecular biology but became disenchanted with the limited approach of conventional science. She then obtained her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and learned how to restore health through a more comprehensive and vitalistic approach that takes into account mind, body and soul and a deep reverence for the body’s ability to heal itself.
Dr. Sweeney is passionate about addressing the root cause of symptoms with individualized dietary recommendations, homeopathy, herbs, craniosacral therapy, and evidence-based supplementation. When she is not helping patients, she enjoys whale watching with her daughter, camping, and working in her garden.
Karin Bortner
Health Coach
Karin Bortner is a dedicated health coach at EmpowerMed Clinic, specializing in personalized wellness strategies that help clients achieve lasting health transformations. With a holistic approach that integrates nutrition, movement, stress management, and behavior modification, Karin empowers individuals to make sustainable lifestyle changes.
She works closely with clients to develop customized health plans tailored to their unique needs and goals, providing education, motivation, and accountability along the way. Whether navigating weight management, improving energy levels, or enhancing overall well-being, Karin’s compassionate coaching helps clients overcome obstacles and take control of their health with confidence.
Mikaela Oshiro
Medical Assistant
Mikaela Oshiro is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine student at Bastyr University, bringing a strong academic background and a passion for holistic health. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of San Diego, where she was recognized for academic excellence, achieving First Honors in the Fall Semester of 2018.
With a deep interest in the intersection of neuroscience and natural medicine, Mikaela is dedicated to integrating evidence-based naturopathic therapies with modern science to support whole-person healing. Her studies focus on preventive medicine, lifestyle optimization, and patient-centered care, preparing her to empower individuals on their journey to wellness.
You listen to your body.
We listen to you.
Schedule a consultation with EmpowerMed Clinic in San Diego to share your concerns with one of our naturopathic doctors and plan a path forward.