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Medical Staff

Our team of experienced physicians and health care professionals at the Whitaker Wellness Institute is devoted to enhancing the health of our patients. Our talented medical staff is dedicated to improving your quality of life by providing the best complementary and integrative medical treatment available. Our mission is to transform lives, one patient at a time.


Svetlana Stivi, MDDr Stivi

Svetlana Raichel-Stivi, MD received her medical degree from the University of California, Irvine in 1995 and completed her Family Medicine residency at Long Beach Memorial Hospital in 1998. Dr. Stivi has extensive training and experience in nutritional and functional medicine and is proficient in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. In addition to her position as Medical Director at Whitaker Wellness, Dr. Stivi teaches and lectures on Integrative Medicine. 

Grace H. Chang, MD

Chang11lo-resDr. Chang is Assistant Medical Director of the Whitaker Wellness Institute. She earned her Medical Doctorate from University of California, Irvine and completed her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles.  Dr. Chang also has an undergraduate degree in Psychobiology and a degree as Master of Public Health from UCLA. She is very well-versed in the many aspects of integrative medicine, natural healing therapies and nutritional supplements.  Her caring and thorough approach is much appreciated by her patients.

Daniel F. Farrier, MD, CCN

20100919r3754823Dr. Farrier received his medical degree from the University of Texas (Galveston). Trained in internal and emergency medicine, he also holds designations of Certified Clinical Nutritionist and Doctor of Integrative Medicine. A former core faculty member at Capital University of Integrative Medicine in Washington, DC, Dr. Farrier has decades of training and experience in diagnostics, nutrition, and integrative approaches to disease. 

Jessica Peatross, MD

Dr. Jessica Peatross is a board certified internal medicine doctor who trained at the university of Louisville for medical school, internship, and residency. She previously was a hospitalist for 7 years in the hospital system. She specializes in integrative medicine, cancer, gut health and immune issues. She has a passion for healing and is well equipped to handle a wide range of medical needs and diagnoses.

Lisa M. Chan, Licensed AcupuncturistDr. Lisa Chan

Dr. Lisa M. Chan earned her Full Reflexology Certificate from the American Academy of Reflexology. She has also trained in craniosacral therapy, polarity therapy, Reiki and several other healing modalities, as well as being a reflexology teacher for over 19 years and healing arts practitioner for
26 years.

What’s the difference between a medical doctor (MD) and a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO)?

All licensed physicians, whether they are MDs (Medical Doctor) or DOs (Doctor of Osteopathy), have similar education and training. Both require four-year undergraduate degrees, with an emphasis in the sciences, followed by four years of post-graduate medical education. MDs and DOs both choose specialties after completing their residency programs—which typically calls for an additional two to six years of medical training. They must both pass similar licensing examinations in order to practice medicine. Most important, both MDs and DOs are medical doctors who can prescribe medications, perform surgeries, and treat patients in hospital and clinical settings.

What Is a Nurse Practitioner?

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses with advanced education, graduate degrees, and clinical training that enable them to carry out most of the same patient care activities as physicians. In addition to performing physical exams and patient histories, nurse practitioners can order and analyze lab tests, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, develop treatment plans, and advice patients on lifestyle changes. Although nurse practitioners can work independently in some states, in California they work closely with physicians, who provide guidance and oversight.

One-Stop Shop for Wellness

Renowned physician, author, and speaker, Julian Whitaker, MD, opened the doors of the Whitaker Wellness Institute in 1979. Since then, our clinic and medical staff have helped more than 45,000 patients overcome serious health challenges and get back on the road to healthy living. We’re proud to offer nearly two dozen safe, innovative, healing therapies under one roof—that’s more than any other facility in the northern hemisphere. Just think of us as your “one-stop shop for wellness.”

To learn more about how the Whitaker Wellness Institute’s knowledgeable and proffesional medical staff can help restore your health and vitality, click on the buttons below to schedule a complimentary consultation or contact us to learn more. You can also schedule your complimentary consultation or obtain more information by calling our Patient Services Representatives at (866) 944-8253.

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