Founder, Stephenson Gut Vitality & Health
Meet the Provider
Emily Stephenson
MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, FMP-C
Just like you, I wear many hats—I am a working mom, a wife, and someone who navigates the same daily balancing act of work and life struggles. I understand firsthand how challenging it can be to prioritize your own well-being amidst a busy schedule. That is why I am passionate about partnering with you to find practical, sustainable health solutions that actually fit into your real life.
I am a board-certified family nurse practitioner with a deep passion for preventative health and wellness through a functional medicine lens. I help patients reach their health goals through practical, evidence-based strategies. I will work with you step-by-step on your health journey, providing clarity where other approaches may have left you feeling unsure. Together, we will develop personalized health solutions tailored to your unique biology.
The Heart Behind the Care
My path to founding this practice is built on 25 years of healthcare service—starting as a Navy hospital corpsman for eight years, nursing for thirteen, and evolving into my role as a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner over the last four years.
While working in primary care, I observed that our current healthcare system runs as a high-volume business model focused on getting patients in and out. The emphasis is on treating symptoms, which allows poor health to persist and decline over time. To truly transform health, the root cause must be addressed and corrected. This conviction led me to step out of the conventional system and open my own practice, allowing me to practice medicine differently, put patients first, and make a lasting impact.
- Stephenson Gut Vitality & Health PLLC, Established-
The Journey
During my graduate studies, I developed a deep appreciation for preventative healthcare and became determined to make a tangible difference in our healthcare system by reducing the burden of chronic illness.
My own personal health challenges had me searching for answers and eventually led me to the world of functional medicine. I finally had explanations for the "why" when reflecting on symptoms with normal test results. Dysfunction occurs long before abnormal results are found. Through a functional medicine lens, we are more proactive in preventing chronic illness. Now, I am passionate about restoring health rather than simply managing it.
- FNP-BC, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners-
Education
MSN FNP – Olivet Nazarene University
4/29/19 – 4/24/22
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society Member
BSN – University of Illinois at Chicago
2/2012 – 4/2013
ADN – Parkland College
5/2007 – 12/2009
B.S. Health Care Administration – Wayland Baptist University
10/2002 – 3/2005
- FMP-C, The Elite Nurse Practitioner-
Post-Graduate Certification in Functional Medicine
Focus areas included advanced laboratory interpretation, gut health and the microbiome, immunity and systemic inflammation, sex hormones and cardiometabolic health, environmental detoxification, HPA-axis dysregulation, integrative mental health, and the neurobiology of trauma and the mind-body connection.