Naturopathic Doctor in San Diego
Dr. Dawna Sweeney, ND, MS
Women’s Health | Hormone Balance | Functional & Vitalistic Care
Supporting patients through individualized, root-cause care for hormone health, digestive function, nervous system regulation, and metabolic balance.
Grounded in nature, science, and a deep respect for the body’s innate ability to heal.
Thoughtful care. Root-cause healing. Personalized support.
About Dr. Sweeney
I was born and raised in small mountain towns, surrounded by nature and shaped early on by a deep respect for the natural world. My father was a medical doctor, and his dedication to healing inspired me from a young age. For many years, I was certain I would follow in his footsteps, firmly committed to conventional medicine and pure science as the only path to understanding the body.
As I progressed through my education and worked in research, my perspective began to shift. I came to recognize how much of healing cannot be fully measured or quantified, and I began questioning a system that often suppresses symptoms while creating new imbalances - frequently at the expense of both the body and the environment.
During this time, I discovered Bastyr University in San Diego and was introduced to naturopathic medicine. The philosophy immediately resonated with me, aligning deeply with the values I had been developing all along: honoring the body’s intelligence, addressing root causes, and working in partnership with nature rather than against it.
Today, I practice in a thriving functional medicine clinic and teach at Bastyr University, where I am deeply invested in helping shape the next generation of naturopathic doctors. Outside the clinic and classroom, I feel most grounded in nature - on the ocean or at the beach, snowboarding in the mountains, tending a garden, or crafting herbal medicines. These practices continually remind me of the intelligence of the natural world and the body’s remarkable capacity to heal.
Areas of Focus
-
Root-cause care to support hormonal balance and relieve symptoms such as PMS, PCOS, irregular cycles, and other hormone-related concerns.
-
Personalized treatment to improve digestion, restore gut balance, and address underlying contributors to bloating, discomfort, and GI dysfunction.
-
Targeted support for complex hormone and metabolic patterns affecting energy, weight, blood sugar, and overall physiological balance.
-
Gentle, integrative care to calm the nervous system, improve sleep quality, and help the body better adapt to stress.
Philosophy of Care
I practice from a vitalistic naturopathic philosophy that recognizes the body’s innate capacity to heal itself. My role is to identify and remove obstacles to healing - whether physiological, biochemical, emotional, or environmental - and to gently support the body in restoring balance.
Rather than suppressing symptoms, I focus on understanding why they are occurring and guiding the body back toward health through thoughtful, individualized care that respects each patient’s unique physiology and life circumstances.
What Patients Can Expect
When working with me, patients can expect a collaborative and individualized approach that goes beyond symptom management.
Care begins with listening and understanding the full picture of your health - your history, lifestyle, stressors, and underlying patterns. From there, we move into investigation and education, followed by a phased treatment plan that prioritizes foundational support before introducing more targeted therapies.
Recommendations may include nutrition and lifestyle guidance, botanical medicine, homeopathy, and other supportive therapies designed to gently guide the body back into balance.
Above all, my goal is to create a supportive space where patients feel heard, informed, and empowered throughout their healing journey.
What Patients are Saying
Fun Facts about Dr Sweeney
→ I love canyoneering - hiking up a mountain just to rappel down the watershed
→ I unwind by making herbal medicines, lotions, and soap
→ I grew up in small mountain towns and still feel most grounded in nature
→ I have a one-eyed cat, and my other cat lost his meow
