The ultimate guide to finding the best functional medicine doctor near you and online

You’re not just looking for any doctor—you’re looking for someone who actually gets it

The late-night searches. The bookmarked articles. The Instagram reels about hormones that somehow explain exactly what you’re feeling—but your doctor just told you it’s all "normal."

You’re not imagining things. Your body has changed—and you’re doing everything you can to figure it out. You’ve cleaned up your eating, tried every supplement your friends recommended, and maybe even gone gluten-free. And still… you don’t feel like yourself.

So you go back to Google. You type: "best functional medicine doctors near me.” And what you find? A mix of bios, star ratings, buzzwords… but not much clarity. You’re not looking for the most popular or most expensive doctor—you’re looking for someone who will actually listen. Someone who won’t just prescribe another pill, but who will help you understand what’s happening inside your body and walk with you through it.

If that’s you—you’re in the right place.

In case we haven’t met yet—we’re Dr. Erin Hendriks and Dr. Maricela Castillo MacKenzie, founders of Elle MD, a functional medicine clinic in Royal Oak, Michigan. We specialize in helping women—especially those navigating perimenopause and menopause—reclaim their energy, balance their hormones, and feel confident in their bodies again. With a root-cause approach and deeply personalized care, we look beyond symptoms to create sustainable solutions that truly support your body, your life, and your goals.

At Elle MD, your wellness isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula—it’s a journey we take with you, every step of the way.

What to look for in a functional medicine doctor

Credentials that matter

When you're overwhelmed with options, credentials can help you narrow the field. But it’s not just about the degree hanging on the wall—it's about what that doctor has chosen to study beyond the basics.

Look for:

• A conventional medical background (MD, DO) — this ensures foundational training
• Certification from the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) — a gold standard in root-cause medicine
• Ongoing education in hormone health, gut health, nutrition, and lifestyle medicine

Many women think that going the holistic route means choosing between "natural" or "clinical" care. A good functional medicine doctor offers both: scientific rigor and lifestyle-based healing.

And if you're wondering what this looks like in real life—check our About page. You’ll find exactly what we’ve studied, where we’re certified, and why this work is so personal to us. We believe women deserve to know not just who we are—but why they can trust us.

Treatment philosophy & approach

This is where things really start to differ.

Some clinics give you a protocol and a packet of supplements after a 15-minute intake. That’s not functional medicine—that’s templated care in disguise.

True functional medicine:

• Takes time to understand your full story
• Runs comprehensive labs (not just what insurance covers)
• Creates a plan just for you: your symptoms, your history, your body
• Adjusts that plan as your body heals and responds

Ask yourself: Do I want a protocol, or do I want a partnership?

Real patient experiences

Before-and-after photos are great, but what you really want are reviews that feel like your life.

Pay attention to stories like:

• "I felt like I was finally being heard."
• "She connected symptoms I didn’t realize were related."
• "I walked out with answers—not a generic plan."

And yes, watch for red flags:

• Vague treatment descriptions
• Over-promising results in a short time
• Upselling protocols without lab data

How to find the best functional medicine doctors near you– how to search intentionally

Searching by proximity can be useful—but also misleading. Just because someone is nearby doesn’t mean they’re the best fit for your needs, your values, or your stage of life.

That’s why we recommend refining your search based on specialty and style, not just zip code.

What makes Elle MD stand out in Michigan

If you're searching in or around Michigan, here’s why women are choosing Elle MD:

• We’re female-founded MDs — and we’ve lived these hormonal shifts ourselves
• We specialize in midlife transitions — perimenopause, menopause, thyroid changes, weight fluctuation, brain fog
• We go deep with testing — from cortisol and insulin to gut health, thyroid panels, and beyond
• We care how you feel, not just how you look
• We partner with you — your plan evolves with you, not around you
• This isn’t about fixing you. This is about helping you reconnect with the version of you that feels clear, energized, and whole again

Explore our Functional Medicine Program

Local vs. virtual care: Which one truly supports you?

You’ve made the decision to take your health seriously—and now you’re at a new crossroads:

Do I need to see someone in person, or can I get the support I need online?

At Elle MD we do the first visit in person and we can continue to treat you virtually.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. What matters is how you feel most cared for, most safe, and most seen.

When in-person care feels like coming home

There’s something grounding about sitting across from someone who’s fully present with you. You can look them in the eye. You can feel their warmth, their attentiveness, the way they pause before responding because they’re actually listening.

If you're someone who values that human closeness—the unspoken energy of being in the room with someone who truly sees you—then local care might feel like the safest, most nurturing next step.

What women really want to know before saying yes to a physician 

Choosing someone to walk with you through your healing journey isn’t just a decision—it’s a moment of hope. It’s that quiet, powerful voice inside saying: “I’m ready to feel better. I just need someone who can help me get there.”

If you're navigating this choice, here are a few things you might be wondering—spoken the way you would want them to be spoken to you.

Isn’t holistic medicine the same as functional medicine?

You want someone who sees the whole picture, not just one symptom. That’s why holistic medicine may have caught your attention—it feels like a breath of fresh air after years of being told “you’re fine” when you know you’re not.

Holistic doctors often use alternative therapies like energy healing, acupuncture, or supplements to support overall wellness. And while that can be helpful, it sometimes lacks structure and deeper clinical insight.

Functional medicine takes the heart of holistic care—treating the whole person—and combines it with:

• Advanced lab testing
• Root-cause analysis
• Personalized protocols
• Science-backed interventions
  
  

It’s not either-or. It’s both-and. That’s why so many women in midlife choose functional medicine when they want something that feels soulful and strategic.

Can I still take medication if I work with a functional medicine doctor?

You may have heard that going the natural route means you’ll have to toss out every prescription bottle. Not true.

At Elle MD, we’re not anti-medication. We’re anti-default medication.

Because sometimes, your body needs a little extra support. Maybe it’s a thyroid med while we work on your gut. Or a short-term sleep aid while your cortisol stabilizes. The point is: we use medication thoughtfully—as part of a bigger plan.

You’re not choosing between natural and clinical. You’re choosing a physician who knows how to balance both.

What if I have Medicare? Will this be covered?

This is one of the most common questions we hear—and one of the most important truths we share.
No, we don’t work directly with insurance plans. And that’s not because we don’t want to support you—but because the kind of care we provide simply isn’t possible within the limits of traditional insurance models.

Most insurance plans prioritize quick visits, surface-level testing, and symptom-based treatment. But that’s not what women navigating hormonal changes need. You need answers. Time. Deeper labs. A doctor who connects the dots and tailors your care to the full picture of your health—not just a code on a chart.



What we can promise instead is this:

• Real time in every session (never rushed)
• Advanced, personalized lab testing
• Thoughtful treatment plans that evolve with your needs
• A doctor who sees and hears the full version of you
  
  

This is an investment in long-term healing, not just a temporary fix—and it’s built to support the kind of transformation you’ve been looking for.

This is what functional medicine looks like when it’s done with heart.

Start your journey with our Functional Medicine Program. Request an appointment today and take the first step toward healing that lasts.

You don’t have to figure this out alone. We’re here—and we’re listening.