I have to be honest—this episode had me starstruck. Today’s guest is someone I’ve followed and admired for years from afar, someone whose work and message intrigued me even though I knew very little about her world… until now.

In this episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth, I sit down with Steph Grutz, board-certified family nurse practitioner, certified in integrative medicine, and owner of The Health Spa by Vive, with locations in both Peosta and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She’s also the face behind The Healthy Practitioner , The Healthy Practitioner podcast, and an educational powerhouse on YouTube and Instagram.

To say Steph is multi-passionate is an understatement—she’s a mom, serial entrepreneur, health advocate, and educator. Her passion is helping patients live in optimal health through proactive, integrative care.

We covered a lot in our conversation, and it was eye-opening in the best way. I learned so much—not only about the modalities she offers at her spa, but about what it means to take your health seriously, and to do so with both intention and integrity. If you’re an ambitious woman, juggling life and career and wellness (and maybe feeling some burnout or disconnection in the process), this episode is for you.

Here are a few standout moments you’ll want to pay attention to:

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1. Integrative Medicine is About Optimization

Steph compares integrative medicine to how athletes or high-performers optimize every part of their life to be at their best. Health shouldn’t be any different. Instead of waiting for something to go wrong, integrative medicine helps us optimize what’s working and support the areas that aren’t.

“We do it as athletes, we do it as coaches, we do it in every other part of our life—how can we optimize ourselves to be the best version of us?”

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2. Women Are Breaking Cycles

Steph shares how many of her female clients are coming to her not just to get well, but to stay well—for themselves and their families. There’s a generational shift happening: women are becoming more informed, more proactive, and more empowered to make better choices than the processed-food lifestyle many of us grew up with.

“If I can take care of my body and learn about my body, I can teach my kids. And it’s just really wonderful to see that.”

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3. Finding Purpose Through Practice

Steph opened up about the alignment she feels between her soul’s purpose and the work she gets to do every day. After facing her own health challenges, she’s now leading others into healing and hope.

“I’ve found who I am and why I’m here this time around, and I’ve been blessed to find that through my purpose and my businesses.”

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4. Not All Supplements Are Created Equal

Did you know that many supplements sold online don’t actually contain the ingredients listed on the label? Steph broke down the scary reality of what’s out there, and how it inspired her to create a supplement line of her own with verified, therapeutic-grade ingredients she could trust.

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5. Women Deserve Better Care—Especially Through Hormonal Shifts

One of the most pivotal stories Steph shared was about a woman who’d been suffering from debilitating hot flashes and suicidal thoughts for a decade, only to be told by her doctor it was “normal” aging. After a simple hormone test and customized treatment, her life was transformed in a matter of weeks.

“Why can’t we do these easy changes to make life-altering effects for our patients?”

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6. The Power of Ketamine for Mental Wellness

Steph also introduced me to something I hadn’t explored before: ketamine therapy. Through her clinics, patients are able to access this treatment under expert supervision. It’s especially powerful for people dealing with depression, PTSD, or chronic anxiety. Ketamine works by creating new neural pathways in the brain—almost like rewiring old circuits that were damaged by trauma or time.

“It’s a magic molecule that helps rewire and reconnect neuro synapses.”

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Final Thoughts:

This episode reminded me how much power we actually do have over our health. So often, we’re told to “just deal with it” when our bodies don’t feel right, but as Steph shows, there are answers. There are providers out there who listen, who care, and who can guide us toward better outcomes. And the earlier we seek those tools, the better.

Whether you’re experiencing low energy, burnout, hormone imbalances, or just feel a little “off,” this episode is an open invitation to explore integrative medicine as a resource in your own health journey.

🎧 Listen now on The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth
📲 Follow Steph @thehealthypractitioner and get access to exclusive resources here
🏥 Learn more about The Health Spa by Vive or Select Balance supplements