The Turning Point: Clinic Life Meets an Existential Pause


Dr. Carley Akehurst, naturopathic doctor and founder of Clementine Natural Health in Vancouver, was at a crossroads. Like many clinic owners, she found herself buried in operational chaos—appointments, paperwork, staffing challenges—while still trying to deliver deeply compassionate, evidence-based naturopathic care. The daily scramble left her wondering: how could she nurture her clinic’s growth and preserve its heart?

A Clearer Path Emerges: Discovery & Foundation


Rooted in holistic medicine and rigorous science, Carley built Clementine to be more than just a clinic—it was a sanctuary for families, women, and children. She specialized in gentle but strategic healing: from chronic UTIs and bladder health through the Akehurst Protocol, to women’s health and children’s care delivered with a “root-cause,” patient-centered approach. Her commitment to integrative, respectful medicine—and to teaching patients to be their own advocates—was the lifeblood of Clementine.

The Transformation: Structure Meets Compassion

Enter Clinician Business Labs (CBL). With coaching, mentorship, and a peer community by her side, Dr. Akehurst began to build operational systems that felt authentic, not suffocating. Step by step, she:


  • Designed workflows and policies that eased day-to-day operations.

  • Created streamlined hiring processes to bring in aligned team members.

  • Elevated care offerings—particularly for associates—without diluting the clinic’s ethos.

Positioned Clementine to adapt and flourish into the future.

These weren’t just systems on paper—they were the scaffolding that allowed Carley to lead again, with clarity and energy.

What Carley Actually Did: Real Results

  • Time unlocked for leadership and innovation, instead of firefighting operations.

  • A stronger, more cohesive team, grounded in the clinic’s values and care vision.

  • Greater confidence in expanding services, with structure that supports—not strains—the heart of the clinic.


Carley didn’t just fix her operations; she rediscovered why she started Clementine in the first place—anchoring her clinic in both healing and growth.

Clementine Natural Health: A Boutique Clinic That’s Big on Care

Clementine is more than a clinic—it’s a compassionate haven in Vancouver where families, women, and children find integrative, root-cause medicine. Dr. Carley Akehurst, ND, leads with warmth, listening attentively to each patient’s story. Her care combines scientific rigour—okay lab testing, physical exams—with holistic therapies: herbs, acupuncture, nutrition, lifestyle strategies, and thoughtful pharmaceutical options when needed.


Her specialties include compassionate support for chronic bladder issues (like recurrent UTIs and interstitial cystitis) using her own evidence-based Akehurst Protocol; perimenopause and women’s health; and nurturing care for children and families.


Beyond the clinic, she has contributed to impactful work—such as writing for the book Let Them Eat Dirt, consulting on microbiome testing, and guiding parents as a birth doula and educator.


Outside patient care, Carley thrives in family life—spending time with her three children, exploring BC’s mountains through hiking or skiing, and savoring home cooking and books.

Thinking Bigger? Let’s Talk Growth The Way Carley Did

If you feel the tension between running your clinic and growing its impact, you’re not alone. Just like Dr. Akehurst—who reclaimed her time, scale, and joy—you too can strike that balance.


Book a Clinic Growth Call today, and let’s explore how structure, strategy, and soul can coexist in how you practice.

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