Dr. Jill Ghormley is a graduate of Bastyr University and the first licensed deaf Naturopathic physician in the United States. She is currently an adjunct professor at Bastyr and past adjunct professor at National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Ghormley is a coalition leader for medical aid in developing nations worldwide. She received Top Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine award in 2016, 2018, and 2020 from The Leading Physicians of the World. She also received the VIS Award in from her profession.  Her passion for international medicine has led her to do volunteer medical work in Nepal, DR Congo, Russia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. She plans to continue her work in developing countries and teach the power of self-reliance and self-healing both in the US and abroad.

 

Dr. Ghormley completed a year and a half residency with an osteopath and chiropractor specializing in physical medicine and spinal manipulation techniques as well as naturopathic modalities and has extensive knowledge and experience in sacral occipital technique, spinal and extremities manipulation (alignment), hydrotherapy, physical therapy rehabilitation, applied kinesiology, acutonics, cranial osteopathy, and muscle energy stretching – to name a few. She is certified in IV and injection therapy; craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation, activator technique, Gonstead technique, and Kinesio taping.

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My Story

As a child, I was misdiagnosed by a number of doctors before my family discovered my deafness at age four. I had to learn how to communicate in other ways and it proved to be a very difficult time for me and my family. It was very frustrating to not have the simple language abilities—something many people take for granted—that a child should have in order to interact with the world around her. For years my parents worked tirelessly to find ways that worked for me to communicate and sought the help and advice of several experts. Although we went through a lot during this time, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to become fluent in both sign language and english. Extensive speech therapy and lip reading skills have allowed me to have fluent speaking ability.

 

Once I overcame the immense communication challenges that being totally deaf brought to my childhood, it was all uphill from there. Being deaf in a hearing world creates unimaginable obstacles every single day. But conquering language in my youth despite these obstacles instilled a ferocious desire to learn about the world around me. I obtained a degree in fine arts, working as a painter, tile layer, and massage therapist to get me through college. I became a medical illustrator for JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) and worked as a graphic designer in Chicago. I also became a certified diver and have traveled all around the
world witnessing the mysterious beauty of the oceans.

 

Through the experiences of my youth I developed a fascination with medicine and a desire to understand how the body works. I obtained a graduate degree in Biomedical Communications then pursued the arduous journey of becoming a physician. It really is true that the loss of one sense enhances the other senses. I believe my deafness served as an incredible asset to my abilities as a physician. It has allowed me to be exceptionally attuned to my patients’ visual, olfactory (smell), and energetic cues.

 

My Specialties

After being in practice for almost 16 yrs, I have honed my skills and am passionate about helping people who, like me, didn’t get the help they needed for difficult or complex health issues. I specialize in difficult to treat challenges using Naturopathic physical medicine. I’ve developed specific approaches that get results where other treatments have failed.

 

Specifically, I am an area specialist in helping with children and adults stay upright, functional and pain free.  My work involves working with the nervous system, airway dysfunctions and overall postural balance.  I perform frenectomies, a minor surgical procedure to correct tongue-tie and lip-tie conditions that prevent babies, children and adults, that struggle with airway dysfunctions, head and neck movements, headaches, etc. 

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In addition to the above, I have a pelvic floor rehabilitation program that helps with incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and other issues related to structure and function of the pelvic floor. I also have extensive experience with neurological deficits caused by trauma or brain injuries, delayed development, and autism spectrum disorders in adults and children. I provide complete post-injury musculoskeletal rehabilitation (including facial, TMJ, and sinuses).

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Conditions treated:​

• Feeding problems in newborns

• Postural issues causing airway dysfunction and overall balance

• Chronic pain issues such as:  joint pain, headaches, TMJ syndrome, injury-related pain, or chronic pelvic pain

• Sexual dysfunction or incontinence in men and women

• ADD/ADHD and autism spectrum disorders

• Traumatic brain injury

 

Services provided:

• Laser guided tongue and lip-tie release (frenectomy)

• Pediatrics and spectrum disorders

• Spinal alignment and Naturopathic adjustments of joints

• Visceral manipulation

• Chronic pain relief

• Physical injury rehabilitation

• Pelvic floor rehabilitation for men and women

• Craniosacral therapy

• Neuromuscular technique

• Injection therapy