Influential Women: Sofia Chavez, Bridging Indigenous Healing Traditions and Modern Wellness to Advance Health Equity
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Lakewood, Colorado – Sofia Chavez is a Doctor of Natural Medicine (DNM), cultural-based care provider, and wellness consultant with more than 25 years of experience in holistic health, community wellness, and integrative healing practices. She serves as a Wellness and Clinical Consultant with Estara Health & Wellness and Compas. Her areas of specialty include natural medicine and holistic health, Indigenous and traditional healing practices, and Cultural-Based Care (CBC). Sofia specializes in bridging traditional Indigenous healing modalities with modern wellness approaches, focusing on the connection between mind, body, and spirit. Through her work at Sun Valley Kitchen Community and Wellness Center and Compas, she develops culturally responsive programs that expand access to wellness services for underserved communities, including individuals with Medicaid and those without insurance.
Sofia earned her Doctor of Natural Medicine from the Institute of Bioenergetic Medicine (IBEM). She is a Certified Biofeedback Practitioner, Licensed Massage Therapist, Registered Psychotherapist, and Acu Detox Specialist, and she holds clinical certification in aromatherapy, including Raindrop and Vitaflex techniques, as well as training in auriculotherapy. She is the creator of The Dance of the Flower Medicine (Danza Xochitl Pahtli), a holistic wellness model that incorporates ancestral healing traditions, natural medicine, herbal education, somatic practices, and integrative therapies. Throughout her career, she has promoted trauma-informed care, mental health support, and culturally competent healthcare. She has also contributed to research and education exploring how traditional healing methods support emotional and physical well-being.
Sofia attributes her success to her spiritual beliefs, the guidance of her mentors, and her practice of self-awareness and reflection. The wisdom and support of her mentors, she notes, have played a significant role in her growth. The best career advice she has received is to practice self-awareness and step back to observe before reacting. In a fast-paced world, she believes that pausing to reflect and act with intention leads to better decisions and growth.
For young women entering her field, Sofia recommends investing time in strengthening cultural awareness, cultural competency, and communication skills. Communities, she notes, need to sit in circles with people and providers who care about them, respect them, and want the best for them.
Sofia identifies access and equity of care as central challenges in her field. Financial limitations, communication issues, physical obstacles, cultural differences, technological exclusion for older individuals, and systemic rules all prevent people from getting the care and help they need. Her bilingual community services, wellness education, and partnerships focused on food sovereignty and holistic health are designed to address those gaps. She speaks English, Spanish, and French, supporting her bilingual outreach.
Beyond her clinical work, Sofia is a community advocate, educator, and leader committed to preserving Indigenous knowledge and improving health equity. She serves on the Colorado Natural Medicine Advisory Board, is a former board member of Ruby Hill Levitt Pavilion, and has collaborated with healthcare and academic organizations to promote culturally inclusive approaches to care. Her milestones include taking part in the opening ceremony of the University of New Mexico’s Curanderismo Traditional Medicine Without Borders Conference and the First Latina Holistic Health Conference in August 2026.
Family, connection, and appreciating life’s experiences are the values Sofia holds most dear. She enjoys farmers’ markets, the outdoors, gardening, fishing, visiting sacred sites around the world, and creating memories with her grandchildren. Music brings her joy as well, especially live performances at Levitt Pavilion and Red Rocks Amphitheater.
Through decades of healing work rooted in culture and compassion, Sofia has helped expand what care can look like for the communities she serves. Her work reminds others that healing can honor where people come from. Sofia Chavez continues to advance a vision of healthcare that honors cultural identity, traditional wisdom, and compassionate healing for generations to come.
Learn More about Sofia Chavez:
Through her Influential Women profile: https://influentialwomen.com/connect/sofia-chavez or through Estara Health & Wellness, https://estaraprograms.com/
Influential Women
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