Get to know Dr. Carol
Dr. Carol Petherbridge N.D. was born in Chicago into a family that had a love for horses and outdoor adventure. Her dream on entering college was to become a veterinarian. Through various influences, she began to explore yoga, diet, vitamins, and natural medicine which became her deeper life passion. She moved to Oregon in 1981 to begin Naturopathic school and has never looked back.
In 1986, Dr. Carol graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland Oregon. She married her classmate Dr. Patrick Donohoe N.D. They moved to Medford, Oregon establishing the Bear Creek Naturopathic Clinic, and started practicing together. They loved nurturing their growing Naturopathic family practice and raising their family in beautiful Southern Oregon.
Her passion for women’s healthcare led to her co-founding a corporation with a midwife to develop an ovulation-detection device in the mid-1990s. As the president of this corporation, her duties included overseeing product development, patenting, manufacturing, engineering, as well as conducting an FDA study.
In 2003, her husband Patrick passed away unexpectedly. His death abruptly altered the course of her life and the life of her young family. She decided to sell their clinic, after 18 years of practice. A few years later she relocated to Klamath Falls, Oregon.
After raising her daughters, Dr. Carol returned to her life’s passion, Naturopathic medicine. This new practice, Basin Naturopathic Care in Klamath Falls, began with a focus on neurofeedback and nervous system health.
As a pioneering spirit always looking for the cutting edge, Dr. Carol began attending numerous Regenerative Medicine trainings in 2015, where she met Anna Stahl of XLMedica, developing a deep friendship and business connection.
This is how she connected with a doctor trained in the O-Shot® PRP procedure for urinary incontinence. Dr. Carol had started experiencing LBL in 2015. The worst day in her LBL nightmare was hiking Pelican Butte near Klamath Falls. A few miles into the adventure she literally could not stop urine from running down her legs and had chaffing and soaked shorts for the rest of the hike. As a dedicated Naturopathic physician she was determined to find a natural, alternate solution! Which she did. She received several O-Shot® treatments which completely resolved her incontinence. Back to hiking with dry shorts and jumping on her mini-trampoline.
Dr. Carol attended multiple trainings on the O-shot®, P-shot®, Vampire Facials®, Breast augmentation, Hair rejuvenation, all utilizing PRP, becoming skilled enough to train other regenerative medicine physicians. Traveling to clinics around the country is a very fulfilling and enjoyable way for her to share the benefits of PRP.
She has advanced and incorporated PRP treatments for what she lovingly refers to as “Sexy PRP”: Renewal facials, FEM-shots, MEN’S-shots, PRP Eye drops, hair rejuvenation, biologic IV therapy, and other Regenerative Medicine therapies into her practice. As a women’s healthcare specialist she was not inclined to use PRP for orthopedic conditions.
Dr. Carol has always jokingly said to her patients, “I am going to try this therapy first. If I survive and it works, then I will share it with you.” Any therapy she offers has been personally tested and vetted by her first.
A new vision for a Nordic Inspired wellness center, with her business partner Joy Benson-Webb, prompted her move to Bend in December 2019. This was poised to open in March 2020. The pandemic has temporarily altered these plans.
Bend is such an active community of people living life to its fullest. Dr. Carol knows that there are women suffering as she did with urinary incontinence. She is passionate about helping these women LIVE WITHOUT LIMITS AGAIN, so she created Freedom Regenerative Medicine.
Over the past 35 years, Dr. Carol has taught, presented, and lectured at numerous conferences, seminars, classes, and massage institutes (more than 100) on many varied topics related to Naturopathic and Alternative medicine. She loves to teach, share and has trained many physicians alongside Anna Stahl. Dr. Carol also served on the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Examiners for 3 years from 1992-1995, which provided her with deeper insight into the legislative aspects of alternative medicine. She has the interesting perspective of watching alternative medicine grow and transform over several decades.
As a seasoned practitioner with 35 years of experience, Dr. Carol is professional, personable, and passionate about revolutionary, cutting-edge therapies. She is a curious scientist who is constantly expanding her practice to best meet her patient’s evolving needs while nurturing her contagious enthusiasm for innovation.
Get to know Kelsey Skinner, Clinical Director, Medical Assistant, Phlebotomist
Kelsey graduated from Henley High School in Klamath Falls where she was involved in track, leadership, and 4H. After high school, she moved to Eugene to pursue her career path as an elementary teacher. After 3-1/2 years of school, an Associate’s degree, and almost finishing her Bachelor’s degree, she decided that the medical field is where her heart belonged. She moved to her family’s farm in Terrebonne where she attended school to get her Phlebotomist license at Oregon Medical Training in Bend.
She grew up in Oregon and is true to the Oregonian lifestyle. Being in Bend has allowed her to continue that lifestyle to the fullest. In Kelsey’s free time she enjoys working around their family’s farm where they have horses, cows, chickens, sheep, and a bunny. She also has 2 fur babies, Arya and Diva, that are her whole world.
Kelsey met the love of her life in Bend 3 years ago and is looking forward to marrying Joe in the Summer of 2022.
Kelsey is grateful for the opportunity to do the job she loves. She approaches life with a positive attitude that translates into her work. Her goal each day is to make a positive change in someone’s life, starting with a smile.