Meet Our New Practitioners

Marcus L. Gitterle, MD, Medical Director
Dr. Gitterle is a graduate of the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio. He’s both an Emergency Medicine specialist, and a practitioner of Integrative Medicine. He is a member of the Clinical Faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and serves as Medical Director of a busy, regional emergency department.

For more than 10 years, Dr. Gitterle has provided evidence-based wellness consultations—combining the best of conventional, alternative and integrative strategies— to patients in the Central Texas area. He is the founder of two nutritional supplement companies, Ideal Nutrition, LLC, and Frontier Nutritional Research, LLC.

A diplomate of two different specialty boards—the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine, and the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine—he also holds certifications in Advanced Trauma Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. He is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and is also trained and certified in Hyperbaric Medicine.

His research has included the use of advanced information tools for decision analysis in medical diagnosis, including research involving the DxPlain system at Mass General Hospital, for which he was recognized for outstanding research as a resident. He has appeared on Fox TV, and nationally syndicated radio, discussing such topics as anti-aging and natural wellness strategies. He lives in Wimberley with his wife and two children.

Karen Knippa, L.Ac., MSOM, LMT
Karen has practiced acupuncture, Chinese herbology, massage therapy, Usui Reiki and other forms of energetic healing for over 10 years. She also teaches and writes on the subject of health and wellbeing.

Her practice is governed by the philosophy of "grocery store medicine," a term she uses to indicate her belief that as individuals we need to better understand how to live in harmony with our surroundings. This includes knowing what easily and attainable resources we have around us and how to use those resources most effectively. These resources can often be found at the level of our shopping habits, exercise routines, belief structures etc.

In her practice she strives to empower her clients through the use of acupuncture, diet, exercise, breath-work, spiritual development, mental discipline, emotional balance, physical strengthening and various forms of bodywork.

Lynne Arial, MA, LPC, Wellness Educator
Lynne believes in a holistic approach to wellness that includes lifestyle assessments for creating health and balance, Holistic Health & Wellness Education (Supporting Mind/Body/Spirit), EMDR and inner child work for trauma resolution and PSYCH-K for reprogramming false beliefs about oneself and the world.

In addition, her work includes Transpersonal Psychotherapy (oriented toward the Essential Nature or True Self of the person rather than the ego or personality), identification and resolution of relationship dynamics for greater intimacy and harmony, and Dynamic Experiential Processes to identify and resolve past hurts and beliefs that no longer serve one’s life (guided imagery, gestalt techniques, emotional aikido; a safe way to feel into oneself, and inner core belief re-patterning).

Lynne holds a B.A. in Holistic Health & Wellness Education and an M.A. in Marriage Family and Child Counseling, and is a Certified Hypnotherapist. She has extensive training in macrobiotic and other nutritional modalities. In addition, Lynne has extensive postgraduate training in process-oriented, experiential and body-centered psychotherapies, and in relationship assessment and couples counseling.

Says Lynne, “My own rich life experiences have, at times, brought me to my knees, contributing to my sensitivity and compassion for myself and others and my trust in Source Energy/God.”