Remedy Naturopathics, founded by Dr. Tonya Pasternak, ND, brings the benefits of naturopathic medicine to New Paltz’s Water Street Market in the form of a clinic and adjoining apothecary.
Naturopathy is a functional medicine within the integrative medicinal umbrella that uses a specific, biology-based focus to treat the root of illness rather than just addressing its topical symptoms. The clinic and apothecary are both located on the upper terrace of Water Street Market, taking root in the former property of Salix Intimates after that business permanently shut down.
The philosophy of holistic medicine branches toward a variety of practices, offering alternative forms of healing that focus on unifying the body, mind and spirit as a whole to treat illness.
While alternative medicine fully replaces conventional medicine with non-mainstream treatment, the broader integrative approach combines conventional medicine with treatments outside of the mainstream. Together, these remedies represent the broader ideology of holistic healing.
The establishment combines holistic philosophies of healing with the incorporation of evidence-based treatment plans, bringing a unique addition of service to the town community that can be greatly valued in years to come.
Pasternak, a licensed naturopathic doctor, uses a dual-experience perspective in biology and naturopathy to educate others with a comprehensive offering of holistic, whole body care in addition to more conventional health assessments and lab testing services. She said, “I think there’s a lot of people who are starting to desire care outside of the conventional medical model.”
Though Pasternak specializes in women’s health — providing support for menopause, perimenopause, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, infertility and hormonal imbalances — the foundation of Remedy Naturopathics represents a wide array of treatments for illnesses lying beyond that range.
“Naturopathic medicine is also really about education, so that’s a huge piece that we tie in. [We make] sure people feel like they’re understanding what’s going on with their bodies and what [their] treatment options are — whether that be natural or conventional treatments,” she said.
During a time in which mainstream approaches to medicine may be more closely apprehended for their efficacy and adaptation to swiftly evolving illnesses and disease, Pasternak offers a flexible health service in which individuals can play more autonomous roles in their healing process.
“There’s a lot of people seeking answers to what’s going on with their health and they want to be empowered and have the decision or the option to make their own decisions with what they’re putting in their body,” she said.
Remedy Neuropathics shares the clinic and apothecary within the same location to work towards Pasternak’s goal of reputable, supportive care that fully caters to an individual’s needs. “I would love for it to be a hub — just a wellness hub where people can feel they’re getting safe products.”
With an attention to mental health and digestive wellness, the clinic provides supplemental treatment for an assortment of health conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, acute and chronic Lyme disease, food intolerances, acne, diabetes and even exposure to mold toxicity.
Her role as a naturopathic physician within the apothecary will provide guidance to clients in their search for better health. “It doesn’t have to be all natural or all conventional. A lot of it is just figuring out what extra ways you can support the body, and sometimes that’s just somebody helping you.”
The clinic and apothecary space underwent renovation during September, following shortly after the property’s previous business closed. “It’s pretty new,” she said. Despite the recent material developments of the property, the clinic has already been accommodating client bookings before its official opening in November, demonstrating an accumulative demand for its services. The Hudson Valley provided an opportune area of treatment for Pasternak, who offers in depth care to individuals with Lyme disease that reflects her own personal experience of the condition.
Prior to the creation of Remedy Naturopathics, Pasternak attended SUNY New Paltz for her Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology. After an educational and professional journey through the nation in which she earned her doctorate in naturopathic medicine and additional training in Craniosacral Therapy 1 and 2, Arvigo therapy, she brought her professional practice to Connecticut. Unlike New York, Connecticut licenses naturopathic doctors for practice, though they are unable to prescribe medication.
Despite the benefits that accompanied practicing in Connecticut, she returned to New Paltz to develop a more permanent naturopathic service. The state of New York is unable to provide her with licensure or insurance reimbursement, but there is an important aspect of need to the area that Pasternak saw value in. She said, “I would rather provide the care in New York with that limitation than not provide access to this type of care in the community.”
For functional medicine practitioners such as Pasternak, the naturopathic approach often takes place outside a fixed insurance treatment plan to focus completely on an individual’s journey to health — which varies in length from person to person. The treatment at Remedy Naturopathics allows clients to take healing one customized step at a time with the comprehensive guidance of a naturopathic physician. “A big part of what sets our medicine apart is that we take a lot longer with patients and we don’t like to be dictated by insurance because it limits the time we can spend with patients and [figure] out the root cause of what’s going on,” said Pasternak.
Targets of this medicinal approach include the student population of New Paltz, who make up a significant percentage of the town’s demographics. The inclusive services of Remedy Naturopathics cross reference with typical needs of the university’s students, addressing general cognitive health, insomnia, anxiety, depression, ADHD and digestive issues.
As a SUNY New Paltz alum, Pasternak also expressed a desire to connect more deeply with the campus community through her naturopathic practice and educational support. She said, “It’s really about meeting people where they are … I am willing to help people with whatever they feel they need support with.” Collaboration with the university is something she looks forward to in the future to encourage all kinds of New Paltz dwellers in learning more about the maintenance of their mental and physical health.
She said, “It’s just about small realistic steps and moving somebody in the right direction. Any little bit of movement to a healthier version is the goal.”
More information about Dr. Pasternak’s care can be found on the Remedy Naturopathics website at
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