Clear Center of Health

Dr. Mcdougall did something for me that no other doctor in my life has. She cared enough to really listen to my symptoms and consider what could be the issue. I have thyroid disease, and came to her with unresolved symptoms. Without her, I may never have known about the real causes. It’s been a few weeks since I started treatment and I feel so much better already. I look back now amazed that I thought I was functioning ok.

I should have read some of these reviews earlier. I have 3C breast cancer and walked in to find out if they could suggest anything that could help detect recurrence earlier, as I’d read re an Onctype test. I was also open to whatever additional supplements or life style changes they would suggest.
They charged $ 1200 for the test — OK. But then told me after that there would be an additional $ 400 to «interpret the results.» Then Dr. Tinney wrote me out a list of additional tests and supplements and treatments I should get, most to get there, and at the front desk found that these prescriptions would cost me over $ 2,000 more dollars! I was feeling manipulated for money in a place I’d wanted to trust.
My oncologist at Kaiser, and my Doctor at UCSF who is a family friend, both informed me (and yes I’m aware that «alternative med practitioners» believe that physicians are the «evil empire») examined the list and both said that the tests and most of the supplements ranged from inappropriate for my condition, to worthless for anyone, to potentially harmful.
I guess I’m back to a reasonable vitamin regimen, more exercise, meditation, and continuing my own research with a healthier cynicism. I’m astounded that people with real life threatening illnesses may be considered more as revenue sources than people who need real help.

I know that the Dr McDougall has more clients than she needs, so if I do this review it is more to express my infinite gratitude to her, and to witness for others. She is more than a doctor, she is a guide for your body to heal, to make it want to heal, and then to find the right way to do it for itself, not like for every others as we are all unique; she would never give the same treatment to two people because they have the same symptoms; and in that she holds the future in her hands. Her medicine is revolutionary.
I was diagnosed with an immune disease 15 years ago, I tried everything you can try, holistic, not holistic, in Europe, in the US, I really did all I could, and I have ended up managing a poor condition for the last 7 years with an extremely hard diet, and so much damage in my cartilages… The last regular doctors I saw at UCSF, told me I would not be able to walk anymore soon if I kept refusing the hard treatment they wanted me to take.
I kept resisting and following my journey and arrived to her: and I miss words to tell you how she changed my life literally, my future, my past also in a way of understanding, and my present is just a whole new life. She found out that I had some formaldehyde in my jaw, and plenty of other disorders like a weak liver from childhood abuse, heavy metal, yeast from the delivery of my baby and so on… that all accumulated and gave me this very poor health condition. I was not even able to digest white rice when I came to her first, and not able to take any supplements or pills by mouth. So with patience and an amazing strength and conviction, she accompanied my body to find his own path of healing thanks to a tool of the future: the BAH (Bioresonance Analysis of Health) that helps her to recognize the right decision for a body at a certain time, and the ACMOS that helps her to rebalance your body to find its way to heal.
Without any harmful medicine, thanks to HER and all that she brings to this world of innovative medicine, I am healing, close to be totally recovered now, something that so many told me was impossible. I am even taking back my singing career now, thinking about dancing soon, and having another kid one day. She has changed me on so many ways, levels, deep layers; and I should not say changed but guided me to an amazing version of myself. I will be eternally grateful that life brought me to her, and I deeply hope that she is the first of a new generation of doctors inspired by her.

It has taken me over a year to write this as I had to let go of hurt and anger towards the mis-​treatment from Dr. Mcdougall. Last year, Dr. Mcdougall mis-​diagnosed me with Lyme disease and 2 co-​infections. After thousands of dollars spent on lab tests and over 14 expensive supplements she then referred me to a Lyme disease specialist who charges $ 450 for a 30 min consult. My intuition felt something was not right so instead I met with the head of Infectious Disease at both Stanford and UCSF. Both ID doctors confirmed the mis-​diagnosis and informed me that the labs Clear Center used are not FDA approved.
I emailed Dr. Mcdougall a heartfelt letter explaining what happened almost a year ago and never received a response.
My intentions to write this is to share my story with others who also struggle to find a diagnosis. If it doesn’t feel right or something feels off follow that feeling.

I have been going to Dr. McDougall at Clear since 2006 and my opinion of her and her practice has remained five stars on every aspect of service, from care to office environment, from Day 1 to present. I was only about 20 years old when I came to Dr. McDougall on a recommendation from a family member, when I had a multi-​year mysterious health issue going on that I needed much better help with than I was getting from mainstream medical doctors who did not believe I was suffering with anything that a little diet and exercise could cure. Dr. McDougall began helping me with my most pressing issues right away and was ultimately responsible for finding out multiple clear diagnoses for the root of my health issues. I credit her with saving my life. She is the best doctor I have ever seen and an indispensable provider. She has been my primary physician for years and will remain so. Her staff is very helpful and friendly at every turn and you will see that her office is impeccably clean, beautiful, and spa-​like. They offer cutting edge treatments and services and they are state of the art. You will hardly remember you are at a physician’s office. I highly recommend Clear Center of Health to anyone either wanting to optimize their health or needing specialized attention for complicated illnesses.

I think this place has gone down hill. I loved coming here but now, the medical staff are rude, and pretentious. Every time I come here, I feel like I’m treated like I have the plague. My health issues have not gotten better, and I feel like I spend a ton of money for not a lot of progress. The doctors are great but I give zero starts on staff.

I have been seeing Dr Jacqueline Chan for Osteopathic Manipulation and Nutrition. She is great at that. She has another special talent. She has the ability to recognize emotional issues and give recommendations. One sessions can seem equivalent to a year of counseling. It really cleared things up for me. She is the best kept secret in Marin. Not anymore.

My counselor recommended Beth McDougall, MD to me as one of the most respected Integrative Medicine physicians in the entire SF Bay Area. In 2006, when I made my first appointment with Dr. McDougall, I had some fatigue and mild depression issues that prompted me to go.
Upon my first visit, I was struck at how beautiful the office was with its hard wood floors, spacious ceilings, and huge open air skylight with fabric shade. I thought this was an art gallery or spa at a resort. As I love beauty and architectural design, this office space was and is a breath of fresh air. .. and with the center skylight open it literally is!
I also noticed that much of the aspects of medical treatments were self contained in areas of the office. For instance, all of the blood collecting is done in-​house and sent to labs, saving you a trip to a blood testing facility. Also, as Clear Center is an Integrative Medical clinic there are many different supplements, amino acids, herbs, hormone support, powders, green foods, and books right there saving you trips to the pharmacy and/​or vitamin store. There is also Thermography full body imaging equipment there.
Then there are the office and support staff who are all highly competent, impressive, very beautiful young women — all with lovely smiles and great attitudes. I often tell Dr. McDougall that just being there makes me feel better!
In 2006, Dr. McDougall ran a series of blood tests and supplied me with a handful of different supplements that quickly improved my issues at the time. During the 2007 through 2009 time period I was a picture of health and I still occasionally saw Dr. McDougall to get routine blood work done and receive nutritional supplements to maintain that level of health. I did have a bronchial infection, then in later months lower back spasms, and Dr. McDougall has always responded to my after hours urgent phone calls to call in prescriptions to my pharmacy.
I am always so happy to see Dr. McDougall. She has a powerful presence and professional demeanor while also expressing kindness and warmth.
2010 saw my life change for the worse. I had a series of events occur that devastated my health, my mind, and my spirit. Beth McDougall was and continues to be invaluable in my treatment and recovery from the traumas that left me disabled for nearly the last year and a half.
I was always extremely impressed by Dr. McDougall, but you never really know how good a person is until a crisis happens and you really need someone. Well, Dr. McDougall has supported me at every turn, responded to every request, and shown me all the courtesy and respect one could hope for. It actually brings tears to my eyes thinking how kind she has been.
Dr. McDougall takes thorough and complete notes of every item discussed and every treatment given. This has been very important to support my disability insurance claims. She has also been very prompt in filling out all the stacks of paperwork the insurance companies repeatedly asks of her on my behalf.
I am also very aware of how intently and carefully Dr. McDougall listens and observes. She remembers most everything we ever discuss and I think she has a photographic memory. My disability insurance company wrote a letter to her describing the many details about my case and there was one statement that was completely wrong. It was just a minor point and something I had briefly mentioned to Dr. McDougall along with dozens and dozens of other things throughout the year. Yet, she remembered what I had said and replied to the insurance company that their statement was wrong.
Every time I have talked with Dr. McDougall about writing a letter for me, or asking for help with my employer, she always has a gentle, beautiful tone in her voice as she says, «I would be happy to help you.»
I have never had a better primary care physician in my life than — Beth McDougall, MD.
Review 0010

I would be very, very careful before taking any advice from these folks. I went here after a suggestion from my dentist, of all people. He’s very into holistic medicine, so it figures. I have very bad skin allergies and have not been able to control the reactions. I’ve gone to many other crazy types of doctors (drank Chinese herbal tea for a year), so I figured this wouldn’t hurt. I saw Dr. Jacqueline Chan. She ran a bunch of tests and decided that I had very high levels of mercury and suggested I take some very expensive medication (almost $ 300) that was not FDA approved to get rid of the mercury. Thinking it was worth a shot, I went ahead and got the medicine. But, after reading a lot of information on the web about the lab she used to get the results and the medication itself, I had serious doubts. There are several sites where people have had very serious reactions to the medicine and have been permanently affected. I subsequently called them back to get more information about these concerns. She was out of the country and Dr. Justin Mager took my call. While he was very nice, he did not convince me that I should take this medication and really didn’t get to the heart of my questions. I subsequently went to several other doctors to get the mercury tests done again from more recognized labs and procedures. Based on those tests, my mercury levels were undetectable.
Now, I would have let this all slide except for the fact that she also recommended that I get a isotonix custom cocktail. This was supposed to be a custom-​made powder that would provide vitamins and minerals I would need. Sounded great, except for the fact that it seems they have stolen my credit card number now 6 months after my original order. I assumed that since I was paying such large fees for her suggestions that they would at least be using reputable firms. I guess I have been wrong all around.
In addition, I have never gotten a follow-​up call from them regarding how it went with the medication. I know you never get that from a normal doctor — you’re expected to follow-​up yourself. But for the amount of money I’m spending, and a non-​FDA approved medication with possibly horrific side effects, I expect a higher level of service.
I have since gone to several other doctors that are covered by my insurance. The last allergist I went to is very reputable and was able to fix my rash in 2 weeks. No crazy medications and I’ve been relatively rash-​free for several months now.
You can make up your own mind about these guys. I’m sure they are helpful when no one else has been able to help, but just be careful and do your own research.

I was in a car accident that left me with lower back and hip pain. I went to see Dr. Chan and saw an immediate improvement in my condition following one session with her. The Cranial-​Sacral manipulations she did were very subtle and i had my doubts that they would benefit me much… but they did. I purposely did not go to an Orthopedic Surgeon because they are motivated to get you into surgery.

I found the CLEAR Center when looking for a general practice with an orientation toward fostering wellness rather than symptom eradication or even just «symptom management.» I was feeling good in my life, body and mind, and intended to stay that way. At the same time, it’s wise to have medical resources in advance of need; hence my hunt for a doc with a perspective and skill set a bit more advanced than that of my chain-​smoking, overweight, invariably irritable childhood family physician.
What drew me to the CLEAR’s was its commitment to Complementary Medicine: the joining of mainstream («conventional») medical with «alternative» methods that for various reasons are not regularly found within the context of mainstream practice. The practice joins the two approaches in a patient-​centered model based on supporting the body’s innate healing processes. In that perspective, symptoms are signals to problems whose cause is generally deeper and more systemic. (The doctors at CLEAR say they consider themselves «medical detectives.»)
«The most important difference is not between conventional and alternative medicine,» Dr. Justin Mager said during our first meeting, which included a complete medical and lifestyle history and physical examination. «‘Conventional’ and ‘alternative’ can be misleading because in actual practice both categories include methods that are widely effective, along with methods that aren’t. In the final analysis there’s only medicine that works and medicine that doesn’t work.»
I was particularly drawn to Dr. Mager’s athletic background. Before pursuing medicine he was a successful personal trainer with strong credentials as a strength and conditioning specialist. Dr. Mager provided clear guidelines for focusing my practice of running and strength training toward optimal well-​being and healthy longevity. Which foods to eat (and when) prior to and after both activities, to make the most of my hereditary potential in cardiovascular and muscle development, while staying free of the nemesis known as over-​training. Putting into practice what I learned in consultations with Dr. Mager was crucial to completing my first ultra-​marathon (a 32-​mile trail race) with vitality and a strong sense of personal fulfillment.
This success motivated me to get informed on the phenomenon known as «andropause,» the male equivalent of menopause. It’s a proven fact that chronological aging («birthday accumulation») correlates with the decline of critical hormones including testosterone (T) and growth hormone (GH), both basic to optimal male wellness.
I learned that exercise sessions comprised of short spurts of high-​intensity running (say 30 seconds) can markedly increase T and HG, thus enhancing energy, vitality, mental clarity, and quite frankly, happiness. Space constraints make it difficult to cover Dr. Mager’s approach to bio-​identical hormonal therapies, but I respect his «conservative» approach. He considers hormone supplementation effective chiefly as an adjunct to, rather than a replacement for, primary lifestyle and behavioral choices: nutrition and diet, exercise, stress-​management, and the cultivation of strong, loving personal relationships. Don’t look for quick prescriptions of «miracle hormones.»

I think most Unilocalers must be too young to have had to deal with hormone replacement issues yet, as I’ve been disappointed at the lack of info available about doctors who specialize in this area. So, I’m VERY happy to have stumbled into the Clear Center, and Dr. Justin Mager in particular. I’ve only seen him once, but I found him to be remarkable in his ability to ask the right questions and not get too hung up on issues that I have under control. I just turned a very young 50 and have been postmenopausal for two years. My regular doc was great about giving me the basic HRT protocol when I started having hot flashes, but has been useless in helping me resolve the many other changes that come along with this time of life. Dr. Mager seemed very understanding, and spoke to me like the bio doctorate I am (which never happens!). The girls working at the desk definitely have that superior young, well-​groomed Marin vibe that makes you feel like you should have spent a lot of extra time getting ready for your appointment, but overall they were very professional. Dr. Mager prescribed a few supplements — but nowhere near what others have pushed on me — and three new bioidentical compounded hormones that are exactly what my independent research had led me to think could be beneficial.
First visits are first visits, but so far I’m very happy and content. Will report back in a month to tell you if it’s worth the initial $ 350 appt investment!

I’ve seen Jason Mager about five times during the middle of last year and am about to see him again, besides frequently being late for his appointment with me (what doctor is on time?) he is a fine doctor I think, an MD internist who spent a LOT of time with and never charged me much. I love the gorgeous atmosphere there and the staff has always been nice if a bit harried. I also love going to the lovely town of MV.

Dr. McDougall and her staff are top-​notch. I’m so eternally grateful to have found them, and right in my Marin backyard! If you’re someone who’s sick of getting all the same answers and drive-​thru treatment from your doctor, consider the «integrative» route. It’s so much more thorough and personal. I went here to assist with mercury-​cleansing, something that your regular doctor is likely to laugh off. And I’m so glad I did. Since then, I haven’t looked back. Dr. M is also very helpful and knowledgeable about managing hypothyroidism., something I’ve found invaluable.