About Essential Health Group
Where Modern Medicine Meets Natural Healing
At Essential Health Group, we believe in treating the whole person — not just symptoms. Our 4,300 square foot state-of-the-art facility in Medical Lake brings together the best of traditional medicine, innovative treatments, and compassionate care under one roof.
● Medical Lake, WA ● (509) 299-6900 ● VA Preferred Provider
Who we are
An Integrated Team. One Location. One Goal.
Essential Health Group — formerly Natural Health Center of Medical Lake — is Spokane County’s leading integrated healthcare clinic. We bring together family medicine, physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, regenerative medicine, and psychiatric services under one roof, with one coordinated team working from a single care plan built around you.
Our 4,300 square foot facility is fully equipped for everything from sports injury rehabilitation to advanced psychiatric care. Every provider on our team communicates directly with your other providers — so your care is always coordinated, your history is never repeated, and your treatment is always moving forward.
Our comprehensive care includes
✓ Primary Care & Family Medicine
✓ Physical Therapy & Sports Recovery
✓ Psychiatric Services
✓ Regenerative Medicine
✓ Chiropractic Care
✓ Massage Therapy
✓ Specialised Veterans’ Mental Health Services
✓ Advanced Depression Treatments
Leadership
Meet Our Founders
Essential Health Group is led by two exceptional clinicians whose combined expertise spans physical medicine, regenerative therapy, nursing, and psychiatry. Together they have built a clinic that reflects their shared belief — that the body has the ability to heal itself when given the right support.
Dr. Christopher Wellwood
NP-C, MSN, DC, MS | CEO & Founder
Physical Medicine · Regenerative Therapy · Chiropractic
Dual Board Certified Chiropractic Physician and Family Nurse Practitioner. Graduate of the University of Western States and Purdue University. Published author. Trained in all major Regenerative Injection Techniques. The only dual-licensed provider in the region with this breadth of expertise.
Dr. Candie Wellwood
DNP, PMHNP | Director of Psychiatric Services
Psychiatry · PTSD · USAF Veteran (ret.)
Doctor of Nursing Practice and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Retired USAF Staff Sergeant. VA preferred provider for depression and mental health. Specialist in PTSD, depression, and mood disorders for veterans, first responders, and civilians.
Primary & Family Medicine Team
Our Family Care Provider & Psychiatric Providers
Psychiatry & Mental Health Team
Elizabeth Lynn, AGNP
Nurse Practitioner
Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Elizabeth Lynn is an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner providing compassionate, evidence-based family medicine to patients across the lifespan at Essential Health Group.
Lance Anders, RN
Psychiatry
Board Certified PMHNP · DNP Candidate, WSU · 15 Years RN Experience
Lance Anders is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner currently completing his Doctorate in Nursing Practice at Washington State University. A registered nurse for 15 years, he has worked in behavioural and mental health for the last seven years, with significant experience in child and adolescent mental health at Excelsior and Daybreak Youth Services. He has extensive experience in first responder treatment for PTSD and works closely with Dr. Candie Wellwood in treating work-related trauma.
Richard Ervin, ARNP, FNP
Psychiatry
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner · Family Nurse Practitioner
Richard Ervin brings a family medicine background to psychiatric care, specialising in mental health counselling and medication management. He supports patients across a wide range of mental health conditions with compassionate, evidence-based treatment.
Physical & Manual Therapies Team
Our Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Providers
Stacey Richards, MPT
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapist · Pelvic Floor Specialist · Orthopaedic Specialist
Stacey is a long-time resident and active member of the Medical Lake community. As one of the very few PTs in the Spokane area who specialises in Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy, we are truly blessed to have her as part of the team. Stacey is passionate about women’s health and has years of experience in outpatient orthopaedic physical therapy. As our Primary Physical Therapist, she directs the rehabilitation department and coordinates patient care across providers.
Alvin Li, PTA
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapist Assistant · Medical Assistant-Registered · Personal Athletic Training
Alvin is a unique individual with extensive education in physical therapy and personal training, passionate about health and healing through movement therapies and rehabilitation. He specialises in soft tissue treatments, electrical and sound therapies, laser therapy, KT taping, vestibular therapies, and joint mobilisations. As an avid golfer and athlete, he has a particular passion for sports injuries and getting patients back to peak performance as quickly as possible.
Dr. Mark Guthrie, DC
Chiropractic
Doctor of Chiropractic
Dr. Guthrie brings expert chiropractic care to the Essential Health Group team, working alongside our physical therapists and medical providers to deliver coordinated, whole-person treatment for back pain, neck pain, joint dysfunction, and musculoskeletal conditions.
Massage Therapy Team
Our Licensed Massage Therapists
Kayla Davis, LMT
Licensed Massage Therapist
Kayla is a licensed massage therapist providing therapeutic and rehabilitative massage as part of the Essential Health Group’s integrated care team.
Pamela Reiter, LMT
Licensed Massage Therapist
Pamela is a licensed massage therapist delivering skilled therapeutic massage that supports patient recovery, pain management, and whole-person wellness alongside our clinical team.
Toshiro Rania, LMT
Licensed Massage Therapist
Toshiro is a licensed massage therapist bringing expertise in therapeutic massage techniques to support patient recovery and rehabilitation as part of the Essential Health Group team.
Administration
Our Admin Team
The friendly faces who make sure your experience at Essential Health Group is smooth from the first phone call to the final appointment. Our admin team is here to help you navigate scheduling, forms, referrals, and anything else you need.
Lora Bolles
Office Manager
Lora keeps the day-to-day operations of Essential Health Group running smoothly, ensuring every patient has a seamless experience from scheduling through to checkout.
Jenna Mangione
Office Manager Assistant
Jenna supports our office operations and is often one of the first friendly voices you’ll hear when you contact Essential Health Group — always ready to help you get where you need to go.
Serving Those Who Served Us
Our psychiatric and pain management teams understand the weight that veterans and first responders carry. We’ve built our services around helping you carry less of it. Our psychiatric team is led by retired USAF Staff Sergeant Candie Wellwood, DNP, PMHNP – a veteran who has walked the same path.
Your Path to Wellness Starts Here
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, seeking mental health support, or looking for innovative treatments like PRP therapy, our team creates personalised care plans that address your unique needs. As a VA-preferred provider, we’re honoured to serve our veteran community while welcoming patients from all walks of life.
Medical Lake, WA · (509) 299-6900 · Serving All of Spokane County
