Angela’s life journey has carried her through many adventures—over high peaks and down countless rivers—before she finally put roots down in the green mountains of Vermont where she now lives on a hillside homestead with her family. There, she tends sheep, grows fruit and vegetables, and has raised two children into adolescence practicing first, elimination communication and then decolonized education, with the belief that children are our wise elders. She is held and supported in all she does, by the Land she loves and cares for.
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Her professional journey to the present day started by achieving her bachelor's degree in nursing from West Virginia University. While working as an Adult ICU and Pediatric RN, she then went on to receive her doctorate in naturopathic medicine and masters equivalent in midwifery from Bastyr University. She completed 2 years residency in a primary care clinic in Seattle and then moved to VT to be closer to family while starting her own. In 2011, she founded a thriving medical practice in Stowe, VT and is now turning to a new chapter of her life and opening a collaborative, community based naturopathic medical clinic in her own town of Hyde Park.
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“I became a physician after many years of working in the allopathic medical world as an RN, seeing on one hand, the life-saving capacity of that medicine and on the other, feeling the frustration of the lack of depth and true healing that it provided. I longed for a more holistic approach to health to share with my patients, so I attended naturopathic medical school. Now that I have been in practice for almost two decades, using these holistic approaches, I see that I must go even deeper still and that even with natural medicines at my disposal, the true healing I wish for all of my patients, actually comes from within them and it is in the re-membering of ourselves that healing takes place. Also, that when medicine is approached individualistically, ultimately, it will not have the effect we are looking for because we are individuals yes, but also deeply embedded in the context of our ancestry, our culture, and our communities. This is where I hope to meet you. ~ ”
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In an effort to gain skill in accessing deeper realms with her patients and herself, she acquired her 4 Element Reiki master certification. She became certified in Advanced Integrative Therapy (AIT) through the AIT institute and Somatic Trauma Therapy through the Embody Lab. And then became a certified breathwork facilitator and now teacher. She has also studied resonance therapy and collective trauma healing with Thomas Huebl for many years and walked with a Greenland Shaman, Angaangaq for almost 30 years and meets with him as often as possible. She has developed a practice of weaving the indigenous teachings and energetic/therapeutic modalities together to support each person at each step of their journey back into relationship with their own beautiful Self and their own innate healing wisdom.
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Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine, Bastyr University, Seattle, WA, 2008
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Certificate of Midwifery/Masters equivalent, Bastyr University, Seattle, WA, 2008
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Bachelors of Nursing, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 2001
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Credits toward BSN, Guanajuato University, Guanajuato, Mexico, 2001
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Advanced Integrative Therapy Training, AIT Institute, CO, 2020
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Shamanic Reiki Master, The Sanctuary Healing Center, Callicoon, NY, 2019
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Breathwork Facilitator Certification, Breathing Space/Grounded Life, 2/2023
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Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certification, The Embody Lab, 2/2025
Naturopathic physician bridging science,
somatics, and spirituality.
Angela J. Robens ND, RN
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Melissa Jilk White
Wellness Facilitator
Rooted in a deep respect for the natural world and a belief in the body’s inner healing wisdom,
Melissa brings a thoughtful, relationship-centered approach to her role as Wellness Facilitator at Water and Grace Healing Space. She supports the weaving of wellness approaches that foster balance, restoration, and a deeper connection to wholeness. With an understanding of health as something lived in relationship with mind, body, community, and the natural world, she is devoted to creating spaces where healing can unfold with care and support.
Her professional path reflects a longstanding commitment to nurturing growth and connection.
She spent many years as a preschool teacher, supporting young children and families through the foundational stages of development with compassion, encouragement, and care. She currently serves as the Director of a folk art festival, where she fosters community, celebrates handmade traditional arts, and creates meaningful spaces for engagement and shared experience.
Most at home outdoors, she finds renewal in hiking, backpacking, gardening, and reading. She
has a deep reverence for wildlife and is a longstanding advocate for its protection. She currently lives in southern Vermont with her family and a herd of goats, ducks, and cats. Her children are grown—one a pilot, one an occupational therapist, and one a college student—and she treasures the times when they gather at home together. Her years of motherhood continue to shape her understanding of connection, presence, resilience, and the unfolding of each individual’s path.
Melissa is honored to be part of the team at Water and Grace Healing Space and holds a deep
commitment to supporting its mission of expanding access to compassionate, patient-centered care while offering space for healing, connection, and a return to wholeness.