Dr. Donald Spears, Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and Acupuncturist (LAc)

Biography

Dr. Donald Spears is a holistic doctor and acupuncturist in Boulder, Colorado specializing in men’s health, digestive disorders, mental health, and whole-person health optimization.

If you’re here, chances are you’ve already taken important steps to address your symptoms but still feel like you need more clarity. You may have a diagnosis but want a fuller understanding of what it means for your day-to-day wellbeing, or you’re looking for support that goes beyond prescriptions and lab results. You want someone who listens deeply, helps connect the dots, and partners with you to create lasting, meaningful change in your health.

If you are someone who is ready for deeper work, the holistic medical approach is for you. Some people come in already knowing that healing comes from within them and simply need guidance. Others arrive feeling tired, overwhelmed, or unsure where to turn next but are ready to be empowered and take an active role in their health. You understand, or soon discover, that there are no quick fixes. True healing takes time, consistency, and a willingness to look honestly at what your body is asking for. It requires effort, but every step forward brings you closer to the strength, clarity, and vitality you’re seeking.

My Approach

I help patients shift out of symptom management and into lasting health improvement by listening to the body’s signals instead of silencing them. Whether you’re struggling with low energy, chronic gut issues, burnout, hormone imbalances, anxiety, or long-standing inflammation, my role is to help you understand what your body is asking for and to guide you toward sustainable change.

I do this through both conventional and holistic diagnostics. I use standard physical exams alongside Chinese medicine exams and functional medicine-style assessment to understand how your body is functioning. I order routine labs and imaging when needed, and I also use functional medicine labs when they can offer deeper insight. Most importantly, I look at how all of your symptoms fit together as one connected system instead of treating each issue separately. This helps me create a clear framework for what your body needs in order to come back into balance and feel supported at the deepest level.

Healing isn’t about fixing what’s wrong. It’s about uncovering what your body has been trying to communicate and giving you the tools, structure, and support to respond to it.

Specialties and Who I Work With

Men’s Health

I have received focused training in men’s health and work with men who are navigating:
     • Low testosterone
     • Erectile dysfunction
     • Prostate-related symptoms (BPH, urinary frequency, weak stream)
     • Fertility challenges
     • Energy, stress, and performance concerns including chronic stress, burnout, fatigue, brain fog, low motivation, and difficulty recovering from workouts
     • Metabolic health concerns such as weight gain, abdominal fat, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, or difficulty building muscle
     • Sleep issues including insomnia, frequent waking, unrestful sleep, or snoring
     • Mood and emotional health including anxiety, irritability, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed, or difficulty managing emotions
     • Life transition concerns including new fathers struggling with energy or mood, men navigating midlife shifts, and men seeking purpose or realignment

Men are often taught to push through fatigue, stress, or emotional strain and to handle their challenges silently. I offer a space where men can step out of that pressure, slow down, and better understand what their bodies are communicating. Whether you’re dealing with hormone changes, shifts in energy or performance, digestive symptoms, mood and stress patterns, sleep issues, or major life transitions, my goal is to help you reconnect, realign, and rebuild strength from the inside out. This work isn’t about forcing yourself to do more. It’s about restoring balance so you can feel clear, grounded, and fully present in your body and your life.

Digestive Disorders and Gut Health

In naturopathic medical school, I specialized in gastroenterology. I commonly work with:
     • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
     • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and microscopic colitis
     • GERD and reflux
     • Celiac disease
     • Gastritis
     • Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
     • Gallbladder dysfunction and biliary issues
     • Bloating, abdominal pain, food sensitivities, and intolerances
     • Functional constipation and diarrhea

Gut symptoms are not random. They are often the body’s earliest and clearest signals of imbalance. I help patients decode those signals and rebuild digestive resilience step by step.

Mental Health and the Mind Body Connection

I specialize in the intersection of emotional health and physiology, particularly how thoughts, stress patterns, and expressed and unexpressed emotions influence hormones, immunity, the nervous system and long-term vitality.

My approach to mental health includes:
     • Somatic awareness
     • Nervous system regulation
     • Acupuncture for stress and emotional balance
     • Lifestyle and mindset coaching
     • Tools that help reconnect mind and body

I work with patients experiencing anxiety, depression, chronic stress, overwhelm, and the sense of not feeling like themselves. Many people don’t initially realize how their thoughts, stress patterns, or past experiences influence their physical symptoms. My approach is trauma-informed and helps you make those connections while supporting both your mind and body, so you can build greater steadiness, clarity, and resilience.

Health Optimization and Whole Person Vitality

I support people who want to improve their energy, hormones, sleep, metabolic health, cognitive performance, physical recovery, and long-term vitality. This includes fatigue and burnout recovery, hormone support, sleep optimization, metabolic balance, stress resilience, cognitive clarity, healthy aging, and preventive and longevity-focused care. Whether you’re aiming to feel more energized, improve your performance, or take a proactive approach to your long-term wellbeing, I help you understand what your body needs so you can feel your best now and as you age.

Treatment Tools I Use
     • Lifestyle and nutrition guidance
     • Western botanical medicine
     • Chinese herbal medicine
     • Targeted supplements
     • Homeopathy and drainage therapies
     • Acupuncture and Japanese direct moxibustion
     • Craniosacral therapy
     • Sotai and Qigong Tuina
     • Perineural injection therapy


A Note on the Healing Journey

Your symptoms are not failures. They are signals. When you understand what your body is communicating, you can stop surviving and start rebuilding your health with purpose.

If you’re ready to move beyond quick fixes, reclaim ownership of your wellbeing, and build a healthier, more aligned version of yourself, I invite you to start that conversation with me.

We’ll take it one step at a time. Together.

Dr. Spears' Clinic Website