About Dr. Vanessa Newman, DO
Dr. Vanessa Newman (she/her) is a California-licensed osteopathic physician, board-certified in Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (ONMM). Her practice is grounded in attentive, hands-on care and a belief that our physical, emotional, and communal health are deeply interconnected. She blends rigorous Western medical training with lifelong embodied learning, relational practice, and a commitment to justice-oriented, inclusive care.
Education & Residency
Dr. Newman earned her medical degree at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUCOM) and completed a three-year Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal (ONMM) residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, NY. As chief resident at the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 surge, she led her department through one of the most challenging periods in recent healthcare history, treating acutely ill patients using osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) alongside conventional medicine in the hardest-hit borough of NYC. This front-line experience continues to shape her hands-on, patient-centered approach.
Teaching & Mentorship
Dr. Newman served as an assistant professor in the OMM department at TUCOM, where she coordinated the first-year OMM curriculum, mentored students from their first through fourth years, and participated in admissions. She was named OMM Teacher of the Year (2021–2022). While at TUCOM, she helped establish an OMM clinic at Lifelong Medical Center in Richmond, CA, teaching family medicine residents and serving the community. She continues to teach as adjunct faculty at TUCOM, and patients may occasionally be given the opportunity to have a medical student or resident present during visits (always optional).
Early Life & Personal Journey
After growing up in the Washington, D.C. area, Dr. Newman attended Colorado College, where she majored in neuroscience while competing as a NCAA Division 1 soccer player. A career-altering knee injury gave her firsthand experience of the power of hands-on medicine and inspired her journey into osteopathy. She also spent time in Guatemala, studying Spanish, Central American history, and traditional Mayan healing through USC Keck School of Medicine's cultural immersion program, which opened her eyes to traditional healing paradigms as well as the complexity of our history as a country.
Social Justice & Community Care
Dr. Newman's practice is shaped by experiences serving under-resourced and marginalized communities, from Guatemala to the Bronx to the greater San Francisco Bay Area. She brings awareness of social location, structural inequities, and systemic barriers to health into her patient care, creating a practice environment that is inclusive, affirming, and compassionate for people of all backgrounds, identities, and sexual orientations, including LGBTQAI+ individuals.
Patient Care Philosophy
Dr. Newman cares for patients at every stage of life — including infants, children, adults, and elders. She has a special passion for supporting patients during transitions: pregnancy, birth, adolescence, perimenopause/menopause, death. She is passionate about helping patients with complex or mysterious medical journeys feel seen, whole, and empowered, particularly those who have felt fragmented or unseen by our specialty-based healthcare system.
Life Outside
Dr. Newman draws deep inspiration from time in nature, often meandering through the redwoods, climbing mountains, skiing down slopes, or soaking up beach sunrises and sunsets with her partner, child, and dog. Nature grounds her osteopathic practice, providing balance amid the pace of modern life. She is also passionate about cooking nourishing, seasonal meals for her family and community and often shares ideas for wholesome, accessible recipes with her patients. Contact improvisation, a practice of dance, resonates closely with her work in osteopathy, offering space to explore deep listening, responsive movement, interdependence, and reverence for the body.
