San Clemente Pediatrics

Philosophy: We love children, and the opportunity to see them grow and happy. Our goal is to treat your child as if is our own. We value every child that comes to our doors providing care in a competent and nurturing environment.

We value diversity, embrace all faiths and all parenting styles. In each encounter we strive to work as a team member with our parents and caregivers to achieve the best outcome for our patients. We accomplish this standard through close collaboration between our staff, our patients and their families.

What is Integrative Medicine?

Integrative medicine is an approach to care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health. Employing a personalized strategy that considers the patient’s unique conditions, needs and circumstances, it uses the most appropriate interventions from an array of scientific disciplines to heal illness and disease and help people regain and maintain optimum health.

Why Integrative Medicine?

  • Our society is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from complex, chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.
  • The system of medicine practiced by most physicians is oriented toward acute care, the diagnosis and treatment of trauma or illness that is of short duration and in need of urgent care, such as appendicitis or a broken leg. Physicians apply specific, prescribed treatments such as drugs or surgery that aim to treat the immediate problem or symptom.
  • Unfortunately, the acute-care approach to medicine lacks the proper methodology and tools for preventing and treating complex, chronic disease. In most cases it does not take into account the unique genetic makeup of each individual or factors such as environmental exposures to toxins and the aspects of today’s lifestyle that have a direct influence on the rise in chronic disease in modern Western society.
  • There’s a huge gap between research and the way doctors practice. The gap between emerging research in basic sciences and integration into medical practice is enormous—as long as 50 years—particularly in the area of complex, chronic illness.
  • Most physicians are not adequately trained to assess the underlying causes of complex, chronic disease and to apply strategies such as nutrition, diet, and exercise to both treat and prevent these illnesses in their patients.

About Dr Giovanna Bruno

Dr Giovanna Bruno is a double board certified pediatrician with over 20 years of experience. She combines traditional western medicine with functional and integrative medicine to optimize the health of her patients. Her goal is to nurture the mind, body and soul of our most important segment of the population, our children, our future. She believes prevention is the first step in the well being of your child through education, developmental screening, encouragement of breast feeding, and vaccination education. Through this education, families are better equipped to decide what is best for their child. With a special emphasis on nutrition and lifestyle interventions, she teaches families to become active players in their child’s well being.

Her personalized treatment plans combine several integrative medicine modalities from the disciplines of homeopathic medicine, specific diets, nutritional supplements, herbal medicines, and meditation in an effort to use prescribed medication as the last resort.

Dr Giovanna Bruno’s practice is in the city of San Clemente. She received her medical training in Cordoba, Argentina. She was Chief Pediatric Resident at White Memorial Medical Center. She completed her fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona and is board certified by the American Board of Physician Specialties. She continues to be a clinical preceptor for the University of Southern California Physician Assistant students. She continues to conduct research in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics. She continues to broaden her education through the Institute of Functional Medicine with the goal to provide and enhance comprehensive, compassionate and personalized care for her patients and their families.

About Dr Vanessa Neal

Dear Families,

I am Dr. Vanessa Neal and I am so excited to provide care to the children of San Clemente Integrative Pediatrics starting this Fall as Dr. Bruno transitions to retirement. I have had the pleasure of assisting with care at the clinic periodically as a visiting Pediatrician and it fills me with joy to now function as a permanent Pediatrician for San Clemente. I have over 15 years of experience working with children and my goal as a Pediatrician is to work together with parent and child to foster and support wellness during the childhood years. I am well practiced in traditional medicine with a passion for an Eastern approach to healing illnesses and maintaining health.

I’d like to share a bit about myself!

After graduating from John Hopkins University and receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, I attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. I went on to complete a Pediatric Residency at INOVA Fairfax Hospital for Children in Falls Church, VA. As a military spouse, much of my career has been spent exploring all types of clinic settings, mostly in Southern California. This has given me a wealth of experience in seeing illness and health in many different forums and over the years I have seen one common thread…the importance of treating the whole child, not just a symptom. This belief led me to complete a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona and become a certified in Intuitive Wellness Coach. To combine traditional medicine with a holistic approach is so important to me and the care I will give at San Clemente Integrative Pediatrics.

As my family retires from the military and settles in San Clemente to call home, I look forward to meeting you in the Fall!

Warm Regards,
Dr. Vanessa Neal