Virtual care for women in Orinda
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Orinda, CA
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Orinda?
Hot flashes, thyroid trouble, gut symptoms, insulin resistance: for Orinda women dealing with any of these, Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., provides care entirely by telehealth. She is board-certified through the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine as an FMCP-M and holds the Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) credential. Bioidentical hormone therapy is part of her care when appropriate.
The Caldecott Tunnel and Highway 24 put Oakland and San Francisco within easy reach of Orinda, right up until you need to be on the other side at 5 p.m. BART helps, but it still means building your afternoon around a train. Dr. Maren's care takes the tunnel out of the equation. Visits happen on video from home, and the hour you would have spent in traffic can go toward a walk, a workout or dinner with your family. If you have been meaning to deal with your sleep, weight or hormones for a year now, you can start without leaving Orinda.
Read how she approaches perimenopause and menopause, hormone replacement therapy and thyroid care, or start with Christine's journey.
What does Dr. Maren treat for women in Orinda?
Hormones, thyroid, gut, metabolism and the immune system all influence one another, so she treats them as one connected picture.
Sleep, mood, hot flashes, cycles and weight, treated as one connected picture.
Bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when appropriate, prescribed and monitored by a physician.
A full thyroid panel with antibodies, not just TSH, and medication tuned to how you feel.
Testing for SIBO, dysbiosis and infections, then a plan to remove, repair and rebuild.
Insulin resistance, muscle and body composition, with GLP-1 therapy when appropriate.
Irregular cycles, androgen excess and estrogen dominance, traced to the root cause.
Finding the triggers that keep inflammation going, alongside the care you already have.
How is Dr. Maren's care different from a typical visit?
She combines the power to prescribe with the precision of functional medicine, and she looks for the root cause instead of treating one symptom at a time.
| What you get | Dr. Maren | Typical general visit |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Board-certified physician, IFM certified (FMCP-M) and MSCP | Varies, and menopause training is often limited |
| Hormone therapy | Prescribes bioidentical HRT when appropriate | May avoid it or offer one option |
| Testing | Hormones, a full thyroid panel, insulin, nutrients and gut health | Often one hormone level or TSH alone |
| The big picture | Sleep, mood, weight, gut, libido and energy together | Symptoms treated one at a time |
| Time with you | A 90-minute initial case review | Often a brief appointment |
| Follow-up | Regular follow-ups and portal messaging between visits | Often a one-time prescription |
When should women in Orinda see a hormone or menopause specialist?
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Irregular, heavier or closer-together periods
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Anxiety, irritability or low mood
- Brain fog and forgetfulness
- Weight gain around the middle
- Bloating, reflux or a gut that will not settle
- Exhausted, but told your labs are normal
These symptoms are common, but they are not something you simply have to live with. See the early signs of perimenopause.
How does virtual care work if you live in Orinda?
Apply online
Share your symptoms and goals in a brief application. The team confirms you are located in California and that the practice is the right fit.
Talk it through
If it looks like a fit, you will be invited to a complimentary discovery call with the team.
Meet from home
Your 90-minute initial case review and initial nutrition consultation happen by video, from home in Orinda or wherever you are in California.
Test and personalize
Conventional blood tests happen at a lab in Lamorinda or wherever is easiest for you, and the team then reviews them with you in detail by video. Your step-by-step plan follows, with regular follow-ups and secure portal messaging between visits.
What is Dr. Maren's approach?
Her signature three-pillar approach: address root causes, optimize hormones and build resilience. We don't guess. We test.
Address the root cause
We go deeper to uncover and treat what is driving your symptoms, starting with gut health and its links to the immune system, hormones, metabolism and nutrients.
Optimize hormones
With comprehensive labs and clinical expertise, we dial in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, thyroid medications and innovative therapies like peptides and GLP-1s, when appropriate.
Build resilience
By integrating individualized nutrition, movement, lifestyle and mindset strategies, we help you strengthen your foundation for long-term health, energy and vitality.
Serving Orinda and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in California does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Orinda.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Orinda: FAQs
Do I have to go through the Caldecott Tunnel for visits or labs?
No. Every visit with Dr. Maren's team happens by video, and your conventional lab work stays local to Orinda, so there is no reason to drive into Oakland or ride BART to San Francisco for your care. If you work in the city, you can also join a visit from there, since it is still California.
Can a functional medicine doctor prescribe hormone therapy?
It depends on the doctor's license. Dr. Maren is a board-certified family physician as well as a certified functional medicine practitioner, so she can prescribe bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when appropriate, along with thyroid medication and other treatments, and adjust them as your labs and symptoms change.
Is there a menopause doctor serving Orinda and the rest of Lamorinda?
Yes. Dr. Maren holds The Menopause Society's MSCP certification and cares for women across Lamorinda by telehealth, in Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga alike. She treats the full arc of the transition, from early perimenopause through the years after menopause, and prescribes bioidentical hormone therapy when appropriate, weighing risk and benefit for you specifically.
Do I need to be in California during my visits?
Yes. State licensing laws require you to be physically located in California, or in another state where Dr. Maren is licensed (California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan and Texas), at the time of each video visit.
Are hot flashes something I just have to ride out?
No. Hot flashes are common in perimenopause and menopause, but they are not something you simply have to live with. Dr. Maren looks at the pattern, your sleep and anything that can mimic them, such as thyroid problems or a medication side effect. When appropriate, she prescribes bioidentical hormone therapy after weighing your age, timing and health history. Common triggers such as alcohol, heat and stress get attention too.
How do I become a patient in Orinda?
Start with the brief online application. If it looks like a good fit, you will get an email inviting you to book a complimentary discovery call with the team. If it is a match, you will be scheduled for a 90-minute initial case review and an initial nutrition consultation, all by video from home in Orinda.
Do you accept insurance?
We do not contract with insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. This allows us to provide personalized, unhurried care without the limitations of insurance-based models. However, the vast majority of patients use their insurance to cover conventional lab work, and many also use HSA or FSA funds to pay for our services.
Can Dr. Maren be my primary care doctor?
No. The practice functions as a specialty consulting service. You will still need a primary care provider near Orinda for general medical needs, physical exams and urgent issues like infections or injuries.
Ready to feel like yourself again, only better?
Dr. Maren and her team see women in Orinda and across California by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.