Virtual care for women in The Woodlands
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in The Woodlands, TX
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving The Woodlands?
Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., cares for women in The Woodlands through telehealth. Board-certified in family medicine (ABFM), she is also certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine (FMCP-M) and by The Menopause Society (MSCP). Her physician-led team treats perimenopause, menopause and hormone imbalance, weight gain and insulin resistance, thyroid conditions and gut issues, pairing advanced testing with prescriptions such as bioidentical HRT when appropriate.
If your mornings start on the trails in The Woodlands, you already know what movement does for your head. When perimenopause starts stealing your sleep and your recovery, that routine can fall apart. Dr. Maren's approach leans into her Build Resilience pillar: strength, recovery, sleep and steady energy, supported by testing and hormone care when appropriate. She lifts heavy herself. And because visits are by video, you are not giving up a morning to I-45 to reach a specialist in Houston, about 30 miles south. That time goes back to you.
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 The Woodlands?
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 The Woodlands 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 The Woodlands?
Apply online
Share your symptoms and goals in a brief application. The team confirms you are located in Texas 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 The Woodlands or wherever you are in Texas.
Test and personalize
Labs are drawn at a conventional lab close to home in Montgomery County, not downtown, and then the team goes over your numbers with you in depth. 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 The Woodlands and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Texas does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in The Woodlands, and throughout Montgomery County north of Houston.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in The Woodlands: FAQs
Do I have to drive down I-45 into Houston for visits or labs?
No. Visits are by video and conventional labs are drawn at a lab close to The Woodlands, so no part of your care requires a trip into the city. You can take a visit from home or any private spot where you can talk openly about your symptoms.
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.
Does Dr. Maren see women in Spring and Conroe?
Yes. Dr. Maren is licensed in Texas, so women in Spring, Conroe and the surrounding communities north of Houston can see her team by telehealth. Labs are drawn close to wherever you live, and follow-up happens through video visits and the secure patient portal.
Do I need to be in Texas during my visits?
Yes. State licensing laws require you to be physically located in Texas, or in another state where Dr. Maren is licensed (California, Colorado, Illinois and Michigan), at the time of each video visit.
Night sweats keep waking me up. Can Dr. Maren help?
Yes. Night sweats are a hallmark of perimenopause and menopause, and they can break up sleep for months if no one addresses them. Dr. Maren looks at your hormones along with thyroid function, blood sugar and stress, and bioidentical hormone therapy may help when it is appropriate for you. If night sweats come with fever or unexplained weight loss, see your local doctor promptly.
How do I become a patient in The Woodlands?
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 The Woodlands.
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 The Woodlands 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 The Woodlands and across Texas by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.