Featured NESH Alumna: Susan DeLaney ND
Susan DeLaney ND
Carrboro, North Carolina
I was raised on a dairy farm in rural North Carolina. As one of six daughters we became the farm hands that my father needed to assist with the daily chores. I jokingly say that I knew more about cows in high school than I knew about boys, which is actually true! I attended UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated in 1975 with a Bachelors in Nursing. After nursing school, I worked in various hospital settings, working in ICU, burns, medical units, and pediatrics.
I started naturopathic medical school in California, attending the Pacific College of Naturopathic Medicine which only survived for 3 years. Known at the time as “the boat people” most of the students transferred to Bastyr or NCNM. In 1984 I graduated from NCNM and spent the next year working at with the 7th Day Adventists at their hospital in Wildwood Georgia. In 1985 I traveled to India to work with Dr. Jugal Kishore, a prominent homeopathic doctor in New Delhi.
I returned to North Carolina in 1987 and started a practice in a group setting. That group morphed into The Wellness Alliance which has been in operation since 1994. Originally thought of as a “quack”, I have been delighted to watch natural medicine gain the respect of the public and of many people practicing in the medical field. Many more medical providers have a deep respect for the medicine we practice. After working for 19 years in the state legislature we feel that we are on the cusp of licensing Naturopathic doctors, which brings more homeopathy to the citizens of our state.
Balancing my life from work and politics I became an avid Contra dancer and yoga practitioner, teaching 
yoga for 18 years. In 1995 with a business partner we opened Triangle Yoga, one of the first studios in the state. At the age of 50 I began to study art and now enjoy painting and art of various forms. Tap dancing is also a vital part of my weekly dance and movement practice.
From NESH:Susan attended the first NESH class given by Dr. Paul Herscu in 1989. She says “he significantly contributed to my knowledge and skills in the practice of homeopathy. It was from his teachings that I began the shift of thinking like a homeopathic doctor, verses using homeopathy as another allopathic tool.” She returned to work with others teachers, such as Dr. Vasilis Ghegas, that NESH brought to New England over the years.
Professional Highlights:
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing UNC-Chapel Hill 1975
• Doctor of Naturopathy NCNM 1984
• Practitioner of Naturopathic Medicine and Homeopathy for 34 years
• Owner and Manager of The Wellness Alliance in Carrboro, NC
• Co-founder of Triangle Yoga 1995
• AANP Founders Club Member
• NCANO Treasurer and Legislative Chair since 1991
• AANP Presidents Award in 2010
Susan is our October 2018 Featured Alumna. Return to NESH Alumni Spotlight page to learn about other distinguished NESH alumni.