Our Team

The Balanced Living team is made up of like-minded individuals, each with their own unique background. Each member has been touched by the power of functional medicine in their own lives and now are here to help you. Scroll to learn more about each member of our team.

Dr. Emily Roedersheimer, DO IFMCP

Founder & Owner of Balanced Living Functional Medicine

Hi. I’m Dr. Emily Roedersheimer, but that’s a mouthful so everyone just calls me “Dr. Emily”. I had been a board-certified family physician in the Columbus area for more than a decade when my career path took a change.

Now I am thrilled to be practicing functional medicine and helping people reverse, or greatly improve their chronic medical conditions. Let me tell you a little bit about how I got where I am today and introduce the rest of my team...

About us…

Balanced Living’s Story

When I was 10 years old, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. For the next 25 years, I was on strong, injectable drugs to suppress my immune system and manage symptoms. They were pretty harsh – they didn't make me feel good but they kept me functioning.

While on these drugs, I was a full-time doctor, mom, and wife – and I didn't feel like myself anymore. After years of feeling burned out, I stumbled upon an article by Dr. Mark Hyman describing the role food has on chronic symptoms.

This article completely changed my perspective – and was the catalyst for studying Functional Medicine and eventually opening Balanced Living. I was my first patient – and I was able to stop my medications, go into remission, and get my life back! Functional medicine had transformed my life and now I was on a mission to spread it to others.

Today, the team at Balanced Living Functional Medicine helps our clients transform their health and get their lives back. We use the foundations of functional medicine to address the root cause of symptoms and live a longer, happier, and healthier life. 

Outside of work, I am married and have 2 boys.  I love spending time with them, walking our dog Leo, going to pilates, traveling, and reading. I have a love for learning, so I'm always staying up to date on new podcasts and research. I feel blessed to follow my passion as a career – and I'd love to be your health guide! 

  • Karen Bush, National Board Certified Health and Wellness coach (NBC-HWC) has the distinction of being among the first coaches in the country to be Board Certified through the National Board of Medical Examiners. Her background in health care began as a Speech Pathologist, where she worked in hospitals and rehabilitation centers around the country. After realizing she wanted to work in wellness, she became a Health Coach where she studied positive psychology, mind-body medicine, motivational interviewing, and the principles of behavior change. Karen is a former health coach at the Center for Functional Medicine at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic, where she worked with an exceptional group of collaborative physician providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and dietitians.

    She now works to help her patients navigate and support the lifestyle changes that are the hallmark of functional medicine. Our goal is to help each patient live their best life, achieve their goals, and ultimately find success. On any given day you can find her rowing on the mighty Cuyahoga River, biking, practicing and teaching yoga, hiking with her husband and dog Jackson, traveling, and cooking plant-based meals for her family.

  • Yoko is a National Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach (NBC-HWC). Yoko previously worked in New York City as a corporate client relations professional for over fifteen years until she experienced burnout and was diagnosed with multiple autoimmune conditions. 

    Frustrated with the medical system, she discovered functional medicine for her own health journey to heal from years of physical deterioration. The profound impact of functional medicine on her life led her to pursue a health coach certification via the Institute for Functional Medicine-affiliated Functional Medicine Coaching Academy. 

    Today, Yoko’s mission is to support women with chronic health conditions to regain control of their health and mindset and elevate their well-being. She specializes in autoimmune conditions and metabolic issues such as type II diabetes.

    Born in Japan, Yoko grew up in beautiful New England. Yoko currently lives in Toronto with her husband and toddler. When she’s not running after her daughter at the park, she loves cooking, hiking, yoga, and reading.


  • Naomi brings a variety of experiences to her role with Balanced Living. With a background in music and arts administration, she has provided administrative support for medical businesses and nonprofit organizations for the past 30 years.

    After a transformative lifestyle change in 2010, Naomi became a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor. Today, she specializes in Functional Fitness for adults 60 years and older, helping clients improve their lives through improved strength, mobility, and cognition.

    Naomi enjoys spending time with her husband, Sean, and their two adult sons. She walks her dogs daily while listening to favorite podcasts and books.

    She loves to read and learn, exercise, cook healthy meals for her family, and binge television series while snuggling with her dogs. Naomi is excited to support Dr. Emily and her team's important work by providing exceptional client care for her patients.


  • With a diverse background in User Experience, Anthropology, Psychology, and Design Thinking—plus a recent coaching certification from Duke—Lida brings a unique blend of skills to Balanced Living.

    Like Dr. Emily, Lida has experienced firsthand the life-changing power of functional medicine. Her personal health journey, combined with her deep understanding of people, fuels her passion for improving the patient experience and supporting both Dr. Emily and the entire practice.

    As Director of Operations and Patient Care, Lida streamlines communication, enhances efficiency, and ensures patients have the information and support they need to succeed. She’s your go-to for questions, guidance, and making your journey with Balanced Living as smooth as possible.

    Outside of work, Lida is an artist who loves reading fantasy books and making herbal tea.


  • Laura Graefnitz is a board-certified functional medicine health and wellness coach with a passion for helping individuals achieve optimal health.

    Laura graduated from Purdue University in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Education. In 2015, she began helping clients in the physical therapy world, specializing in helping women recover from childbirth. Through this experience, she recognized a significant need for holistic healing, addressing mental, emotional, and psychological well-being alongside physical recovery. This insight led her to attend the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy.

    Laura believes in the uniqueness of each individual and the importance of personalized approaches to health. Recognizing that there's no one-size-fits-all solution, she partners with her clients on every step of their journey to achieve their health goals. 

    As a mother of six, Laura understands the challenges of balancing family, work, and personal health. She draws on her own experiences to connect with her clients on a deeper level and provide practical, sustainable solutions. 

    When Laura isn't coaching, she enjoys spending time with her family. They love sports, musical theater, church, outdoor activities, and movie nights. Laura is also an avid reader, with a particular fondness for historical fiction.