GretchenA.(Huot)PiankaMDMPH, FAAP

Summary

• Dr. Gretchen Pianka was born in Austin, Texas. She has been practicing pediatrics for more than fifteen years. As the mother of three, she is able to bring a calm space for healing and tailored advice with her vast clinical and personal experience. She currently provides primary care in Lewiston, Maine, where she also precepts medical students and residents. Dr. Pianka received her undergraduate degree from Amherst College and subsequently spent two years as a John Woodruff Simpson Fellow, traveling to Native American communities as well as Australia and Central America to learn about cultural barriers to health. She then attended the University of Vermont School of Medicine where she received the Frank Susan Medical Alumni Award. As a pediatric resident at the University of Virginia she was recognized for her work with refugee children with the Ann Dyson Child Advocacy Award. In 2014, Dr. Pianka earned her Masters in Public Health from the University of New England and worked as a physician champion with Maine Health’s From the First Tooth Program. For three years, she was a regular contributor for Maine’s Parent and Family Magazine with a series entitled “Protecting Baby.” As the mother of a child with special healthcare needs, she blogged during the process of facing her fears and navigating the at times terrifying medical system. She spent four years on the Board of the York Child Abuse Prevention Council, serving as the Board Chair and helping it to survive tough financial times and transitioning to a new model for providing child abuse programming in the region. She helps families through difficult times, teaching relaxation breathing techniques and positive parenting strategies. Over the last four years, she has studied the practice of attunement, a no touch energy practice similar to Reiki, which allows her to tune in to the needs of families and help them in a mindful and fully present way. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Doctor Mommy Wisdom
helping parents care for their children from a space of love, not fear, and demystifying the process of raising healthy and emotionally agile children