Why Patients Like Steve Stay With Us: A Note From Rachel
Rachel Gunderson, NP · August 3, 2026
One of the questions I get asked most, by prospective patients and even by other providers, is what actually makes Avara Medical different. It is a fair question. Utah Valley has no shortage of clinics offering testosterone therapy, weight loss support, or body contouring treatments. So when a patient like Steve takes the time to share his experience, I want to slow down and really sit with it, because it says something I could never say as well myself.
Avara Patient Success Story
Steve's Story
I originally found Avara Medical online while I was looking into testosterone therapy and wellness treatments. After looking at a few other places, something about this clinic just felt different. From the very beginning, everyone made me feel comfortable and welcome. The atmosphere was relaxed, professional, and never awkward, which made a huge difference for me.”
“Over the last couple of years, I’ve done testosterone therapy with both pellets and injections, and overall I’ve been extremely happy with the results. I felt better energy, improved mood, better libido, and I could actually see physical changes in my body. I felt healthier, stronger, and more confident.”
“I’ve also recently been trying the Emsculpt Neo and Emsella treatments. It’s still a little early to fully judge the final results from the Emsculpt because I know a lot of it is muscle-building and takes time, but I’ve had a positive experience overall. The treatments have been easy, comfortable, and the staff has done a great job explaining what to expect.”
“One of the biggest things I’d tell someone coming to the clinic for the first time is not to be nervous. Everyone here is friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to. Rachel and the staff are amazing. I’ve always felt like I could have honest conversations without feeling uncomfortable or judged.”
“What’s funny is that people have definitely noticed the changes. Guys at my golf club ask me all the time why I look healthier, leaner, and more muscular now, and I’m always happy to tell them about Rachel and the team at Avara Medical. I genuinely appreciate the care I’ve received here and would absolutely recommend the clinic to anyone looking to improve their health and wellness.
Why This Matters to Me
When Steve first came in, he was doing what most of our patients do before they ever sit down with me. He compared his options. He was cautious about spending cash on his own health, which is completely reasonable. What I remember most from those early visits was not his lab work, it was how guarded he was, how many other places had already talked at him instead of with him.
That is really the heart of it. I never want a patient to feel like they are on a conveyor belt, moving from one five minute appointment to the next with a provider who barely remembers their name. Testosterone therapy, whether pellets, creams, or injections, is not a one size fits all protocol. It takes real conversation, real monitoring, and a willingness to adjust as someone's body responds. Steve's results, the energy, the mood, the physical changes he mentioned, came from that ongoing relationship, not from a single prescription handed over and forgotten.
The same is true of Emsculpt NEO and Emsella. Those treatments can support muscle building and pelvic floor strength, but they work best as part of a bigger picture of someone's health, not as an isolated fix. I appreciate that Steve was honest about it still being early. That kind of patience and trust is exactly what I hope every patient feels comfortable extending to us, because meaningful change in the body rarely happens overnight.
What stays with me most, though, is what Steve said about feeling comfortable enough to have honest conversations without judgment. That is not an accident. It is something our whole team works hard to protect. Health struggles, especially around hormones and body image, can feel vulnerable to talk about. My job is to make sure that vulnerability is met with real listening, not a script.
Stories like Steve's are why I do this work. Watching someone walk in guarded and cautious, then hear from him that people at his own golf club are asking what he is doing differently, that is the kind of ripple effect that reminds me why root cause, personalized care matters so much more than a quick fix.
If You're Considering Avara Medical
If you are reading this because you are weighing your own options the way Steve once did, I would tell you what he told others: do not be nervous. Come with your questions, even the ones that feel awkward to ask out loud. We will meet you there, and we will build a plan around your body and your goals, not a generic protocol.
You can reach our team in Provo at (801) 999-8356 to schedule a consultation, or ask us more about testosterone therapy, Emsculpt NEO, or Emsella. I would love the chance to have that first honest conversation with you too.
About the Author: Rachel Gunderson, NP
Dual Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP & Family Practice NP) · Founder, Avara Medical · Provo, Utah
Rachel spent more than a decade caring for patients in internal medicine, cardiology, intensive care, neurology, and oncology at Houston Methodist Hospital, and in internal medicine at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. She founded Avara Medical to practice medicine the way she believes it should work — taking time to listen, running the right labs, and building a care plan around the patient rather than a checklist.
Her clinical focus includes hormone therapy and optimization, peptide therapy and regenerative protocols, medical weight loss including GLP-1 therapy, IV nutrient therapy, and integrative functional medicine.
