|
Home > Departments > Neurology > Team > Christine Naber
About Me
I was born in the Midwest, the youngest of four children, and the first to be born in the United States. My parents met while my mother was studying nursing as a foreign exchange student at Marquette University. They became engaged, and after completing college, moved back to my mother's home.
One could say my interest in helping others has deep roots, for of 10 children in my mother's family, all but 2 became nuns or priests. Catholicism in South America is steeped in a sense of social justice and working for the poor. My parents carried this philosophy with them back to the United States, and raised me to believe that I needed to give back to the community. My earliest interest in geriatrics in fact stems from my first volunteer experience. At the age of 8, I began volunteering at the Little Sisters of the Poor, helping care for the elderly residents.
I grew up mainly in Northern Virginia and ultimately attended the University of Virginia, where I double majored in Psychology and Anthropology. I knew I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. and ultimately decided on a degree in clinical psychology, because I felt it was the best way to wed my scientific interests and desire to help others.
Initially my research and treatment interests focused on victimization of women, but my early experiences with the elderly began to pull me in a different direction. After my brother sustained a severe head injury, this pull became irresistible, and I began to pursue a career as a neuropsychologist.
As a result, I completed an internship at the Southwest Consortium in Albuquerque and postdoctoral training at the University of Missouri, Columbia and North Coast Health Care Centers in Santa Rosa. I have been practicing at Kaiser since 1999, and have been impressed by the focus on innovation and patient-centered care. As a neuropsychologist at Kaiser I have been involved in the creation of the vestibular rehabilitation program in Head and Neck surgery, the inpatient neuropsychological consulting service in the hospital, and the outpatient neuropsychological service in Neurology.
As a neuropsychologist, I specialize in brain behavior relationships, particularly focusing on people who have neurologic problems (e.g., stroke, dementia, brain injury, etc.). Unlike many neuropsychologists who focus only on diagnosing brain dysfunction, I chose to receive additional training in rehabilitation.
As a child I remember being at the Little Sisters of the Poor and feeding an 80 year old woman with Alzheimer's disease who had lost the ability to use eating utensils. This image and images of many other old folk with the disease made a lasting impression on me. When I chose the specialty of neuropsychology, I didn't want to simply diagnose these illnesses, but wanted to provide individuals and families better ways to compensate for their problems.
This is the most rewarding thing about being a neuropsychologist. Having patients and their families say, "Finally, someone that gets this disease and can help."
Family and Friends:
I married my husband, Dan, in 1998, and have two sons, Aidan and Declan, as well as a daughter, Veronica. My husband is a mechanical engineer with the heart of an artist. We live on the Russian River in Healdsburg with our dog, Maddie, and cat, Boo. Our family can be seen canoing most spare weekends. The rest of the time, I serve as chair for the Women's Opportunity Award from Soroptimist International Founder Region, sing, and watch baseball.
More About Me
Kaiser Permanente Member Resources
Find a Physician
Appointments/Rx refills
Health Encyclopedia
La Guía en Español
Privacy Statement
Terms & Conditions
| 
