In many of the central fields of naturopathic medicine, Dr. Inouye enlisted the guidance of the best to lead him toward an effective practice. Dr. Inouye credits four specific mentors that have helped him become the reputable pain management specialist that he is today. “In addition to the many mentors that I had at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, I have several mentors that I feel I need to acknowledge,” Dr. Inouye said. “First, Elizabeth Revely (founder of the American Institute of Massage Therapy from which I was licensed and where I taught) who encouraged me to follow a path that led me into naturopathic medicine. I was actually pursuing a sales and marketing career, but she constantly encouraged me to pursue a career in medical arts for which she felt I was destined. Second, Dr. Harry Eidenier (a biochemist) who mentored me throughout my career as a naturopathic physician. Third, Sensei Morinaka (holder of advanced degrees in multiple martial arts and until his death, was a disciple at the Chozen Ji Zen Temple in Hawaii) who taught me traditional martial arts soft tissue therapy for injuries, including the basis of the concepts and techniques that I continue to utilize in my pain management practice even today. Lastly, Dr. Myk Hungerford who taught me the foundational work in sports massage and rehabilitation. Dr. Hungerford (considered by many as the “mother of sports massage” and credited for bringing massage into the Olympics) challenged me to think outside the box. Both Dr. Hungerford and Sensei Morinaka gave me a unique foundation of soft tissue injury management that is uncommon in my field of naturopathic pain management.” Deemed by many as a unique field of medicine, naturopathic practices may not be for everyone. Dr. Inouye came across the then obscure field of medicine initially triggered by his own pain issues and subsequently observing the injuries and treatments in his involvement in the martial arts over the decades. “I had two bouts of extreme lower back pain due to herniated discs – one in high school and one in college – that were cured by alternative practitioners,” Dr. Inouye explained. “Prior to consulting the shiatsu therapist and chiropractor, respectively, my conventional medical doctors prescribed pain killers and muscle relaxants. “After three weeks of constant pain, in both instances, I eventually sought out alternative practitioners,” he continued. “Within only two treatments, the pain was completely alleviated. A few years later, in a diving accident, I suffered multiple fractures in my neck; one of which was completely shattered. With the help of a gifted orthopedic specialist and a chiropractor, I fully recovered in record time without having to undergo surgery to my neck or any of the pain returning.” In addition to this personal experience of the healing powers of alternative therapies, Dr. Inouye credits his grandfather for inspiring him down the path less traveled. “He always promoted natural foods as the core of a healthy diet,” he said of his grandfather. This inspired him to find primary care physician Dr. Jack Burke, in his hometown in Hawaii who was also a licensed naturopathic physician. With a wife and four children, he eventually made the decision to return to school to pursue his pre-med education and eventually left his job as a sales manager for a national firm and made the move from Honolulu, Hawaii to Tempe, Arizona to pursue his naturopathic medical studies. He reflects on this decision saying that he is forever grateful for his children and especially his former wife Clarice’s sacrifices and could not have made this journey without her support.