Sonya Vanderheiden, MD

	Joined Sep, 2004 Department: Family Medicine Services [Map] Title: Physician Degree: MD Interests: Although I am busy raising my family and have little time for other interests as of late, my interests include scuba diving, hiking, and gathering with friends to enjoy good food and wine. Physician Homepage
Bio Thank you for choosing me as your primary care physician! I started work here at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa in October 2004 after spending a few years in solo practice in Sonoma County. In this short time, I have been impressed with the quality of care and the support services offered to patients in the Kaiser Permanente system. I am a board certified Family Physician, which means my scope of practice includes pediatrics, adult medicine and some gynecology. I believe strongly in preventive medicine and encourage you as a patient to take an active role in your health care. To tell you a little more about myself, I was born and raised in San Francisco. My parents were born in Germany and Holland. Many people wonder, given my ethnic name, if I speak either Dutch or German. I'm sorry to say that I speak neither Dutch nor German, but I enjoy having several of my patients try to teach me! I attended college at University of California, Davis, where I met my husband. I stayed local and went on to receive my medical degree from University of California, Davis. I then ventured ALL THE WAY to Sonoma county where I completed my residency locally here in Santa Rosa in Family Practice. My husband and I fell in love with this area and will likely never move away.
My Medical Specialty
More details about my specialty: I am board certified in Family Practice. This specialty allows me to care for entire families across several generations. It is quite rewarding to be invited into the lives of families as their doctor and watch them grow and thrive. Great health resources that I refer to: I encourage patients to search the vast resources on our Kaiser Permanente web site, as there is not only valuable information regarding different illnesses, but also a plethora of support for various topics such as smoking cessation and weight reduction.
Interests
I became certified to scuba dive in the warm tropical waters of Cozumel, Mexico! I was extremely spoiled by the warm, clear water and abundance of beautiful tropical fish. My husband once convinced me to dive locally here in Monterey Bay, and I was shocked by the frigid water and cumbersome wet suit that was required for me not to freeze! (From now on, I plan only to dive in warm waters...) As a result of our scuba travels, we became fascinated with developing our own tropical fishtank. We now have a thriving tank of corals, anemones, and salt water fish in our own living room to remind us of the beautiful waters of Cozumel! My favorite book or author: I enjoy reading most fiction and my favorite author is John Irving.	Hobby Photos & Links: Our Reef Tank Close-up of our Salt Water Reef Tank Close-up of clown fish
Family & Friends
People in my life: I am married to my college sweetheart, and so far we are lucky enough to have one beautiful son. My husband is the football coach for a local high school, and in the fall, I am busy attending these football games and being a supportive fan. (Go Pumas!)	Photos of my Family & Friends: My husband Jay and our son Tyler

Travel
An adventure I've had: The most exciting adventure I have ever had was when my husband convinced me to go on a hot air balloon ride! The reason this was so exciting is that I have an EXTREME FEAR of heights! We soared over Sonoma County one clear morning in a tiny hot air balloon basket. I wasn't able to fully appreciate how spectacular the trip was until we were safely back on the ground. Luckily, my husband took many pictures of our trip. Favorite place in the world: I have been lucky enough to travel several times to Europe and various areas around the United States, but really I am just a "homebody." I most enjoy being home with my family spending quality time together.	Travel Photos: Me looking anxious prior to balloon take-off balloon filling with air balloon filling with air on side View of Beautiful Sonoma County from hot air balloon