Anna Mercer, DO is a board-certified osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine (ONMM) specialist dedicated to supporting the body's innate capacity for healing. Applying the rich tradition of osteopathic manual medicine (OMM), she takes a genuinely hands-on approach — one that considers the whole person, including their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being — to gently identify and address the structural restrictions that can quietly undermine health and function.
Dr. Mercer brings expertise across both acute and chronic care, working with patients through a remarkable breadth of conditions: pregnancy and birth trauma (for both mothers and newborns), pelvic pain, chronic pain, traumatic injuries, pre- and post-operative care, headaches and neurological disorders, respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal and rheumatologic conditions, and mental health challenges. She holds a particular passion for the transformative potential of OMM in the care of women and children.
Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Mercer serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine, where she mentors students and colleagues in the principles and practice of traditional osteopathic medicine.
Dr. Mercer completed her residency in ONMM at St. Barnabas Hospital Health System in the Bronx, NY, where she was honored to serve as chief resident. She earned her medical degree from Nova Southeastern University Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, FL. She is an active member of both the Osteopathic Cranial Academy and the American Academy of Osteopathy.
When she's not in the clinic, Dr. Mercer can be found dancing, practicing yoga, swimming, hiking, and playing board games with the people she loves — or curled up with her cat, Henry. She is also committed to strengthening her conversational and clinical Spanish to better connect with and serve her community.
Dr. Mercer's practice is rooted in the traditional application of osteopathic manual medicine — a lineage she carries with both reverence and responsibility. As a fifth-generation osteopath, she was trained in the direct tradition of A.T. Still, the founder of osteopathic medicine, and his visionary student W.G. Sutherland. This living lineage shapes not just her techniques, but her entire philosophy of care.
At the heart of Dr. Mercer's approach is a profound respect for the body's own Intelligence. She believes that health is not merely the absence of disease, but a living expression of Wholeness — one that encompasses the mind, body, and spirit together as one. Her role, as she sees it, is not to impose healing from the outside, but to remove the restrictions that impede the body from healing itself.
Her treatment style centers on balanced ligamentous tension and balanced membranous tension — gentle, precise osteopathic techniques that work with the body's natural rhythms. These approaches are exceptionally subtle, yet powerful: by carefully releasing physical restrictions in the body's tissues and structures, Dr. Mercer helps restore the free flow of nutrients for all tissues of the body, that healthy function depends on, while supporting the body's ability to clear away what no longer serves it.
What makes this approach particularly remarkable is its versatility. Because the techniques are so gentle and precise, they can be safely applied across virtually every stage of life and spectrum of illness — from fragile newborns in the NICU, to acutely hospitalized patients, to elderly individuals navigating the complexities of aging. No condition is too delicate, and no patient too vulnerable, for this thoughtful and comprehensive form of care.
Your first appointment with Dr. Mercer is one hour long and is designed to give her a full picture of who you are — not just your symptoms.
She'll begin with a comprehensive conversation covering your primary concern and what brings you in, along with a detailed history of your past medical, surgical, and trauma history. She'll also ask about any treatments or therapies you've tried before, and what your current wellness routine looks like — including your diet, sleep, hydration, and exercise habits.
This thorough intake process is an important part of Dr. Mercer's whole-person approach, and your answers help guide every aspect of your care.
Following your history, Dr. Mercer will perform a hands-on osteopathic evaluation and, in most cases, provide treatment during that same visit.
What to Wear
Please come dressed in comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. During your evaluation and treatment, Dr. Mercer may gently move or reposition various parts of your body. With that in mind, we recommend avoiding skirts or dresses unless you wear comfortable shorts or leggings underneath.