+ What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a system of primary health care that blends evidence informed medicine with natural forms of treatment including nutritional modifications, targeted and medicinal grade supplementation, botanical medicine, acupuncture, manual therapies, and lifestyle counselling.

+ What kind of training does a Naturopathic Doctor receive?

Naturopathic Doctors must undergo an extensive four year, post-graduate training program through an accredited naturopathic college. In Canada, there are only two accredited schools - The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and The Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine.

Naturopathic training is hands-on medical training consisting of a minimum of 4,100 hours of class and clinical training. Students are educated in biomedical sciences, natural approaches to therapy, disease prevention, clinical techniques, and disease diagnostics.

In the final years of training, naturopathic students intern in clinical settings under the close supervision of licensed professionals. Since hands-on, clinical experience for naturopathic students is a requirement, the accrediting body for naturopathic medical colleges does not recognize degrees from online programs of study.

In order to receive the title of Naturopathic Doctor, and receive a Naturopathic license, students must undergo two sets of North American board exams, known as the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations. In Ontario, students must also pass a hands-on province-based board exam to practice in Ontario run by the College of Naturopaths of Ontario.

+ Is a Naturopathic Doctor a Medical Doctor?

Short answer - no. We are very different, and in my experience, patients benefit the most from working with BOTH types of practitioners. We each have our strengths and our weaknesses.

For starters our training is different. The biomedical and diagnostic training of Naturopathic Doctors and Medical Doctors are very similar. The biggest difference lies in the fact that Naturopathic Doctors do not complete residencies, and are currently unable to specialize their practice. We are also taught different types of therapies. For example, Medical Doctors receive a lot more training in pharmaceuticals, whereas Naturopathic Doctors receive far more training in dietary interventions.

Our treatment is obviously very different. Naturopathic Doctors do not prescribe pharmaceuticals, and focus on lifestyle interventions, supplementation, botanical medicine, and other natural therapies instead. As a result of this, if you are struggling with a life-threatening, or emergent health concern, it's best to visit your Medical Doctor instead of a Naturopathic Doctor.

+ What are appointments like?

INITIAL APPOINTMENTS

The primary focus of your first visit is to gather necessary information for both diagnosis and development of your custom treatment plan. We go over your entire medical history, social history, review of systems, your current health concerns, and your future health goals. This visit is very detailed and is typically 1-1.5 hours in length. At the end of the visit, you will receive a customized treatment plan to get started on, and you will have a better idea of future directions and number of visits required.

FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS

Follow-up appointments are shorter in length, and are used to provide ongoing treatment. They also allow us to monitor your progress and modify your treatment plan as necessary. Depending on the level of support you’re interested in, the first follow-up visit may be booked anywhere from 1-4 weeks after your initial visit, and subsequent follow-up visits will be booked further apart. As you continue with care, I often do not require follow-ups as frequently and prefer bi-annual check ins.

If you have not seen me as a patient in 1-2 years, I will book you an initial appointment to allow us the time needed to get caught up on how you have been since your last visit, and what has changed that I need to know about.

+ What are your fees?

General Initial Visit (1.5 Hours): $225

Fertility Initial Visit (2 Hours): $275

60 Minute Follow Up Visit: $170

45 Minute Follow Up: $135

30 Minute Follow Up: $100

+ Do you offer free meet-and-greets?

Yes - and I highly recommend them! All Naturopathic Doctors have their own style of practice, so it's important we meet to ensure my approach to care resonates with you.

My Complimentary Consults are 15 minutes in length and allow you to ask any and all questions you may have before starting treatment.

Please note, since I will not be completing assessments in complimentary consults, I am unable to provide treatment at that time.

+ If I'm struggling with hormones, what should I look for in a Naturopathic Doctor?

All Naturopathic Doctors are trained as general practitioners. This means we receive basic training in all areas of medicine.

If you are struggling with your hormones and are hoping to see a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on hormones, you should ask your practitioner the following questions:

• Did you complete a focused internsip in hormone health during your naturopathic training?
• What type of continuing education have you received, and is it focused on hormones?
• Do you have additional certifications through continuing education courses that make you better equipped at treating hormones compared to someone else?
• How much of your practice consists of treating hormonal conditions specifically?
• Are you a member of the Endocrinology Association of Naturopathic Physicians?

+ If I'm struggling with digestion, what should I look for in a Naturopathic Doctor?

All Naturopathic Doctors are trained as general practitioners. This means we receive basic training in all levels of medicine.

If you are struggling with your digestive health and are hoping to see a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on digestion, you should ask your practitioner the following questions:

• What type of continuing education have you received, and is it focused on digestion?
• Do you have additional certifications through continuing education courses that make you better equipped at treating digestion compared to someone else?
• How much of your practice consists of treating digestive conditions specifically?
• Are you a member of the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians?

+ If I'm struggling with skin, what should I look for in a Naturopathic Doctor?

All Naturopathic Doctors are trained as general practitioners. This means we receive basic training in all levels of medicine.

If you are struggling with your skin health and are hoping to see a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on skin conditions, you should ask your practitioner the following questions:

• What type of continuing education have you received, and is it focused on skin health?
• Do you have additional certifications through continuing education courses that make you better equipped at treating skin compared to someone else?
• How much of your practice consists of treating skin conditions specifically?
• Do you offer specialized therapies in your clinic, such as cosmetic acupuncture, or LED light therapy, that targets skin conditions?