My Approach
to your healing journey
Choosing the right naturopathic doctor (ND) to help you achieve your health goals can be overwhelming and intimidating. NDs vary significantly in what they treat, in their methods for diagnosis, and in the treatment tools they use. Working with an ND requires time and money. You owe it to yourself to find a practitioner who is a good fit for you, your values, and your goals.
Before booking an appointment, please familiarize yourself with my approach.
#1: Healing happens when you find and fix what isn't working. This comes down to 3 principles:
- We must have the necessary foundational building blocks to function optimally,
- We must identify and remove any health-blocking obstacles, and
- We must be able and willing to make any changes required to satisfy points #1 and #2
Great health happens when millions of things go right. Unfortunately, an infinite number of stressors can overwhelm our system's capacity to respond effectively. You must get what you need, reduce what's blocking you, and become empowered to make any necessary changes. Together, we evaluate your situation with compassion and curiosity.
#2: Treating the root cause the goal so you don't have to rely on Band-Aid fixes
As a health “detective”, I’m always asking why. If you tell me your fatigue is caused by your low iron, I will ask "but why is your iron so low?" If we don’t address the cause of your low iron, then an iron supplement is a mere Band-Aid solution. You deserve better than that.
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Have you ever noticed how ads are really good at normalizing symptoms like heartburn, diarrhea, headaches, chronic pain, fatigue, sleep issues, etc? "Heartburn getting you down? Just take this pill like millions of other people and your problem is solved!" The media’s normalization of symptoms has led many of us to believe that our common health problems are normal so we continue to suffer and rely on medications or supplements to function. I'm always asking why you have heartburn, why you have diarrhea, why you have menstrual cramps? Why, why, why, why, WHY? When our problems are chronic, it’s time to correct the pattern. |
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#3: I'm better able to help you the more I know and understand you
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It's important that I understand the various problems affecting your physical, mental, and spiritual health. This requires you to be open and willing to share who you are, what makes you tick, what you do (or don’t do), your eating habits, your worries and fears, etc.
We often carry shame around our choices and behaviours and it can sometimes be difficult to admit the truth. But we can’t resolve a problem if we don’t acknowledge it exists. |
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I strive to create a non-judgmental and compassionate space in which you feel safe sharing – after all, I’m a flawed human too! Whoever said we were supposed to be perfect? When we can openly acknowledge the source of the problem, it finally becomes possible to do something about it or to make an empowered choice and not do something about it.
Whatever the problem, our ability to name the issue allows us to address it.
Whatever the problem, our ability to name the issue allows us to address it.
#4: Healing chronic issues might not happen in a single visit.
Establishing the conditions for your body and mind to heal naturally can be incredibly simple but you do need to be invested. Are you prepared to invest in yourself? Most people who show up in my practice have complex symptoms that have developed over years or even decades. Correcting course doesn’t happen overnight.
For the vast majority of people, a one-visit-and-you’re-done approach is unrealistic and sets you up for frustration and disappointment.
If you are only able to come in for one appointment per year because that’s what is covered by your benefits, I will support you however I can, but you might not see the kind of lasting improvement you’re hoping for. This can set us both up for disappointment.
I recommend planning on at least three to six appointments in the first six months of working together. If lab evaluation is determined to be necessary, this is another expense to consider.
I request that all prospective patients familiarize themselves with my fees in advance, which are posted on my online schedule. There are a few ways to make naturopathic medicine and lab testing more affordable.
Real change can only happen when the degree to which we are unhappy with the way things are outweighs the comfort and familiarity of staying the same. If you’re unhappy with your health but still attached to the comfort, familiarity and even pleasure of keeping things the same, you may not be ready for the kind of transformation that will turn things around for you, and that’s entirely OK. But if you’re tired of feeling stuck, willing to look critically at your life and make some changes, and prepared for a bit of a financial investment, I’m all in and can’t wait to work with you!
For the vast majority of people, a one-visit-and-you’re-done approach is unrealistic and sets you up for frustration and disappointment.
If you are only able to come in for one appointment per year because that’s what is covered by your benefits, I will support you however I can, but you might not see the kind of lasting improvement you’re hoping for. This can set us both up for disappointment.
I recommend planning on at least three to six appointments in the first six months of working together. If lab evaluation is determined to be necessary, this is another expense to consider.
I request that all prospective patients familiarize themselves with my fees in advance, which are posted on my online schedule. There are a few ways to make naturopathic medicine and lab testing more affordable.
Real change can only happen when the degree to which we are unhappy with the way things are outweighs the comfort and familiarity of staying the same. If you’re unhappy with your health but still attached to the comfort, familiarity and even pleasure of keeping things the same, you may not be ready for the kind of transformation that will turn things around for you, and that’s entirely OK. But if you’re tired of feeling stuck, willing to look critically at your life and make some changes, and prepared for a bit of a financial investment, I’m all in and can’t wait to work with you!
#5: We might need to uncover your subconscious blocks
Carl Jung said “until you make the unconscious conscious it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Humans are quirky and psychologically complex. We’re often contradictory, desiring one outcome while actively choosing to engage in behaviours that drive us further from our goal. We often get stuck in self-sabotaging routines, patterns, negative self talk, and belief systems. Depending on your issue, I can almost promise that we will explore your belief systems, unconscious desires, and subconscious stream of negative self-talk because these deep, dark, unconscious, sticky places are often where we find the source of our problem. And once we identify the dysfunction within our internal hard drive, we can reprogram it.
#6: You are in control of your healing journey
YOU are the captain of your own ship! Not me. You control your own health! If it becomes clear that certain choices and behaviours are causing you to suffer, but you are still committed to them for whatever reason, I respect that. My goal is not to strip you of all joy and leave you "healthy but miserable." My goal is to help you figure out why you’re suffering so that you can make informed decisions about your health and direct your ship wherever you like. No one ever said you have to be perfect, but learning how you can control the way you feel and function is empowering. What I really want for all of my patients is to teach them what is making them sick and how they can help themselves feel well again. Getting to this place is a huge win.
If this all sounds good, you can learn more about working with me or schedule an appointment to get started right away.
**It can be difficult to find a doctor in BC. If you're looking for a primary care doctor in BC who is accepting new patients, I can help. Appointments are available in-person in Kelowna or virtually from anywhere in BC.
