A Doctor Who Listens...
One of the main ways a naturopathic doctor is different from a conventional doctor (or an MD) is that we try to treat the whole entire person, so I spend a lot of time with my patients hearing the whole story. Most of the patients I see are women – busy working women and mothers who put their children and families first, sometimes at the expense of their own health!
Coming into my office gives them time away from caring for the problems of everyone else in their life and puts the focus on them. It’s my role to hear their story and find a way to support them – whether that be through treatment on a physical level – like taking herbal medicine supplements. Or it might be offering an understanding ear when they’re going through a difficult separation or trouble with their kids. One of the things I love about my job is that I have so many tools to help the body cope with the demands of going through so much stress. Also, by spending time to talk in detail about someone’s physical issues, we can identify things like nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances, or digestive issues that are actually making their emotional stress worse. The human body is a complicated organism, and it’s sometimes a daunting task to try to put together the puzzle of what’s out of balance. Having the option to treat someone physically and emotionally actually makes it easier because whole body healing happens faster when you address all sides.
