The initial consultation is a longer appointment to go over your history and do any physical exam necessary to move forward with your case. Generally we determine if further labs or imaging is needed or records need to be released. If the appointment is for a school or work Physical exam it can be shorter, but expect 90 minutes.
I endeavor to discover the person inside the body. The person will be making the choices as to whether their body is coming on the journey, so knowing the person is important to me. I ask a lot of questions (see intake) and drill into those areas that the client feels are the most out of balance, then I may drill into areas that I see are limiting to the health but may not seem as important to the client. By putting the whole picture together the health history and the person I can best help find a solution that is comfortable for the client.
I find out what is working for you and what may not be working well for you from the previous visit. In addition we go over lab reports, diet issues and new issues. The visit generally entails rounding out the treatment plan with any new information. The time is usually 30- 60 minutes.
I order standard lab panels like: CBC, chem panel, lipids, Vitamin D, Thyroid, inflammatory markers. Additionally, I use adrenal and sex hormones labs, gastrointestinal functional labs based on stool cultures, food sensitivities (IgG, IgA IgE), SIBO, neurotransmitters, Boston Heart Labs (comprehensive panels for cholesterol, inflammation, absorption and genetics related to heart health) and others for genetics and metabolism.
Each case presents a different set of circumstances and timelines.
Healing is an individual journey. Healing happens on the mental emotional and physical level. Healing is the journey towards better balance. We all have a myriad of things that determine our current health; our genetics (which are quickly becoming more relatable), environment and health history as well as your lifestyle and diet history determine your health. Healing is working towards a life with less pain, less stress reactivity, better lab markers and certainly feeling better energy and more joy.
After the initial appointment and looking at any labs, records or imaging, I follow up the initial treatment plan with any amendments and go over any new information. Each appointment we follow up with the treatment plan, rerun any tests that are necessary to keep an eye on certain markers and answer any questions. I am able to do extensive health coaching as a naturopathic doctor, yoga teacher and athlete. The process of healing is a journey that is individual and personal, my hope for my patients is for them to discover a place with less suffering that grows as they continue on their journey.
I stress safety in my practice and efficacy. I stay as current as possible on research. I believe everyone has the potential to react to any substance and treat my patients with the words of wisdom that they should let me know if they experience any ill effect from something I gave them. So many clients come in and tell me stories about medications they felt bad on, only to be told by their doctor that they couldn’t have that side effect with that medication. My take is anything someone takes can cause any reaction, trust your instincts and let the doctor know if you have a reaction.
I am willing to give all my clients the attention they need and desire to improve their health. I match my patients desire for change with my treatment plans and research. I believe spending time and getting to know my clients helps me coach my clients in making lifestyle changes or taking the supplements to improve their health. In addition working in a collaborative healing environment with other practitioners is advantageous.
Most conditions respond to some very basic healing principles, most importantly our condition is not “us” we are not our condition. Addressing our lifestyle will tip our health in a positive direction. Over the years I’ve seen people for a variety of complaints and in some way I feel I have helped them on their healing journey.
I work with coaching in my practice but I have a meet them where they are at attitude. I try to give clients only what they are willing to accomplish. Setting goals that are attainable is just as important as trying to do those goals. If a client doesn’t want to take on a change then we reassess and find alternative routes. In most chronic cases the more lifestyle changes a person is willing to make the fewer supplements maybe needed down the road. I strongly encourage a nutrient dense diet, which would provide most of your nutrient needs.
Naturopathic medicine is western medicine. it is a hybrid of botanical medicine, physical medicine, homeopathy, and dietary changes and supplements. The prescriptive and surgical nature of allopathic care in the United States is changing. The people of this nation are finding they feel better and live better when engaged in naturopathic medicine. One is not exclusive of the other, medications and surgery are essential in many medical conditions but combining that with naturopathic care either integrating or exclusively can be the best answer for most patients and many conditions.
Many insurance policies cover naturopathic medicine. You can contact my biller to ensure that you are covered. Prices are available for paying at time of service.
No, we can address all conditions with diet, lifestyle, and hydrotherapy. My goal is to give patients no more supplements than they can commit to. I try to be a formula expert and provide multiple ingredients in one or more formulas. If you have a complicated and/or intense situation you may have more formulas up front but my goal is to get all my patients on as few supplements as possible.
