It seems like yesterday that I stepped out of the frantic corporate world to put my life on a different path. Through the trials and tribulations of that journey came a confidence that I was doing the right thing. That was 1997, I started the clinic in Waterdown in 2002, and am as passionate about my work now as I was then.
Over the years, through advanced training in both Naturopathic and Functional medicine, my practice has been naturally drawn to more complex, chronic illness: First and foremost Multiple Sclerosis as well as other conditions that impact the brain such as Lyme Disease, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Dementia; Autoimmune disease; troubling digestive disorders, and stress-related illness.
In 1985 I was diagnosed (with MS) myself and sent home with a grave prognosis and no hope. I quickly began coaching people with MS and eventually returned to naturopathic medical school so that I could do more.
I take my naturopathic oath of ‘docere’ (doctor as teacher) very seriously, every clinic visit has an element of learning and discussion so you come away with more than just a prescription. I love group work whether here in the clinic, as a conference speaker, or at a talk out in the community. The flip side is that I also love to learn myself and have extensive training and experience in different biotherapies such as biotherapeutic drainage, bioenergetic medicine and homotoxicology, to truly access the ‘root of the problem.’
Working Together
My role is to listen carefully to your history to identify preceding factors, patterns of imbalance and potential negative influences (genetic, environmental, lifestyle etc) that may be contributing to your illness and acting as obstacles to better health. Then, to create a therapeutic plan that includes diet, lifestyle and self-care to build a foundation for healing, and the use of targeted therapeutics to address your main concerns on a deeper level.
I feel privileged to work with countless men and women to reduce the impact of chronic illness on their lives. It’s not always easy but it is an incredible time of hope in healthcare. Working through the process of health recovery is deeply empowering and helps you build a new understanding of your health. It not only changes your life but touches the lives of family, friends and community too.
Functional Medicine
I am a staunchly traditional Naturopathic Doctor and at the same time am fascinated with the obvious changes in medicine, as we know it. This led to me to Functional Medicine in 2008 and by 2014 I had completed the certification exams with the Institute of Functional Medicine. Bringing together traditional Naturopathic Medicine, Functional Medicine and the most current, and oh so exciting, emerging science really makes allows new insights to emerge, new solutions develop, and we all benefit.
A Functional Medicine motto “changing the way we do medicine” says it all because we are experiencing a time of profound change in medicine, one of true integration, where the doctor-patient relationship is driven by patient needs and effective treatment must include more than pharmaceuticals.