I really do define myself by the principles and guiding philosophy of naturopathic medicine. However, it's helpful for you to know what to expect when you see me!
First visit
Please come early to complete my forms! They're not too, too long, but I don't want it to eat into our visit time! I like to book 90 minutes for our first visit together to give us plenty of time to get to know each other. We may not need the whole time, but I want to gather as much information about your (or your child) as possible in order to understand what might be contributing to your concerns. I also want you to get a sense of whether you think I'm a good fit for you! Naturopathic doctors can practice quite differently, and it's important that you jive with me ... if you don't, let me know and I'd be happy to recommend someone else.
I'll be asking questions about your health concerns, your lifestyle and your family history. In quite a lot of detail. Be prepared! Most people really appreciate how thorough it is. If there are physical exams that are relevant to your concerns, I'll perform those. I can order relevant lab work, but I really prefer that your tax dollars go to good use, so I'm more likely to write a letter to your medical doctor (I do recommend all my patients have a relationship with a medical doctor in case their expertise and scope is ever needed) explaining that my requisition won't allow OHIP to cover the cost.
I usually have a pretty good sense at the end of the first appointment where to begin. I almost always have a few initial recommendations, but I will need to take all that info away with me to put together a more comprehensive plan. Expect homework!
Second visit
I like to meet again within a couple of weeks, usually for an hour, to go over my longer term recommendations, and to find out how the initial suggestions worked out. Don't worry if you didn't do things perfectly! It's all an experiment, and finding out what was difficult about it, or why it didn't help ... or more often how much it did ... is part of the process. I'll present my plan, which likely includes some lifestyle adjustments, possibly some medicinal herbs, or a supplement. I may also talk to you about how a traditional Chinese assessment could be helpful, or whether homeopathy could be a good fit. I do a fair bit of counselling in my practice - I'm not a psychotherapist, and if you're struggling with significant mental health concerns, I will strongly suggest on - but it's often helpful to have someone reflect discrepancies between what you want and the choices you're making in your life.
Follow up appointments
Depending on the complexity of your health concerns, I try to not book more frequently than at least every six weeks - you need the time to integrate my suggestions and see how they work. It's possible that we'll need to check in more frequently than that at times depending on what we're doing, and the length of the visit (typically 30-60 minutes) depends on your needs. Sometimes this can be done over the phone or video chat if getting into the clinic is tricky.
Once you're doing well and happy with where your health is, I suggest quarterly check-ins to make sure your preventative habits are on track. And of course - I'm always available for new things that come up! If you're not sure if I can help, drop me a line!
First visit
Please come early to complete my forms! They're not too, too long, but I don't want it to eat into our visit time! I like to book 90 minutes for our first visit together to give us plenty of time to get to know each other. We may not need the whole time, but I want to gather as much information about your (or your child) as possible in order to understand what might be contributing to your concerns. I also want you to get a sense of whether you think I'm a good fit for you! Naturopathic doctors can practice quite differently, and it's important that you jive with me ... if you don't, let me know and I'd be happy to recommend someone else.
I'll be asking questions about your health concerns, your lifestyle and your family history. In quite a lot of detail. Be prepared! Most people really appreciate how thorough it is. If there are physical exams that are relevant to your concerns, I'll perform those. I can order relevant lab work, but I really prefer that your tax dollars go to good use, so I'm more likely to write a letter to your medical doctor (I do recommend all my patients have a relationship with a medical doctor in case their expertise and scope is ever needed) explaining that my requisition won't allow OHIP to cover the cost.
I usually have a pretty good sense at the end of the first appointment where to begin. I almost always have a few initial recommendations, but I will need to take all that info away with me to put together a more comprehensive plan. Expect homework!
Second visit
I like to meet again within a couple of weeks, usually for an hour, to go over my longer term recommendations, and to find out how the initial suggestions worked out. Don't worry if you didn't do things perfectly! It's all an experiment, and finding out what was difficult about it, or why it didn't help ... or more often how much it did ... is part of the process. I'll present my plan, which likely includes some lifestyle adjustments, possibly some medicinal herbs, or a supplement. I may also talk to you about how a traditional Chinese assessment could be helpful, or whether homeopathy could be a good fit. I do a fair bit of counselling in my practice - I'm not a psychotherapist, and if you're struggling with significant mental health concerns, I will strongly suggest on - but it's often helpful to have someone reflect discrepancies between what you want and the choices you're making in your life.
Follow up appointments
Depending on the complexity of your health concerns, I try to not book more frequently than at least every six weeks - you need the time to integrate my suggestions and see how they work. It's possible that we'll need to check in more frequently than that at times depending on what we're doing, and the length of the visit (typically 30-60 minutes) depends on your needs. Sometimes this can be done over the phone or video chat if getting into the clinic is tricky.
Once you're doing well and happy with where your health is, I suggest quarterly check-ins to make sure your preventative habits are on track. And of course - I'm always available for new things that come up! If you're not sure if I can help, drop me a line!
The land on which I live, work and play is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Toronto is in the 'Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoon is a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect. I also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by the Toronto Purchase, Treaty 13, signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaty signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.
