Approach to Patient Care:

What makes a Naturopathic Doctor different from a conventional Medical Doctor?

Naturopathic doctors are trained with a unique philosophy that given the right conditions, the body has an innate ability to heal. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I utilize the philosophy of the Therapeutic Order to guide my use of natural therapies and modern medical interventions to support healing.

“The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Therefore, the physician must start from nature, with an open mind.”

– Paracelsus

Individualized Collaborative Care:

I take time to listen to my patient’s story and understand the timeline of their unique health experiences. My intention is to understand their goals and together we create a personalized treatment plan that is aligned with their beliefs, realistic, and sustainable for their health goals.

Integrative Therapies:

I utilize a variety of different healing modalities ranging from lower to higher force interventions on the Therapeutic Order. My goal is always to use choose the safest and most effective therapies to support the bodies natural healing abilities. Many of these interventions work in synergy to address the root cause of dysfunction and support comprehensive whole person care.

Patient Education and Empowerment:

Knowledge is power. I take time to share my understandings of disease, natural health, and modern sciences to guide individuals towards making informed choices about their health.

CORE PRINCIPLES OF NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

1. The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae):

The human body has an inherent wisdom, and when given the right conditions and environment, has the ability to heal itself. Naturopathic doctors encourage use of clean water, fresh air, and natural substances to support healing.

2. First Do No Harm (Primum Non Nocere):

All medical professionals value safe and effective strategies. A Naturopathic Doctor’s approach to care is influenced by the Therapeutic Order. NDs first use the least invasive intervention with minimal side effects before utilizing higher force interventions.

3. Identifying and Treating the Root Cause (Tolle Causum):

Rather than symptom suppression, Naturopathic Doctors aim to identify the cause of disease and remove obstacles to cure.

4. Treat the Whole Person (Tolle Totum):

Naturopathic Doctors recognize the connection between the physical, emotional, and spirit aspects of the human experience. The whole person is a product of their environment and lifestyle.

5. Doctor As Teacher (Docere):

Naturopathic Doctors provide education and teach individuals how to participate in their healing and advocate for their health.

6. Prevention and Wellness (Praevenic):

Naturopathic Doctors emphasize disease prevention by identifying risk factors and establishing foundations of health that prevent disease and maintain wellness.

References

• Finnell, J. S., Snider, P., Myers, S. P., & Zeff, J. (2019). A Hierarchy of Healing: Origins of the Therapeutic Order and Implications for Research. Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), 18(3), 54–59.
• Zeff JL, Snider P, Myers S, DeGrandpre Z. A Hierarchy of Healing: The Therapeutic Order. A Unifying Theory of Naturopathic Medicine. In: Pizzorno JE, Murray M, eds. Textbook of Natural Medicine. Missouri: Churchill Livingston; 2013.