Maybe you’ve seen a naturopathic doctor before, maybe not, doesn’t matter. Chances are, working with me will be a bit different. So let’s start fresh.
Please throw "doctor knows best" out the window
And while you’re at it, throw out the covert misogyny, the fear mongering, the gate keeping of medical knowledge and the casual dismissiveness that so many experience with conventional medical care. "Doctor knows best" steals your power, reinforces the narrative that the solution to your concerns lies outside of your self, and elevates the doctor to a position of power over your body that they don't deserve.
Let's role up our sleeves and dig in, together.
I cannot do the healing for you. You do the work. You make the choices everyday. You choose what goes in your mouth and when and how you move your body. I help guide and inform where to focus so you get results from your efforts.
In order to make progress we each need to do some heavy lifting. There is shared responsibility. Here's a rough breakdown of our expected roles:
What to expect
Your Responsibilities:
Clear and honest communication. With yourself and with me.
What are your concerns?
What are your goals?
What works for you? What is possible for you? What are your constraints:
eg: limited bandwidth, money, personal preference, commitment/motivation
What, deep down, is the thing you know you need to do
What are the obstacle(s) to cure
Boldness and courage
Kindness, patience, understanding
— If you want things to change, you have to be willing to change. —
Dr. Laura’s Responsibilities:
Kindness, validation and no judgement
Structure and clarity on the strategy
What additional information do we need?
Physical exam? Lab tests? Imaging?
What else could it be?
What do these symptoms mean in context of the whole health picture?
E.g. Hormones: Estrogen/Thyroid/Adrenal, Gut, Inflammation, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Toxins, Chronic Infection, Nutrient deficiencies, Genetics, etc.
What is the thread of connection between history and current symptoms? Is there a causal story?
What do these symptoms mean in context of the whole health picture?
What are tools that could be used to help this? What would be most effective?
E.g: Food, Movement, Nervous System Regulation, Sleep, Supplements: Herbs, Vitamins, Nutrients/amino acids, etc.