I was looking through a past journal entry* and found this gem: “You are worthy” - Trust the knowledge inside yourself that you are worthy. The fact that you were created means you have a right to be here and a right to happiness. 

Remember:

• The universe is alive, wise and compassionate and brin
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Q1; I think we must start with you and your experiences with mental illness and cancer. Can you share an, understandably abbreviated, version of your health journey?

Yes, my mental health issues started first – one could say at age 14 with the onset of menstruation came severe acne for which I w...

The Naturopathic Basic Treatment Guidelines are your comprehensive guide to optimizing health and well-being through natural practices. These guidelines support various body systems with simple yet effective routines rooted in naturopathic principles, enhancing natural healing, boosting immunity, an...

Everyone has stress in their life.  The important thing is to bring awareness to what causes you to move into a sympathetic (ie stress) state and use tools (like the mindful 4R approach, journalling, exercise, etc) to help recenter yourself. A helpful practice is the Energy Givers/Robbers exercise -...

What a difference 30 years can make! If you would have told my younger self that I would be in the position I am today – I would not have believed you. You see, 30 years ago on Jun 9, 1994 I attempted suicide (the 1st of 3 attempts). It was a fateful day in my life in more ways than one. This past w...

Our son is graduating from Grade 12 this year and will be embarking on his university journey starting at the University of Alberta in September studying International Business. I thought I would share a commencement speech by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen that resonated with me – I ho...

If you go into a health food store, you will find many types of detoxification kits: heavy metal, liver, bowel, kidney and more. I recommend that you do detoxification or cleansing programs under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor. To assess the need to do a detoxification program, complete th...

Prior to going to Paris & London for my first time in 1993 I decided to read George Orwell’s book “Down and out in Paris and London” – the book is part memoir about Orwell’s slip into homelessness. It opened my eyes to how quickly this can happen. As someone who is adopted, I have lived with the fea...

The sole reason I became a naturopathic doctor was that when I was struggling with my illness, there weren’t many natural mental health experts in practice. Now, many years later, I have made it my life’s work to help those who are struggling with their mental health using natural therapies. Beyond ...

Virtually everything that is “wrong with you” or “wrong with your patients” began as a compensation, as a survival mechanism in childhood. Therefore, it deserves nothing but respect and compassion. And by that I mean not only dysfunctional patterns and behaviours, I also mean diagnoses. This quote i...

Our society is suffering. Mental health issues are on the rise amongst all age groups. In a recent article about loneliness Dr. Chris,ND offered a powerful reframe to this question: On a broader societal level, in which way is loneliness among our youth harming our communities and society?

Actually...