FAQ

What's BHRT?

BHRT stands for bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, and includes estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormones.

Prescription hormones help to replace insufficient or deficient levels of hormones. This helps to restore physiological functions, and is an important treatment option for patients needing thyroid, fertility, or peri-menopausal/menopausal support.

What happens during your sessions?

Our first few sessions are dedicated to information gathering. We’ll go through your detailed health history; from your diet, to your lifestyle, medications and supplements you use, to sleep, family, and personal health histories. We’ll order lab testing to assess your state of health, and determine if anything needs our immediate attention (e.g. anemia, thyroid dysfunction, elevated cholesterol or sugars). Together, we’ll create a treatment plan that may include supplements, dietary and lifestyle changes, or medication.

As part of your healing, we’ll explore what may be standing in the way of the kind of life you want to live. Exploring how you respond to stress and what reoccurring challenges you may have will help me discover what beliefs you hold that may not be serving you.

What if I don’t want to discuss a 
past trauma?

Our work isn’t about reliving past experiences and painful memories. Arguably, some things we do remember are distorted by the passage of time, or possibly even inaccurate. What we’ll focus on together is exploring the stories we tell ourselves, and imagining how we think things may have been like in order to better understand how we came to be as we are now. In doing so, we can begin to choose what we need to adjust or leave behind, in order to live our best and most fulfilling lives today.

How long does the healing process take?

Healing is a journey; not a destination. Rarely is there a ‘done!’ moment – it’s a life process that gets better with time. I’ll help you learn to use tools that help you feel more empowered, and you’ll begin to feel more equipped to navigate life’s inevitable challenges with a greater ease, resilience, and sense of empowerment.

Every individual’s healing journey is different – you’ll know we’re on the right track when you begin to gain more insights into how you came to be the way you are, and begin to choose how you want to live, in a more mindful, and joyful way.

What are your COVID-19 protocols?

Due to COVID-19, all consultations are currently virtual. I look forward to seeing my patients again in-person when it’s safe to do-so.

I live outside Canada. Can I work with you?

At this time, I’m licensed to practice in Ontario only. I’m able to work with patients virtually who are currently in Ontario.

Are there any tax benefits for naturopathic treatments?

Yes, naturopathic services are eligible for a tax credit. For more information, visit the government of Canada’s website here.

How do supplements and prescriptions fit into your treatment?

As a naturopathic doctor, I prescribe natural health products (also known as supplements) to treat, mitigate, or prevent a disease, disorder, or abnormal physiological state, or its symptoms in patients. Supplements can help to restore, correct, or modify organic functions in humans to promote optimal health.

Prescription hormones on the other hand, help to replace insufficient or deficient levels of hormones. This helps to restore physiological functions, like in the case of thyroid function, during the menopausal transition, or to attempt to prevent spontaneous/recurrent miscarriage.

All prescriptions and medicinal products suggested in my practice are accompanied with the appropriate treatment and conversations around what to expect.

What do you mean by trauma-informed, and how does it affect my health?

Trauma is a complex description – while I work with patients on their trauma as part of my practice, it may be a different process than what you assume. When we hear the term ‘trauma,’ acute events like sexual or physical assault, war, or serious accidents come to mind. While these are undoubtedly traumatic events that can lead to toxic stress, this view doesn’t wholly encompass what the latest research in neuroscience and psychology defines as trauma.

Trauma isn’t so much an event, as much as how our nervous systems relate to and experience whatever is happening in our environment. One form of trauma that’s more commonplace than we realize is early attachment trauma, which is a disruption in the bond with caregivers at a young age, and can range from abuse to abondonment and neglect, leaving our nervous systems overwhelmed, or dysregulated. A repeatedly dysregulated nervous system can have subtle, yet long-lasting effects on your emotional health, and are a risk factor for a host of health problems, from anxiety and depression, to diabetes, heart disease, fibromyalgia, and cancer.

Trauma-informed means having an awareness of the prevalence of trauma, and an understanding of its impact on physical, emotional, and mental health. In this way, all my patients receive treatments to help register and heal past trauma, resulting in a calmer and happier state of being.

How do I prepare for my first visit?

We’ll be able to make the most of your visit if you arrive with as much of your detailed medical history as possible, including any health data or information such as previous blood work, imaging results, or assessments from other healthcare providers. Please have a detailed list of all your current medications and supplements, as well as your online intake form and consent forms signed.

Do you accept insurance, or have payment plans available?

Not at this time. Please check with your insurance, as they may provide coverage for you.

Is naturopathic care covered under OHIP?

Naturopathic care isn’t covered by OHIP, although it’s often covered under many extended benefit plans (you can check your coverage to see if you can get reimbursed). Please note: naturopathic fees are HST exempt, meaning there are no taxes on my services.
Additional charges may be incurred for supplements prescribed during your visit, or for lab tests required to aid in your diagnosis.