About me
Hi, I’m Laura! I’m a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) working in beautiful North Vancouver, BC.
It was during the final stretch of RMT school that I realized I was hungry for a bigger scope of practice to help people with. I started practicing as a massage therapist in 2014, and that same year began my Bachelor of Health Sciences degree. I went on to complete a second Bachelor of General Studies, and finally the four year Naturopathic Medicine program at CCNM-Boucher.
Now I get to apply my decade+ of experience as an RMT and implement the large scope of practice that NDs in BC can use to help their patients. I have additional training in IV therapies, cosmetic injections, and ultrasound-guided injections for musculoskeletal conditions. practice areas of interest include women’s health, sports injuries & pain management, and cardiovascular & metabolic health. I believe in the power of naturopathic medicine: that prevention is better than cure, patient education is paramount, and it’s essential to treat both the whole person and the root cause wherever possible.
When I’m not at work, I’m usually outside. I love mountain biking, skiing, travelling, and hiking with my family.
About naturopathic medicine
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Preventative, holistic, personalized, integrative, root cause medicine!
The 6 principles that guide naturopathic medicine are: do no harm, the healing power of nature, identify & treat the cause, doctor as teacher, treat the whole person, and prevention.
Naturopathic doctors use the therapeutic order as guidelines to help address the underlying cause of symptoms while using the least force necessary. At the foundation lie things we often address first that are instrumental to health, including nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management.
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In BC, NDs are considered primary care providers, meaning we can diagnose and treat a wide range of common medical conditions, and can manage your health care over time.
With additional certification, NDs in BC can prescribe pharmaceuticals, administer intravenous (IV) therapy, and perform more invasive procedures, such as regenerative injection therapy and aesthetic injections. This means we can truly be integrative in our approach, combining lifestyle modifications that address the foundations of health with more potent forms of treatment when needed.
Naturopathic medicine is a regulated healthcare profession in BC. We are regulated by the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC).
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Because we have such a large scope of practice in BC, you’ll notice that different NDs have different areas of focus. Some might base their practice on hormone health or digestion, others might have a more general practice.
Many NDs offer a brief complementary 'meet & greet' visit, which is a great way to see if you will be a good fit for one another.
Your hour-long initial visit will include a deep dive into your health history and your current concerns or goals. This is so we can apply our naturopathic principles of treating the whole person and finding & treating the root cause.
Services I offer
This section tends to ✨evolve✨
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I offer complementary 15 minute meet & greet appointments so we can explore working together
Your initial appointment is one hour. This lets me get a clear picture of you & your health so I can treat the whole person, not just the symptoms
Follow up appointments vary in length and are offered at 30, 45, or 60 minutes
Telemedicine appointments are available
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This is a big part of naturopathic medicine. Nutrition, stress management, sleep, and exercise are some of the foundations of health. As in, we’re not cooking with gas until we’ve addressed these factors that are well-evidenced to influence our health
Tweaking nutrition might be easier than you think, and has some serious potential upside!
Lifestyle counselling includes exercise recommendations, stress management techniques, and more
Counselling itself allows us address your mental-emotional health, which we know impacts physical health
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Blood work to assess thyroid function, metabolic markers (blood sugar & lipids), liver health, cardiovascular risk, autoimmune markers, & more
Hormone testing
Urinalysis & stool analysis
And more: minerals, cultures, ECG, iron studies, vaginal swabs, holter monitor
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B12 injections to treat & prevent deficiency as well as benefit energy, cognition, mood, nerve function, & more
Vitamin D injections to correct deficiency & bypass GI absorption issues as well as benefit immune function, mood & mental health, hormone balance, skin health, & much more
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Myers cocktails, Immune IVs, & iron infusions
For rapid administration of nutrients directly into the blood stream
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With additional training, NDs in BC can prescribe medication
Pharmaceuticals help us manage conditions like high blood pressure & diabetes while we also make evidence based diet & lifestlye changes that help address the root cause
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Neuromodulator injections reduce the appearance of wrinkles & fine lines
Commonly used to address forehead lines, crow’s feet, frown lines, and much more
A relatively quick & minimally invasive procedure with little downtime
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Injection of a solution that creates a controlled inflammatory reaction meant to regenerate & strengthen affected tissues
A minimally invasive procedure for joint instability & pain, tendonitis, ligament sprains, and more
Aims to improve function, reduce pain, enhance mobility
I perform these injections under ultrasound guidance for increased safety, precision, & effectiveness
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Subcutaneous (just under the skin) injections of dextrose to treat nerve-related conditions. Excellent safety profile! Used for carpal tunnel syndrome, trigeminal neuralgia, other peripheral neuropathies, post herpetic neuralgia, musculoskeletal pain, & more.
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Trigger point injections: to treat pain related to myofascial trigger points
Dry needling/IMS: safe & effective option for musculoskeletal pain and trigger point release
Steroid injections: to reduce inflammation & relieve pain
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Can’t get it from your diet? Supplement! When we need targeted support for health goals or specific nutritional needs, we can explore using supplements
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Jim Rohn
More questions?
