That picture of the person skiing — that was me in 2002, during my 7th and final year competing for Canada’s Alpine Ski Team. Although those experiences as an athlete occurred decades ago, they continue to inspire and influence my work today.
When you experience our health care system as an athlete, you very quickly learn that our system is largely reactive, and as an athlete you have to work hard to find additional information that relates to improving your performance and preventing challenges.
Another thing that impressed upon me was the degree to which different health professionals were hyper specialized and somewhat disconnected from one another in the way they provided advice over time. With so many specialists providing advice in separate silos, it was quite challenging to tie it all together in a practical way.
So, I was inspired to become a health professional that was both pro-active and multi-skilled, so that I could assist those who are asking more from their health and bodies (athletes for instance) as well as those who are experiencing more complex health challenges that would benefit from multiple treatment modalities and a ‘bird’s eye view’ of treatment at all times.
That long-winded story encapsulates my practice style today - multi-skilled with a focus on optimal performance and prevention. I began my practice as a Naturopathic Doctor in 2008, initially focusing my attention on assisting athletes and those with chronic physical complaints. For the first 5 years, I travelled and took various additional courses on sports medicine and exercise to further my understanding of how I could help people perform better and prevent injury.
In 2012, I was experiencing challenges helping patients manage their body weight, and so I decided to travel to the USA for a week long conference on obesity management. This changed my life and changed the course of my practice — I realized that my broad skill set, primary care training, and emphasis on diet and exercise therapies, placed me in a unique position to assist patients with obesity. Since that time I have accumulated hundreds of hours in courses and practical experience helping patients who require weight management and intensive lifestyle management. In 2022, I became a Certified Bariatric Educator, a designation put forward by Obesity Canada that acknowledges experience and knowledge in this area. I also have a Diploma in Counselling for Obesity Management (DCOM).
I continue to work as a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor in BC, in both Vancouver and Whistler, and I enjoy a full scope of practice including prescribing authority.
I look forward to offering you the additional time, skills and expertise that your important health goals require. Contact me and let’s get started.