What Is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care system that integrates science and traditional therapeutics with each patient’s unique constitution. It is truly unique in its ability to address various aspects of an individual’s health that may reveal patterns and root causes for disease. Naturopathic medicine is a whole-person approach, wherein patient and doctor are both involved in creating sustainable health solutions.
Naturopathic doctors practice by the following 6 principles:
First, do no harm. Utilize the most natural, least invasive and least toxic interventions to obtain results for each patient.
The healing power of nature. Trust in the body’s inherent wisdom to heal itself.
Assess risk factors and prevent disease. The best cure is prevention.
Identify and treat the root causes. Treat the underlying problems rather than only suppressing symptoms.
Treat the whole person. Provide individualized treatment that considers the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual components, recognizing that they are an integrated whole.
Doctor as teacher. Educate and a power patients to achieve and maintain good health.
Naturopathic doctors are regulated in British Columbia under the College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia (CNPBC) and the British Columbia Naturopathic Association (BCNA). For more information on Naturopathic Doctors in BC, please visit the BCNA website.
Naturopathic doctors provide both acute and chronic care for families and individuals of all ages. This means that whether you have a common cold, a ligament sprain, or simply want guidance on preventative care and longevity, NDs can be of service to you and your family.
All patients undergo a 60 minute initial assessment to determine individual factors and barriers to health, which may include functional lab assessment and/or physical assessment. Treatment plans are carried out by 30-60 minute visits as necessary, and are re-assessed at each visit based on symptom progression or resolution.
You are always involved in your own care & health choices, and you can rest assured that there is always another option.
Prevention is the best medicine.
What To Expect
Your first visit (60 minutes) with me will involve a comprehensive initial assessment, during which we will unwrap your health concerns, determine any individual barriers, and lay out a tentative plan. We will decide whether basic or functional lab assessments are required, and perform any necessary physical exam. You will have plenty of time to ask questions and discuss options.
Subsequent visits (30-45 minutes) will be outlined in your treatment plan. These visits are for treatment and re-assessment to evaluate your progression. Follow up schedules are created on an individual basis; however, we may see each other every 2-3 weeks during the first few months of treatment. We will check in at each visit to ensure that you are consistently involved in your own care & health choices.
Acute visits (15 minutes) are reserved for prescription refills, reviewing basic lab results, brief check-ins, or addressing acute concerns.
Our goal is to bring you back to a state of wellness, wherein you are
educated, aware & present in your own health.
Meet Dr. Claire Wilson, ND
Dr. Claire Wilson is a board certified Naturopathic Doctor providing care to families and individuals of all ages. While Dr. Wilson maintains a general practice, she has a specific focus and passion for treating athletic injuries and chronic pain. An activity enthusiast herself with a textbook full of injuries, she wholeheartedly understands the difficulties that come with chronic pain, and is dedicated to getting her patients back to full function as soon as possible. In addition to injury resolution, Dr. Wilson treats many patients for hormone imbalances (including thyroid), autoimmune conditions, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and general acute family care.
A graduate of the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, Dr. Wilson is certified in IV nutritional therapy, prescriptive authority (British Columbia), acupuncture/functional dry needling, and regenerative injection techniques (RIT). RIT includes prolotherapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and neural therapy.
Dr. Wilson’s treatment protocols are always individualized, and may utilize the other tools of a Naturopathic toolkit, such as functional lab testing, nutritional supplementation, botanical medicine, individualized dietary protocols, and lifestyle counselling.
Dr. Wilson is dedicated to practicing from a patient-centred philosophy. This entails individualized care, evidence-based therapeutics, and consistent patient education. She believes strongly in an interdisciplinary approach wherein the patient is always informed, aware, and actively involved in their health care choices.
Outside of her Naturopathic practice, Dr. Wilson is a 500-hr registered yoga teacher, an avid surfer, and outdoor enthusiast. She is thrilled to be accepting new patients near the beautiful mountains and oceans of coastal BC.