I stumbled upon naturopathic medicine 10 years ago while in the midst of my own health crisis. I was a professional ballet dancer who had always been healthy and able to keep up with the rigor of dancing 8 hours daily. Seemingly out of the blue I developed debilitating fatigue, digestive issues, and rapid onset of weight gain. The shift was perplexing at the time, but looking back it’s clear that the mental and physical stress was too much for my body to keep up with.

I saw numerous doctors who ran dozens of tests, none of which could explain what was going on. Because all resulted normal, I was “fine”. Fine was anything but what I actually was, so I took matters into my own hands. I dove into the world of Google, in the hopes of finding anything that would bring clarity to the situation. Specific answers didn’t come as easily as I’d liked, but learning about health & wellness became a new hobby. I spent hours each night with my eyes glued to the computer screen, becoming increasingly excited by nerdy facts about the body. It was in this search that I also came across naturopathic medicine and decided to take the leap.

Within minutes of sitting down with my first ever naturopathic doctor, I felt a wave of peace rush over me. I quickly realized that spending time with a person, really listening to their concerns, and validating their experience is medicine in itself. Hope is also a key ingredient of the healing process, which is what I felt leaving the office that day. It was a combination of this experience, along with my newfound excitement for learning, that led to the aha moment that the pain and suffering was a necessary step in discovering my true calling.

Years later, I’m still navigating parts of my own health journey. There are times when this feels frustrating. I have thoughts like - how can I help others if I haven’t fully healed myself? The fact though is that the ups and downs are what help me in my role as a healer. I’m continuously learning through my own experiences and sharing those insights with my patients. Being able to relate to their suffering creates a bond that I otherwise may not have. While I’d rather have not had the experience of all being turned upside down by unexpected health issues, I’m grateful for what life threw at me.