I have to admit this is not the first version of my about page. The original one was everything I thought a doctor’s about me page should be. And quite frankly, it was painstakingly boring!
Since I know the first question I need to answer is, “are you legit?” the following paragraph will get to the chase and give you what you need to know straight away. After that, we can move on to more interesting things.
My academic career began at Brock University where I graduated with first-class distinction in an honour’s bachelor of science from the department of health sciences. After completing this degree, I was accepted into the largest North American 4 year naturopathic medical program at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto
I currently serve British Columbia via telemedicine and in-person visits as a naturopath in Brentwood Burnaby, BC.
If you’d like to skim some of the nitty-gritty check out my online resume, that’s where I highlight all my glorious show and tell accolades. If you are more interested in the person that I am than the letters after my name or the trophies on my shelf, keep reading here.
My Story
How does one decide to become a naturopathic physician? Let’s face it, most people pass much of life without really knowing what a naturopathic physician does, how to explain it, and especially what to expect from one. For many naturopathic medicine docs, naturopathic medicine is something they stumbled upon during a personal health crisis that led them to an interest in pursuing it as a career. For me it was different. I actually knew at quite a young age that I wanted to be a naturopathic doctor. When nobody knew what one was I was on a streamlined path to reach my goal. I wrote my grade 10 career project on naturopathic medicine and I knew exactly what courses I would need in high school to apply to pre-med in university to fulfill my application requirements for naturopathic medical school.
Why was it that when most people my age didn’t know what one was I knew that was what I wanted to do? It all very likely started with the random chance that I was the child of my parents. My father, a world class and Olympic level wrestler knew the synergistic importance of both physical and mental fitness to health and success. My mother, an incredible teacher, was also a lifelong learner herself studying and reading all she could on health and nutrition. While I was growing up, I regularly saw my naturopathic physician and in less than a handful of times found myself with my medical doctor, not due to avoidance, simply due to the fact that my health concerns were very well managed by my naturopathic physician. From then on I knew naturopathic medicine offered the solutions I wanted to provide.
Who should you choose as your naturopathic doctor in British Columbia?
I wish I could answer that question for you because google tells me y’all searching for the best naturopathic doctor and I’ll tell ya I’ve been recognized. And I wish I could scream out saying it’s me. The truth is for some of you it will be me and for others, it won’t be me. So learn a little about me here but the BEST way to try me on for size before you spend your first dollar is to access my FREE masterclass here.
What you need to know about me as a naturopathic doctor:
- I don’t know everything and won’t pretend I do.
- I’m a healthy skeptic, a critical thinker and very resourceful.
- I feel very confident in my ability to look for answers and read the research. I’m a PubMed geek.
- I love to teach and educate. I’m in the continual process of creating new visuals to simplify and aid me in presenting complex topics in the visit. This is a key to collaborative care, since now you truly have an opportunity to understand and take an active role in your health.
What I shouldn’t tell you, but I will anyway:
That’s right folks. I wish I was born with a taste bud mutation that made sugar and fat taste like the devil. For me, la piece de résistance is pizza, I automatically salivate at the smell or talk of a good pizza. I get it! So, yes, just because I’m a naturopath doesn’t mean I have this innate gift of gagging at anything that is not wholesome. That being said, I have learned to establish some healthy thinking about food that contributes to some healthier choices. This is a continual, never-ending journey I believe we are all on.
On The Personal Side…
Things you might find me doing:
- Mama-ing a girl and boy!
- Figure Skating and Acro-yoga-ing. I love the combo of movement, athletics and expression of musicality.
- Outdoor adventuring. Green therapy. The trees are my chill place.
- Reading. And to let my full-on geek flag show usually non-fiction books. Always want to come out knowing something new and exciting.
- Lately, when I’m not in the Burnaby naturopathic clinic I’ve been spending much time behind the good old computer. I’m passionate about education and feel strongly that there are ways I can improve this by using technology in my practice. From creating certain graphs to simplify harder concepts to creations of specific programs.
That’s it, folks, the cat’s out of the bag.
This should give you a good chance to love me or ….. love me not as much. That’s ok. Naturopathic medicine has a lot to offer and you should find the Burnaby naturopathic doctor that works for you. By now you should also have a pretty good sense of who I would like to work with as well. I’m looking to work with people who have a sense of humour, and are light-hearted but ready for a change in their health. I’m here to be your collaborative partner.
That said, if you think we’re a fit I’d love to see you in the clinic!
In health,
Dr. Melanie.
P.S. Je suis une Canadienne française. Despite my best efforts please don’t be surprised if you catch some typos or grammar mistakes. Consider them a gift. I’m a doctor first and I love to educate. I feel more confident about the content I produce than the tense of the verb. I’m still making an effort to evolve my writing skills but until then enjoy the show.