When people ask me what it is that I study and I tell them that I am studying to be a naturopath, I often get a blank stare in response accompanied with “A naturo-what?” or “What the heck is that?”. So here is the detailed response for anyone who has ever wondered what a naturopath is, what they do, and how they can help you.
So here it is:
A naturopath is an expert in natural health that helps people live healthier lives in the goal of optimizing their health to the best of their own individual abilities.
That is the short of it. So if that was enough to answer your question, you are welcome. If not, you can continue to read and learn more about the different definitions that exist based on where you live. Say what?? Yeah, you heard me, different countries and even states and provinces within countries have their own definitions of what a naturopath is and what they do.
A Naturopathic Doctor (ND) will have studied at one of the recognized institutes offering an intensive 4 to 5 year program in naturopathic medicine.
Canada and USA
I’m going to start with Canada because this is where I am studying. So within Canada there are several provinces where naturopaths are recognized. Nay, let me rephrase that, naturopathic doctors are recognized. So what’s this now? Well a naturopathic doctor (ND) will have studied at one of the recognized institutes offering an intensive 4 to 5 year program in naturopathic medicine, and I do mean medicine. They cover everything from nutrition to diagnoses. As such when they graduate they can get accredited by the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND). The naturopathic doctors can diagnose, and perform some invasive procedures such as acupuncture and minor surgeries, as long as they practice within a province or where naturopathy is recognized. The situation is basically the same in the US, where they have certain states where naturopathic doctors are recognized.
Quebec
Which brings me now to the other provinces where naturopathy is not recognized, like Quebec. Now, this is where the definition gets a bit hazy. What I mean by “recognized” by the way, is that there isn’t one singular association accepted by the government of Quebec that would lay down specific laws in regards to the practice of naturopathy. Instead, we have several independent associations* that have different requirements in terms of education in natural health, which is how we end up with different definitions of what a naturopath is and what they do. Which is a bit of a problem because there are some people who will take a couple of nutrition and aromatherapy classes and can technically call themselves naturopaths, and then there are others, such as myself, who will enroll in an intensive 4 year program, complete with anatomy, pathology, biochemistry and various other scientific courses in the goal of becoming a naturopath. Now, regardless of the school that we went to, and although we can’t agree on what it is exactly that we do, we have a list of things we cannot do. For instance, we are not allowed to perform any invasive procedures whatsoever. We are not allowed to do any physical manipulations. We cannot diagnose, and we cannot prescribe. Because we are not doctors, and I can’t stress this enough: we are not doctors, not can we replace them. Our aim is to work with doctors, not against them.
Europe
Now if we take a look across the pond, we see that yet again there are different varieties of naturopaths and natural health practitioners. In the UK it seems that it is somewhat similar to the North-American program in which they include basic sciences and condense the program into 3 years. In Germany and Switzerland however, the programs include various natural health therapies but they do not delve into the sciences too much.
So now that you know that you’re probably wondering “… So what is it exactly that you do?”. At this point I will continue to only answer in terms of what the naturopaths in Quebec with a rigorous scientific background do. We will have individual sessions with clients in which they will generally tell us about physical discomforts that they are experiencing, sometimes in relation to a diagnosed health condition, or something that they would like to improve on in terms of their health or performance. The naturopath will take a complete and extensive history on the client’s health. The Naturopath and the client will then make a plan together consisting of various lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, as well as including various therapies such as the use of supplements or herbal products to achieve said goal.
To sum it up, naturopaths educate and give you the tools to better yourselves. We don’t cure or heal you, we just help your body do that itself.
*If you are interested in learning more about naturopathy and how it can impact your health, book a session with me. For a list of other naturopaths who have gone through one of the intensive training schools, please go to l’Association des Naturopathes Agrées du Québec’s website. If you are elsewhere in Canada and would like to find a Naturopathic Doctor please go to the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors website.