INITIAL VISIT
Your first visit with me will be longer than most follow ups, usually about 90 minutes. I will ask you to discuss your chief concern(s) in detail and will also ask you a series of questions on other body systems, understand your health history and goals for treatment and possibly perform some physical exams, if indicated.
I ask every new patient to take some time to fill out the online intake forms and submit those at least 24 hours before your scheduled visit time (see the Book Now page for details). This way you can take your time filling out the information at your own pace and there is no need to show up earlier than your reserved slot. These forms will allow us to take more time discussing your concerns and addressing your questions when we meet in person, rather than trying to collect all that information on the spot.
FOLLOW UP VISITS
Following our first visit, we will schedule your follow up a week or two from that date. I take your case home and really think about what treatment strategies would both be most effective for you while at the same time working within the bounds of your personal preferences and constraints. You can rest assured that much research, thought and care has been taken in putting it together.
Your second visit is where we discuss the various aspects of the Initial Treatment Plan I’ve drawn up for you. Generally speaking, there will always be some dietary and/or lifestyle changes suggested, laboratory testing options offered, as well as supplements and/or botanicals recommended. It’s important to note that, regardless of my initial plans for you, you are always the one in the driver’s seat when it comes to your health. Everything is an open discussion, and I always welcome my patients to tell me if something won’t work for them or if a modification is required – the entire point is to get you to a point of success towards your own goals for your health, not mine.
Your third visit usually comes 3-4 weeks later. We will assess any such lab results, adjust supplements or botanicals if need be, and troubleshoot any sticking points or challenges with respect to diet and lifestyle interventions. In this visit, we will also continue to address any concerns not originally discussed.
Sometimes follow ups will be progress checks, sometimes they will include new treatment strategies or options moving forward, and sometimes they will be entirely dedicated to the treatment itself (an acupuncture or hydrotherapy session, for example).
Something I will repeat when we’re together in our first or follow up visits is this: I recognize that life is so busy and these are huge changes we are discussing. You are always encouraged to attend your scheduled appointment regardless of whether or not you’ve made any changes at all. I find that the value of naturopathic visits lies much more in strengthening an understanding of your health through education together and in how powerfully that motivates change, rather than in any sort of ‘homework’ check. Please don’t ever let life-craziness be a deterrent or roadblock to your consistency with naturopathic care.
It’s important to appreciate that you are the one doing the healing. Dietary and lifestyle changes will always be recommended and are, in almost every case, the real launching pad to feeling better. Follow up visits will help keep your treatment perfectly adjusted to your changing needs, but they are also helpful in keeping you accountable.
The exact number of visits you will need to help resolve your chief concern(s) is, of course, entirely case dependent, but as you are feeling better, know that the progress checks become shorter and much less frequent.
Once you are feeling well, seasonal check-ins are a great way of preventing illness and keeping you in optimal health.