How to Find the Naturopathic Doctor Who Will Help You Achieve Your Health Goals
By: Amanda Bourbonais
Tags: Wellness, Health, Chronic Illness, Alternative Medicine, Self Improvement

Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash

The Process

1. Search Online

Shockingly, the first thing you’re going to do is turn to Google. But there are specifications! The first is don’t limit yourself to someone in your city. In my opinion, a good practitioner is worth a two or three-hour drive, or more if you’re willing, especially if you’re only seeing them a few times a year. Plus, after the initial appointment, the ND may offer appointments over the phone or via Skype, Zoom, etc., if you prefer not to drive.

The next is to search for practitioners with a specialty in the area you want to focus on. Maybe it’s mental health, weight loss, or digestive health. Just like regular medical doctors, NDs often specialize in a certain area, though they are more aware of the interconnectedness of the body and can help you with your overall health as well.

Then, make a list of the practitioners’ names, locations, phone numbers, and specialties (if you’re looking for more than one).

2. Give Them a Call

Now here’s the cool part. When you’re looking for the right ND for you, you can actually call them up and speak to them. How many times have you been able to call your primary care physician and speak to them directly about your concerns? For me, never, at least not without wading through a million transfers and even then the best I’ve gotten is: “Make an appointment.”

And then you gotta take your chances that there will be an appointment available sometime in the next 25 years. Okay, obviously I’m exaggerating, but I’m sure you understand my frustration.

The point is, most NDs offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if you’ll be a good fit for their practice, and to get to know your concerns a little bit. Cool, right? So you can schedule those phone consultations and see what each practitioner has to offer. For me, this took about a week to speak to four or five docs.

Please do not skip this step and simply pick the practitioner closest to you. I know like it might seem like a lot of upfront investment, but if you’re going to spend your hard-earned money on an appointment, you want to make sure they’ll be a good fit for you. Trust me; I speak from experience.

Photo by Akshar Dave on Unsplash

3. What to Ask

When you get them on the phone, here’s an idea of some of the questions you should ask. Don’t forget to take notes!

After a brief explanation of your issues, ask them what their treatment approach would be . You can also mention any testing or therapies you’re interested in to see if they are familiar. Obviously, this should be your main criteria for choosing someone to work with. For example, I spoke to one practitioner who only used a certain dietary protocol for all of her patients, which she had seen excellent results with, but was not for me.

. You can also mention any testing or therapies you’re interested in to see if they are familiar. Obviously, this should be your main criteria for choosing someone to work with. For example, I spoke to one practitioner who only used a certain dietary protocol for all of her patients, which she had seen excellent results with, but was not for me. Ask how long an initial appointment is and subsequent follow-ups. An initial appointment should be at least 70–75 minutes, closer to 90 is preferable in order to have a well-rounded discussion about your concerns. Follow-ups are usually around an hour.

an initial appointment is and subsequent follow-ups. An initial appointment should be at least 70–75 minutes, closer to 90 is preferable in order to have a well-rounded discussion about your concerns. Follow-ups are usually around an hour. If they are far away, or you simply want the convenience, ask if they do appointments over the phone or video call .

. Ask how much they charge for the initial appointment and follow-ups. Hopefully, you won’t have to narrow them down by price, but let’s be real, it will be a consideration for most people.

for the initial appointment and follow-ups. Hopefully, you won’t have to narrow them down by price, but let’s be real, it will be a consideration for most people. When you finish with the call, immediately write down the impression you got from them — whether they were friendly, clinical, concerned. This was also one of the biggest indicators for me.

In my case, I ended up going with my ND based on a combination of his experience, expertise, and attitude. I remember in the phone consultation, he expressed genuine concern for what I had gone through, and he told me directly that he could help me. When you’re as sick and desperate for treatment as I was, that meant the world.

But if you’ve considered all of the above suggestions and you’re still on the fence between two or three different practitioners, now is the time to narrow them down by location and price. And remember, you can always switch to someone else if the first doesn’t work out. It’s similar to a therapist; everyone has a different approach, and sometimes, you just don’t know until you try working with them.

4. Choose a Practitioner and Schedule the First Appointment

Once you’ve narrowed down The One, call their office and schedule the initial appointment. In these 75–90 minutes, you and the ND have plenty of time to discuss your concerns, decide on any testing that might be needed, and set up a treatment plan.