You have decided to opt for holistic medicine but you’re not quite sure how to pick the right holistic doctor. We’re here to help! A holistic doctor is anyone that deals with natural, alternative, integrative, or complementary medicine. They include naturopathic doctors, chiropractors, homeopathic doctors, and osteopathic doctors. The first tip is that you should never just choose the first holistic doctor you encounter. Do your homework and make sure that your future doctor has the right background and philosophy. Find out about your potential doctor’s training, experience, background, specialty, and whether he or she has any associations to hospitals or other professional organizations. Ask about his or her treatment philosophy and treatment options. Doing so will ensure that they align with your own philosophy and treatment ideas. If you do not have a particular philosophy before researching holistic doctors, then take the time to consider whether each doctor’s philosophy and treatment plans are agreeable to you.
Your comfort is also important. Acknowledge how comfortable you are around each holistic doctor and how you feel after meeting with them. Consider how respectful they are of your own philosophy, concerns, and beliefs. Holistic medicine works best when you and your doctor work as a team; rather than when you two are in a constant battle of personal choices. Moreover, getting a good sense of who your holistic doctor is and whether he or she meshes well with you takes longer than 15 minutes. Therefore, if some doctors are not spending enough time with you in order to try and understand you better then move onto the next. Your doctor should consider you and your needs important. This cannot be the case if the doctor tries to rush you out of your first consultation!
Finally, ask lots of questions and be prepared to answer many back. Among many other questions, holistic doctors should be asking you about your beliefs and practices, sleep patterns, diet, exercise, emotions, and relationships. Consider how many questions are being asked, the types of questions, and whether you believe they will actually give the doctor a better sense of who you are. If you don’t feel as though the questions are deep enough or plenty enough to treat you properly then move on to the next doctor.
For more information about holistic doctors and medicine, contact the experienced professionals at the Vancouver Downtown Wellness Centre. In particular, Dr. Jennifer Luis has excellent Naturopathic medical training from the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in British Columbia.
