Naturopathy is the practice of working with the body to restore balance and allow healing to occur. Naturopathy is an umbrella term, meaning it encompases many other practices. These include body work, acupuncture, homeopathy, iridology, herbology, aroma therapy, energy work, and many others.

Naturopaths work to treat the whole person. Our bodies are not simply a group of separate systems that have no effect on the others. Every part of our body is connected to the other. This means we need to find the root cause and work to heal that, not simply put band-aids on the symptoms.

There are several guiding principles naturopaths follow.

    1. The body is designed to heal.
    2. Give the body what it needs and it will heal.
    3. Germs do not cause disease, environment causes disease.  The environment is you–physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
    4. Disease has many causes beyond the physical including emotional, mental, and spiritual.
    5. A doctor is a teacher.  This means the ultimate goal for any naturopath is to educate the client out of needing the naturopath.
    6. Naturopaths serve the client.  They are not the healer, they merely facilitate and witness the client on his/her path to health.
    7. Naturopaths empower the client.  You do the work, not your naturopath.
    8. We cause no harm.

Curious about some of the key differences between the common medical practices you’re probably most familiar with and naturopathy?  Read more here.