An Open Letter to the Patients Who Get It

When I opened Peterborough Centre of Naturopathic Medicine back in November 2013, my goal was simple but ambitious: to move local healthcare forward.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between systems, knowing there’s value in both conventional and naturopathic care, but wishing someone would help you connect the dots … this letter is for you.

Ontario’s medical system does many things well. But it’s also deeply siloed. We are often moved through algorithms and checklists, which is efficient, yes, but not individualized. We’re treated as a diagnosis, not as a person. That’s where I see opportunity. With a little bit of curiosity, collaboration, and context, patient appointments become more about the person who has the disease.

At PCNM, I’m building what I call a progressive healthcare team. One that blends the science, structure, and precision of conventional medicine with the depth, time, and whole-person care of naturopathic medicine. To me, that’s progress: medicine that works together, not apart.

Nutrition and lifestyle are at the core of what we do. Supplements and advanced testing, when indicated, help us go deeper. But our real work is in connection,  taking the time to listen, understand, and build plans that fit real lives.

And here’s what I need you to know: I don’t recommend against conventional care. Some of the most meaningful moments in my practice are when a patient sits across from me, uncertain about surgery, chemotherapy, or a new prescription. They’re scared. They’ve read too much. They want to feel safe making the next move.

That’s where I slow everything down. We unpack the fears. We look at the evidence together. We talk about how to support your body nutritionally, physically, and emotionally through whatever treatment lies ahead. And more often than not, many patients go back to their physician or specialist ready to proceed, still following the conventional plan, but now confident, informed, and supported.

That’s what progress looks like to me.

I want to build a community where physicians, nurse practitioners, and naturopathic doctors trust one another. Where referring to an ND feels natural, not controversial. Where every practitioner is pulling in the same direction: toward better outcomes and better care.

If you’ve ever felt caught between two worlds of medicine, you’re not alone. You’re part of the shift.

This is my manifesto, and my promise: to redefine what it means to be healthy, and to move healthcare forward … one patient, one partnership, and one conversation at a time.

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