FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  Can your services be covered by extended health care insurance? 

A:  Most extended health care plans will cover Naturopathic Medicine and certainly you can submit to a health spending account if one is available.  Direct billing is also available for most plans.  The insurance provider usually will have an online portal or a hard copy outline of what they will cover.  I am a licensed Naturopathic Doctor and they might list my service as Naturopathic Medicine or Naturopath, possibly under the category of what they call ‘Paramedical”.   This is not something we can check for you and we certainly cannot guarantee coverage as insurance providers retain the right to reject a claim.  If insurance does not cover or rejects a claim, the full cost of the visit is still due.

Q: How will I know if this is a good match for me?

A:  We can schedule a virtual meet & greet so we can see how I might be a resource for you.  The best way to do that is to call Synergy Collaborative Health: 403-981-1999.  It serves us both to avoid sessions where the match is not quite right.  Examples of not-quite-right matches might include:

• • The sole reason you want to come in is to have me approve of or critique a supplement regime;
    • Not my focus;
  • The main reason for your visit is that you want my opinions on the approach of another practitioner;
    • This is very awkward and I really won’t do it, providing a second opinion on a situation, providing my approach, certainly I’ll do that;
  • You believe science and modern medicine has very exact and precise diagnostics and solutions to resolve everything that you may be experiencing and you want your treatment approach validated by scientific research;
    • In the majority of complex cases, this simply is not the case and there may will likely not be adequate or appropriate scientific research.  I am not the practitioner who is most interested in double-blind, placebo controlled studies, although I do read them from time to time and do my own research.  I provide individualized care, that means specific to you and there are no studies on you;
  • You want me to treat lab values and test results so they look more normal;
    • I treat people, their symptoms, their depth, not numbers.  If there is an obvious deficiency, certainly we can discover and even remedy this situation, but the reason for the visit needs to be meaningful;
  • Your main reason for a visit is that you want to discuss testing options;
    • Not my forte;
  • You expect all your issues and complaints should be resolved and settled in one visit;
    • Generally not realistic and puts way too much pressure on both of us.

Q:  What methods are you using?

A:  I use a variety of methods and modalities.  I have a less-is-more philosophy which guides my choices of modalities.  My favourites are:

• • Visceral Manipulation – this comes from J.P. Barral, the famous French osteopath who brought VM into the osteopathic world.  Most osteopaths use to varying degrees VM, Craniosacral therapy and positional release.
  • Neuromeningeal Manipulation – also via J.P. Barral – the focus is on nerves, meninges, the brain.
  • Homeopathy – Yes, homeopathy really does work, beautifully.  The main issue with homeopathy is the huge variety of medicines and the complexity of people.  Even the best homeopaths in the world generally don’t get it “right’ with the first prescription.  The up side is a poor fit medicine generally has no effect, while a close fit medicine can have a beautiful effect.  Homeopathy can have particularly dramatic results during acute illnesses like colds, flus and the like.
  • Self-Care Techniques – what can you do for yourself that will rebuild your health, cost you nothing or next to nothing and puts you firmly in control of your wellbeing?  Self-care.  These techniques are gleaned from traditional medicine and cultures from across the globe.  Things like how we eat, drink,  breath and bathe all have a profound effect on our well-being and resiliency.
  • Counselling/Inherited Trauma/Somatic work – I wouldn’t call myself a counsellor because I don’t tell you what you should be doing, but I will provide insight  I can guide you through your pain into wholeness and contentment because I’ve done it for myself and I know what process worked for me.