I've never seen a naturopath. What happens?
Your first visit, step by step
A first naturopath visit here follows the same steps every time. It starts with a free 10-minute call with the Naturopathic Doctor (ND). Then comes the naturopathic consultation itself: a long initial visit, labs only if they add something, and a plan in plain language. Follow-ups of 30 or 60 minutes come after.
- "I don't know what a naturopath actually does in a visit."
- "I don't want to tell my whole story and get nothing back."
- "I've had bloodwork. Do I need more tests?"
- "I'm not sure I'm ready to book a full visit yet."
- "What if it's something my family doctor should see?"
Fair questions, all of them. Here is the whole sequence, so nothing is a surprise.
One Naturopathic Doctor sees you, at every visit. The ND reads your history before you sit down. Then the first visit puts everything side by side: sleep, food, stress, digestion, hormones, medications and your recent bloodwork.
A plan from that visit may include diet, supplements, lifestyle changes and lab testing. You hear what the ND is thinking, in plain words, and you decide together what to try first.
- The consultation itself
- What the consultation covers
- Food, sleep and routine
- Nutrition and lifestyle
- If a plan includes them
- Supplements and botanicals
How it goes
The free 10-minute call. In clinic, by phone or by video. Say what's going on and ask anything. It's a conversation about fit, not a consultation. There is nothing to buy.
Forms, if there are any. If the ND sends intake forms before your visit, you get them when you book. Fill in what you can. Gaps are fine. The visit covers them.
Your history in your words, what you've tried, and your recent results. There is time to tell it properly.
Labs, only if useful. Ontario NDs can requisition certain lab tests. If a test would add something, you hear the lab cost before anything is ordered. If your recent results already cover it, nothing new is ordered. Which tests an Ontario ND can order
Your first plan, in plain language. What the ND thinks is going on, what to change first, and any tests worth doing. In words you can follow at home.
Follow-ups. 30 or 60 minutes to review what has changed and adjust the plan. The ND suggests when to come back. You decide.
The initial consultation: what the ND covers.
The first one is in person in Bradford, with time to tell it properly.
- Your history, in your words. What's going on, when it started and what changed around then.
- What you've tried. What seemed to make a difference, and what didn't.
- Your recent results. Bloodwork and other reports, even the normal ones, read side by side.
- Sleep, food, stress and movement. What a normal week actually looks like.
- Digestion, cycle and life stage, where they're part of the picture.
- Medications and supplements. So nothing in a plan works against what you already take.
What you leave with: what the ND thinks is going on, in plain words, and a first plan. You decide together what to try first.
Follow-ups: 30 or 60 minutes.
- 30 minutes to review what has changed and adjust the plan.
- 60 minutes for a fuller review, or when there is more ground to cover.
You book one visit at a time.
Where people often start
Areas the ND sees often include fatigue, digestive changes and hormonal changes.
What to bring
- Recent bloodwork or lab reports, even the normal ones
- Your medications and supplements, or photos of the labels
- Notes on sleep, cycle or symptoms, if you keep them
- Your extended health plan details
Alongside your family doctor
The ND works alongside your family doctor. With your permission, the ND shares what they find. If something needs a medical doctor or nurse practitioner, the ND tells you plainly and refers you.
Not for emergencies. In an emergency, call 911.
What the ND won't do
- Promise results. Nobody can tell you in advance how your body will respond. The ND tells you what they look at and why.
- Order tests for the sake of it. Tests come in only where they add something, and you hear the price first.
- Sell you a package. You pay per visit. Nothing to prepay.
- Replace your family doctor. The ND works next to them, not instead of them.
What affects the cost
You pay per visit: the initial consultation, then 30- or 60-minute follow-ups, with labs at lab cost and quoted first.
Many extended health plans in Ontario cover naturopathic care, and you get an itemized receipt for your claim.
good questions
Before you book.
How long is the first naturopath appointment?
Follow-ups are 30 or 60 minutes.
Is there a free naturopath consultation?
The free 10-minute call is the place to start, but it isn't a consultation. It's 10 minutes to say what's going on, hear how the ND works and ask about fees, with nothing to buy.
What's the difference between a 30 and a 60 minute follow-up?
A 30-minute follow-up looks at what has changed and adjusts the plan. A 60-minute follow-up is a fuller review, for when there's more to go through.
What questions should I ask a naturopathic doctor?
Ask what they would look at for you, which tests they might suggest and what those cost. Ask how they work with your family doctor, and check their registration on the College's public register.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book the free call or an initial consultation yourself.
Should I bring bloodwork from my family doctor?
Yes, please. Recent results, even normal ones, are part of the picture. They may mean nothing new needs to be ordered.
How often will I see the ND after the first visit?
The ND suggests a follow-up rhythm that fits your plan. Each follow-up is 30 or 60 minutes, and there are no packages, so you decide when to book.
When should I see a naturopath?
When something has been off for a while and you want sleep, food, stress and your results looked at together. Anything new, severe or urgent goes to your family doctor first, or to 911 in an emergency.
Will the ND talk to my family doctor?
Only with your permission. If something needs a medical doctor or nurse practitioner, the ND tells you and refers you.
Bring your sentence. We'll start there.
Start with ten minutes. Free, and in your own words.