What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a system of primary healthcare that focuses on prevention, a holistic view of the patient, and the use of natural therapies to support the body's self-healing process. It combines traditional remedies with modern scientific principles to address the root causes of illness, rather than just suppressing symptoms. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) use functional relationships and physiologic systems to help integrate genetics, biochemistry, physiology, endocrinology to develop personalized care to meet a client’s individual needs.

The Healing Power of Nature

Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing process in people that is ordered and intelligent. Naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, and to facilitate and augment this inherent self-healing process.

Identify and Treat the Causes

The naturopathic physician seeks to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.

First Do No Harm

Naturopathic physicians follow three guidelines to avoid harming the patient:

  • Utilize methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat;

  • Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms and acknowledge, respect, and work with individuals’ self-healing process.

Doctor as Teacher

Naturopathic physicians educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.

Treat the Whole Person

Naturopathic physicians treat each patient by taking into account individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors. Since total health also includes spiritual health, naturopathic physicians encourage individuals to pursue their personal spiritual development.

Prevention

Naturopathic physicians emphasize the prevention of disease by assessing risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease, and by making appropriate interventions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness.

Colleen Ivy, BSc, ND
Founder

After decades of studying the human mind, body, and spirit, I’ve learned that discovery never ends. Traditional healing systems reveal medicine’s true art: deep doctor-patient connection paired with the courage to transform beliefs and habits—from cellular function to daily behaviors—that shape our health.

I blend modern functional medicine with millennia of traditional wisdom to achieve therapeutic harmony.

Grounded in Western medical sciences—biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, and minor surgery—I am also extensively trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine, homeopathy, global botanical medicine, hydrotherapy, clinical nutrition, and lifestyle counseling.

I am a Canadian-trained and licensed naturopathic physician, I graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto with specialized training in complementary oncology. I completed further studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine, including a fellowship at the Shanghai Cancer Center with Fudan University.

I treat acute and chronic conditions in adults, children, and infants using constitutional homeopathy, naturopathic medicine, and personalized lifestyle guidance. My practice supports hormonal imbalances, sleep disorders, allergies, autoimmune conditions, infertility, and more.

“I practice a medicine rooted in tradition, empowered by science, and built on the principle that the body knows how to heal itself. My mission is to guide you on your unique path to vibrant health and wellness.”

— Colleen Ivy, B.Sc., N.D.

Colleen is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (www.naturopathic.org), the Georgia Association of Naturopathic Physicians (www.GANP), the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (www.cand.ca), and the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors (www.oand.org)