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Why you should check the credentials of your Naturopath

OK – there is some serious confusion that has been around for years but unfortunately seems to be more prevalent now. 

There are Naturopathic Physicians, like myself, who have graduated from a 4-6 year Naturopathic Medical School in North America and are MEDICAL Board-certified (like Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine) and then there are people who are allowed to call themselves “N.D.” but only attend a certification program for ONE year (often online) and sometimes show some bogus “board-certification” that is not from a legit medical board. 

​​It’s entirely unfair that they get to use the title of N.D but this credential is unfortunately not regulated like it is for an M.D.

We can both be called “N.D.” however the differences in training, education, knowledge base and scope of practice are IMMENSE!

Those of us that attend Naturopathic Medical School at accredited institutions have training almost identical to MDs in the first 2 years.  By the end of training, true Board-certified NDs have 4930.5 hours of training compared to an MD at UNC-Chapel Hill having 5125 hours – that’s a difference of only 194.5 hours in training.  In addition to similar invested hours, we must also sit for and successfully pass 3 days of official Board exams before we are licensed.

However, some people are getting online doctorates and certifications like those at Rockwell School of Functional and Holistic Medicine.  They spend ONLY 12 hours/week for one year or less than 600 hours of total training!  From this short program of one year a graduate receives FIVE holistic doctorate degrees and SEVEN certifications – including doctorates in Traditional Naturopathy, Advanced Holistic Nutrition, Functional Medicine, Clinical Herbalism and Spiritual Medicine and now can call themselves a “Naturopathic Doctor”.

Medical Board-certified N.Ds have over an additional 4300 hours of training yet we both end up with the same credentials?!?!​

Medical Board-certified N.D.s in fully licensed states (not North Carolina) function in the same capacity as any Primary Care Provider (including MDs).  We are able to order all labs and diagnostic testing, perform physical exams, minor surgeries, gynecology, obstetrics, prescribe pharmaceuticals, bill insurance for medical visits, have hospital privileges, function as clinical nutritionists and so on.  

In unlicensed states (like North Carolina) we are not recognized as primary care providers nor is our broad scope of practice acknowledged​ so it is easy for those from trade schools to use our credentials even though they lack most of our skill sets.

The only accredited Naturopathic Medical Schools in North America are:
1.  Bastyr University
2.  National University of Natural Medicine
3.  Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
5.  Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences​

If your practitioner did not graduate from one of these institutions then they are not a MEDICAL Board-certified and extensively trained Naturopathic Physician​!

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS check the credentials of your practitioner!  Maybe you are not looking for the Board-certified ND and that’s totally OK – but you should know the training of the practitioner you are working with before you begin your journey!

Hope this clarification is helpful!!

Dr. K

Interested in chatting with Dr. Kelley further?  Call our office or click on the button below to schedule a zoom call!  

 

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For many years and counting – so many people are getting diagnosed with “Depression”.

I covered this before but thought it was worth bringing up again.  Not only are so many practitioners labeling their patients but so many patients are “owning” their diagnosis without question. 

I get it – they feel it gives them an “answer” to why they don’t feel “right”. 

But is it the “answer” for most?

I am in no way saying there aren’t those that are “depressed” but what I AM saying is that not ALL people who get diagnosed with depression are depressed in the classic sense.  But honestly “classic depression” has been found predominately to be a disorder based in gut and hormones imbalance.

About 2 years ago we learned though a meta-analysis research study that there was NO correlation with depression and low serotonin levels and that taking anti-depressants (SSRIs) actually made serotonin even lower – SEE HERE.

If you go to your conventional (or even holistic) practitioner and report feeling “blah” or have a lack of zest for life then it is likely that you will walk out with the diagnosis of depression and some pills. 

But if the practitioner took a moment to really listen to (and HEAR) what this person is saying you would hear that there’s so much more at play than a simplistic “depression” diagnosis.

So, we must dig deeper always!

One of the first things I ask my clients who say they have been diagnosed or think they are depressed:  How is your energy?

99.5% of them respond “horrible”.

Then I ask – “If your energy was good then would you still feel down or depressed?” And almost all said they wouldn’t.

So, what does that tell us?  The issue isn’t depression – the issue is fatigue – physical and/or mental.

The new focus then becomes addressing fatigue.

There is also the possibility of grief at play.  Some that are depressed are dealing with grief and too many practitioners put a timeframe on grief.  There should never be a timeframe on grief.  And this can be addressed through so many different types of modalities.

So overall I find most depression diagnoses to be yet another way to lump people together that might share a certain set of superficial symptoms which allows practitioners to quickly “prescribe something”.

Then where might this fatigue be coming from/WHY is it present?

Some places to look:

  1. Thyroid Imbalances
  2. Poor Nutrition
  3. Inflammation
  4. Gluten Intolerance
  5. Fighting Infection/Parasite/Lyme, etc.
  6. Cancer
  7. Adrenal Burnout/Stress
  8. Sex Hormone Imbalances
  9. Genetic mutations

In other words – demand that your practitioner look for a deeper cause instead of simply medicating you for “Depression” (convention or holistic).

If your practitioner won’t search beyond the diagnosis of depression, then find a new one that will!

 

Never Give Up!

Dr. K

 

SCHEDULE A FREE 15 MIN ZOOM APPT WITH DR. KELLEY

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For many years and counting – so many people are getting diagnosed with “Depression”.

I covered this before but thought it was worth bringing up again.  Not only are so many practitioners labeling their patients but so many patients are “owning” their diagnosis without question. 

I get it – they feel it gives them an “answer” to why they don’t feel “right”. 

But is it the “answer” for most?

I am in no way saying there aren’t those that are “depressed” but what I AM saying is that not ALL people who get diagnosed with depression are depressed in the classic sense.  But honestly “classic depression” has been found predominately to be a disorder based in gut and hormones imbalance.

About 2 years ago we learned though a meta-analysis research study that there was NO correlation with depression and low serotonin levels and that taking anti-depressants (SSRIs) actually made serotonin even lower – SEE HERE.

If you go to your conventional (or even holistic) practitioner and report feeling “blah” or have a lack of zest for life then it is likely that you will walk out with the diagnosis of depression and some pills. 

But if the practitioner took a moment to really listen to (and HEAR) what this person is saying you would hear that there’s so much more at play than a simplistic “depression” diagnosis.

So, we must dig deeper always!

One of the first things I ask my clients who say they have been diagnosed or think they are depressed:  How is your energy?

99.5% of them respond “horrible”.

Then I ask – “If your energy was good then would you still feel down or depressed?” And almost all said they wouldn’t.

So, what does that tell us?  The issue isn’t depression – the issue is fatigue – physical and/or mental.

The new focus then becomes addressing fatigue.

There is also the possibility of grief at play.  Some that are depressed are dealing with grief and too many practitioners put a timeframe on grief.  There should never be a timeframe on grief.  And this can be addressed through so many different types of modalities.

So overall I find most depression diagnoses to be yet another way to lump people together that might share a certain set of superficial symptoms which allows practitioners to quickly “prescribe something”.

Then where might this fatigue be coming from/WHY is it present?

Some places to look:

  1. Thyroid Imbalances
  2. Poor Nutrition
  3. Inflammation
  4. Gluten Intolerance
  5. Fighting Infection/Parasite/Lyme, etc.
  6. Cancer
  7. Adrenal Burnout/Stress
  8. Sex Hormone Imbalances
  9. Genetic mutations

In other words – demand that your practitioner look for a deeper cause instead of simply medicating you for “Depression” (convention or holistic).

If your practitioner won’t search beyond the diagnosis of depression, then find a new one that will!

 

Never Give Up!

Dr. K

 

SCHEDULE A FREE 15 MIN ZOOM APPT WITH DR. KELLEY

Return to main Blog page

Categories

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