Naturopathic Medicine for Mental Health In Phoenix, Arcadia, Biltmore, Central Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley
Natural Medicine for Mental Health & holistic Naturopathic treatment
Mental Health can be treated with Naturopathic Medicine. It is important to consult with a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in mental health specifically. As defined below, Naturopathic Medicine is a whole-person and holistic way to view a person’s health. For instance, a Naturopathic Doctor should be looking for the root cause instead of just "throwing medications at symptoms.” A Naturopathic Doctor should use advanced laboratory testing along with other methods to develop a customized plan for you.
What can Naturopathic Medicine for Mental Health help you with?
Anxiety
Depression
Panic
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
ADHD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Insomnia
Menopause
Postpartum Depression
Major life changes (and much more!)
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Learning about Anxiety and Naturopathic Medicine
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
What is Naturopathic Medicine is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive. You've come to the right place if you've been wondering what naturopathic medicine is, what training a naturopathic doctor has, whether naturopathic doctors are licensed to practice medicine, what distinguishes a naturopathic doctor from a functional medicine doctor, and whether naturopathic medicine actually works.
You will learn the answers to these concerns in this article, along with methods for locating a reputable naturopathic physician who is qualified to support you in identifying holistic health therapies that are based on both conventional wisdom and cutting-edge research.
The basics of Naturopathic Medicine
The foundation of naturopathic medicine is the idea that the body is built to repair itself and that we can employ natural and holistic treatments to aid in the healing process.
Naturopathic medicine is deeply rooted in traditional healing wisdom from great thought leaders like Hippocrates of Kos (460 BC-370 BC) who focused on natural approaches to medical practice, Vincenz Priessnitz (1799-1851) and Father Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) forerunners of “water cure,”, Henry Lindlahr, MD (1862-1924) founder of Nature Cure, and Benedict Lust (1872 – 1945) who originated the term naturopathy.
Practitioners of naturopathy, also known as naturopathic medicine, can be found in urgent care facilities, hospitals, and clinics all over the world. Naturopathic doctors also write books, carry out research, and are in higher demand as complementary and alternative medicine becomes more and more well-liked.
The Six Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
The six naturopathic medical principles serve to set naturopathic doctors apart from practitioners of functional medicine, holistic medicine, integrative medicine, and other forms of natural medicine.
The following are among the six naturopathic medical principles:
Do no damage first: I often hear people ask, "Is naturopathic medicine safe?" Yes, that is the unequivocal response. In actuality, DO NO HARM is the fundamental tenet of naturopathic treatment. In order to promote the body's innate ability to heal itself, naturopathic doctors place a high priority on the use of natural and holistic treatments. Compared to many conventional therapies, these natural solutions are less invasive, less toxic, and less risky.
The ability of nature to heal: The role of a naturopathic doctor is to support the body's innate ability to heal itself, and examples of holistic treatments utilized by naturopathic doctors include hydrotherapy, homeopathy, nutrition, and herbal medicine.
Find the source of your symptoms and address it: Addressing the source of your symptoms is the first step toward true healing. In the basic and advanced sciences, naturopathic doctors acquire the same extensive medical and diagnostic training as a regular MD/DO.
Doctor as educator: Your empowerment in your own healing process is the main objective, and the naturopathic doctor's job is to show you precisely how to heal yourself.
Treat the complete person: Due to the division of traditional medicine into so many disciplines and subspecialties, it can be challenging for medical professionals to view the patient as a whole. Doctors of naturopathy are aware of the interconnectivity of the human body and the fact that effective treatment requires a holistic approach.
Prevention: By relying on conventional knowledge of natural principles and the most recent advancements in contemporary medicine, naturopathic practitioners are specialists at both treating and preventing disease.
What training does a naturopathic doctor have?
Is a naturopathic doctor a legitimate medical professional, you might be asking. What education does a naturopathic physician possess, what distinguishes a naturopathic physician from a practitioner of functional medicine, and what distinguishes the training of a naturopathic physician from that of a medical doctor, an osteopathic physician, and a nurse practitioner?
According to Healthline, naturopathic medicine includes:
“[The naturopathic] system of medicine combines Western science, natural therapies, and holistic approaches to treat health conditions. Natural therapies may be used as both primary and complementary treatments.”
In addition to conventional therapies like medication and minor surgery, naturopathic doctors also get comprehensive medical training in holistic medical modalities like botanical medicine, lifestyle medicine, homeopathy, and other natural modalities.
The federal government of the United States regulates naturopathic doctors, who attend federally authorized naturopathic medical schools, pass two demanding licensing exams (NPLEX), and meet continuing education requirements to maintain their licenses.
Below is a chart from the AANMC comparing training and coursework between naturopathic doctors, medical doctors, osteopathic doctors and nurse practitioners. Of note, naturopathic doctors complete significantly more credits during their first two years of medical school (191 as compared to 91 in MD/DO programs), and naturopathic doctors receive upwards of 220 hours of training in nutrition as compared to 0-70 hours in MD/DO programs and 10-19 hours by NP’s.
What about practitioners of functional medicine? What distinguishes a naturopathic physician from a practitioner of functional medicine?
Functional medicine training is open to all clinicians. To respond to the inquiry, "What distinguishes a naturopathic physician from a practitioner of functional medicine?" What functional medicine is must be defined. Functional medicine is a training and certification that can be purchased and obtained by attending seminars and courses put on by the Functional Medicine Institute (FMI), an organization devoted to teaching physicians how to test for the core cause.
The naturopathic doctor's methods work to reestablish health, and as a result, symptoms eventually go away on their own.
A practitioner of functional medicine who has not had naturopathic training views symptoms as signs of disease or dysfunction that can be investigated and treated with either pharmaceutical or natural remedies.
Are naturopathic doctors licensed to practice medicine?
Naturopathic doctors must complete a doctorate in naturopathic medicine, graduate from a medical school with federal accreditation recognized by the United States Department of Education, pass two national licensing NPLEX exams, pass jurisprudence exams, complete annual continuing education requirements, and meet all additional state and provincial requirements, including background checks.
The two most common states asking about if naturopathic doctors can prescribe medicine:
Can naturopathic doctors prescribe medicine in Arizona? Yes.
Can naturopathic doctors prescribe medicine in Oregon? Yes.
Naturopathic doctors are licensed to practice medicine in many regions in the United States and the AANMC keeps an updated list of states that license naturopathic doctors.You can find the complete list by going to https://aanmc.org/licensure/
Does naturopathic medicine really work?
Or, to put it another way: Is natural medicine legitimate?
The University of Minnesota offered a discussion regarding how naturopathic medicine holds up in the face of evidence-based medicine on their Taking Charge of your Health & Wellbeing page. Authors summarized their research into this subject by writing:
“Naturopathic medicine is personalized medicine that does not always lend itself to a strict adherence to treatments based on randomized controlled trials alone. It is essential to test the value of individual treatments, but the actual clinical application is much more complex. (And indeed the clinical application of conventional healthcare follows a similar model: according to a recent article in the British Medical Journal, only 13% of standard tests and treatments are supported by strong evidence.)”
Finding a doctor that is holistic, science-based, and medically skilled can be quite difficult.
Every industry in the medical field is rife with imposters who make all kinds of ludicrous claims, endangering the lives of patients and dishonoring their fields.
For example, a 2017 article in the National Post cited a story about a so-called naturopathic-doctor who was utilizing dubious treatments for their patients. There have been so many safety, legal and ethical issues in the medical doctors (MD’s) profession that MD’s are now required to to carry millions of dollars of malpractice.
While some naturopathic doctors are not legit, there are many that are paving the way for patients who want to use natural medicine with a foundation of legitimate medical science.
To find a highly trained and clinically excellent naturopathic doctor start by searching the state association databases:
Arizona Naturopathic Medicine Association: Link here
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians: Link here
Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians: Link here.
The California Naturopathic Doctors Association: Link here.
