For the past 12 years I have answered the question “What is a naturopathic doctor?” more times than I care to count. As my understanding has changed so has the answer. Before I started school I answered with a list of the modalities of medicine that we focus on… herbal medicine, nutrition, homeopathy, massage, joint manipulations, counseling, hydrotherapy, ultrasound, etc… and I’d toss in that we also learn to use pharmaceuticals and minor surgery just like any other family practice doc (for some reason it takes this for people to feel comfortable that we learned ‘real’ medicine). Once I started school I discovered that those things are not what make us who we are. It is our philosophy that sets us apart. This blog is about relating that difference…