"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." — Thomas Edison
DEFINITION
About Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a complete system of primary health care. It blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional, natural forms of healing rather than just managing whatever symptom walks through the door. The core idea is simple: your body already knows how to heal itself. A skilled naturopathic physician's job is to find what's blocking that process and clear it out of the way.
Naturopathic doctors, or NDs, are trained to look at the whole picture. Physical health, mental and emotional well-being, lifestyle, environment, genetics- it's all connected, and they treat it that way. Rather than stopping at your surface complaint, they dig for what's actually driving it. What you get is care built around your biology and your goals, not a generic protocol.
INDICATIONS
What conditions does it help with?
ADVANTAGE
Why Patients Choose GWCIM for Naturopathic Medicine
Our naturopathic physicians are board-certified and DC-licensed. Each one was trained for four years at an accredited naturopathic medical school, covering conventional medical science alongside natural therapies, and many bring added expertise in areas like TCM, functional medicine, women's health, endocrinology, and integrative oncology.
They bring decades of experience with complex, chronic conditions, including plenty of cases where conventional medicine alone hasn't found an answer. New diagnosis, long-standing chronic illness, recovering through cancer treatment, or just trying to get your health back on track: our naturopathic team starts wherever you are.
At GWCIM, naturopathic medicine isn't a standalone service. It's part of a genuinely collaborative integrative team. Our NDs work alongside MDs, functional medicine specialists, acupuncturists, and mental health practitioners, so you get the full spectrum of care under one roof. Your naturopathic physician stays in the loop with your other providers, at GWCIM and beyond.
APPROACH
What Naturopathic Care Looks Like at GWCIM
Your first appointment is an extended intake, typically 75 to 120 minutes. It's designed to explore more than your current symptoms. Your ND wants the terrain underneath them too: history, patterns, diet, sleep, stress, relationships, and whatever else may be quietly driving your health challenges.
To get a complete picture, your ND may recommend lab work and specialty testing, either through standard labs like Quest or LabCorp or through specialized functional medicine laboratories. A dedicated staff member walks you through every step, from ordering to pre-authorizations, so you're not left figuring out insurance paperwork on your own.
Once your results are in, a follow-up appointment is dedicated to reviewing them in depth: what they mean, and how they shape your treatment plan.
From there, your ND builds a plan tailored to you. That might mean clinical nutrition and a therapeutic diet, targeted supplementation, Western or Chinese herbal medicine, homeopathy, lifestyle counseling, or physical therapies like craniosacral therapy and qigong healing.
NDs can prescribe medication when it's needed and coordinate referrals when they're warranted. Every recommendation lands in our patient portal, with clear instructions and direct links to exactly what your ND recommends.
The Healing Power of Nature
The body has an innate, ordered capacity to heal. Naturopathic physicians work to identify and remove obstacles to that healing — and support the process rather than override it.
Identify and Treat the Causes
Seeks to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness, rather than merely suppress symptoms.
First Do No Harm
Treatment begins with the gentlest, least invasive approaches — using the minimum force necessary to support healing and minimize side effects.
Doctor as Teacher
NDs spend time educating patients, helping you understand your own health, and empowering you to take an active role in your healing.
Treat the Whole Person
Physical health cannot be separated from mental, emotional, social, environmental, and spiritual well-being. Naturopathic care accounts for all of it.
Prevention
The best time to address illness is before it starts. NDs partner with patients to identify risk factors and build a foundation for lifelong health.
Care Options
Initial Consultation
An in-depth 75–120 minute visit covering full health history, current concerns, and development of a personalized care plan.
Follow-ups
horter visits (typically 30–60 minutes) to review labs, track progress, update your treatment plan, and address new questions.
Telemedicine and In-Person
Availability varies depending on the state of residence.
EXPERTISE
Recommended Providers
LEARN MORE
What to expect as a patient
- Extended First Intake: Plan for 75–120 minutes. Your ND will take a thorough history covering current concerns, past health, diet, lifestyle, emotional health, and more — leaving time for questions and next steps.
- Personalized Lab Work: Based on your intake, your ND may order standard or specialized labs to get a clearer picture of what's happening beneath the surface.
- A Detailed Care Plan: All recommendations — supplements, dietary guidance, labs, referrals, and handouts — are sent to you through our secure patient portal after your visit.
- Collaborative Care: Your ND communicates with other members of your GWCIM care team and can also coordinate with outside physicians to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
- Ongoing Support: Follow-up appointments track your progress and adapt your plan as your health evolves. Many patients continue seeing their ND long after their initial concerns have resolved, for ongoing preventive care and wellness optimization.
Transparent Pricing
View our complete fee schedule for consultations, treatments, and ongoing groups.
FAQ
Common Questions
NDs follow a different training path than MDs, but an equally rigorous one. Naturopathic doctors complete a four-year doctoral program at an accredited medical school, covering the same foundational sciences as conventional medical schools, plus extensive training in natural therapies. In DC, NDs are licensed as primary care providers. They can order labs, prescribe medications, and refer you to specialists.
The two overlap a lot in their root-cause orientation and personalized approach, but the foundations differ. Functional medicine is a framework used by various practitioners, MDs, DOs, and NDs alike, that leans heavily on lab-based biochemistry. Naturopathic medicine is its own distinct, licensed profession, with its own philosophy, training, and toolkit: herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical therapies, and more. At GWCIM, our NDs and functional medicine doctors collaborate often.
Yes, it's one of the biggest strengths of seeing an ND at GWCIM. Our naturopathic doctors are skilled at integrating natural therapies alongside conventional medications and treatments. They check for interactions and help your body tolerate and recover from more intensive treatments like chemotherapy or surgery.
EDUCATION