Naturopathic physicians (ND's) are licensed as primary health care providers in the State of Washington. They receive four to five years of medical training, including a two-year clinical internship. Therapies focus on the natural healing art and include, but are not limited to: preventative medicine, herbal medicine, nutrition, orthomolecular medicine, environmental medicine, counseling, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, pharmaceutical prescribing, minor surgery and physical medicine.
Natural medicine has been effectively used for centuries and modern naturopathic medicine is based on sound science. The guiding principles of naturopathic medicine are:
The Healing Power of Nature: The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health.
First, Do No Harm: Naturopathic physicians use safe, effective, less invasive, and more natural therapies.
Identify and Treat the Cause: Naturopathic physicians search for underlying causes of illness and use treatments that address the root cause rather than simply suppressing symptoms.
Treat the Whole Person: Health and disease are conditions of the whole organism, involving a complex interaction of physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social-economic factors.
Physician as Teacher: Naturopathic physicians educate, empower, and motivate individuals to understand and take responsibility for their health.
Prevention is the Best Cure: The emphasis is on promoting health and preventing disease, rather than only fighting disease.
Establish Health and Wellness: Naturopathic physicians encourage individuals to establish and maintain optimum health and wellness.
Midwifery
Licensed midwives (LM's) are maternity care providers that attend and manage home and birth center births. They have expertise in reproductive care including birth, prenatal and postpartum care, and newborn care. Midwives offer standard prenatal care, including diagnostic testing. They offer mothers and their families individualized care and strive to address each family's physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
Medical studies show that for low-risk pregnancies, out-of-hospital births attended by midwives are as safe if not safer than in-hospital-births.
