May has come and gone and left a lot of impressions on this little brain of mine. I started seeing patients while also finishing up clinic entrance readiness exams, and barely had time to eat! The learning that took place during this time was exponential to what I’ve stuffed in this head over the past several months, and I’m glad to be on the other side of things.
I took on some new roles with a couple of organizations I am passionate about. I connected with a new mentor who really has been pointing me in a great direction. I started a new group at school to help foster growth and connectedness as we continue to grow into future practitioners and business owners. We planted all of the plants in our garden. And my coach upped all of my weight lifting segments to 4 sets instead of just 3. I learned about Isreal and Palestine. I learned about the schools in British Columbia housing graves of indigenous missing children. I listened to podcasts and read 2 books. I read the New York Times every morning and slacked on my daily Instagram posts.
I can’t remember the last time I was this busy! While I tend to do my best work when I am overburdened and scheduled to the max, I can’t help but ask myself if I’m running from something or trying too hard. I have to say that all of these things have flowed so naturally and easily that I didn’t really question them until my mentor pointed out how attractive it is for the world to bring so many things to me… rather than allow the world to unfold for me.
This difference has shaped the latter part of my life’s journey and brought me to where I am today. I remember these feelings. They feel good. They are seductive. Comfortable. Safe… I have to be careful I don’t take a wrong step.
Week starting May 17, 2021…
🎉It’s naturopathic medicine week! It’s time to celebrate and learn a little bit about naturopathic medicine.
❓I made homemade vegan/gf dandelion fritters! I used those beautiful, pesky weeds popping up in the yard by battering them and air frying them for an afternoon treat!
🌏I’ve been spending a lot of time reading and learning about wars, religions, regions and language due to the publicized genocide taking place in Occupied Palestinian Territories. I’m ashamed to admit that I had not done this before and am actively seeking out the information and pieces I don’t understand. While it may be hard to make sense of what is going on and why it is important to care on this side of the world, it is our duty as a global citizen to get educated. It’s important to understand the complicity (or direct support) of the government you are a part of. In a few short days, I have been able to finally figure out the complexities of the situation and come to an educated and compassionate decision on where I stand on the issue. I’m terms of showing up to change things, it’s hard to know the best way. Perhaps considering who you vote for and who they support is a great place to start. What lines do you need to draw with your voting power to ensure the people in power are making global decisions in alignment with your belief system?
💊 I learned how to prescribe free supplements to folks I see on my Saturday shift under the care of a licensed naturopathic doctor! It is a very complicated system and process, but an incredibly valuable service we offer to those in the Scarborough catchment area. I’m so grateful to learn about the relationships our school has to be able to offer this service!
🧠 I learned that I have to keep putting a lot of time and energy into studying Traditional Chinese Medicine. While I am very committed to being proficient and holding a certain standard of excellence with this naturopathic modality, I struggle with performing well on exams. The concepts, the complexities, the new language are all difficult for my mind to bring together. The actual acupuncture examination (which is one of my jams!) is the culmination of hours of research or invaluable experience from a practitioner. In honor of naturopathic medicine week, drop below any questions you have about naturopathic doctors working with Traditional Chinese medicine! I'd love to answer your questions (such as, we can perform acupuncture in certain states and provinces)!
😩I’m feeling immense pressure to perform well in the clinic entry readiness exam for this topic, and I have a long way to go in a week’s time before writing it. I definitely feel like the ocean is crashing in behind me without the benefit of having the actual ocean there to do it! 🌊
📉Read your clients' charts. Hard stop. Yesterday, my partner and I needed to meet with a lawyer about some things. The assumptions this person made about our connection were incredibly embarrassing for her and completely avoidable. Let's just say she referred to Mel as my daughter? Not once, but twice! Our $350 consult fee left us feeling disrespected on a number of levels and also allowed for some great conversation on how we could approach horridly embarrassing/offensive situations.
💯We understand we aren't perfect and will make mistakes due to assumptions, but we did agree you could come back from saying something inappropriate. Our ideas include: ☑️humility ☑️vulnerability ☑️sincerity. It's about holding space for the mistake, acknowledging it and asking if the group can move forward together with the new shared understanding.
💥But, damn it. Don't get complacent or lazy. Don't make assumptions about the people walking into your office. Observe your biases and don't impose them on others. Do better.
😖There will always be another exam to stress over. It truly will never end, and I’m ok with it. I’ve signed up for a lifelong love affair with learning and growth, and naturopathic medicine will always push me to stay current and up to date. This week it was passing clinic entry readiness exams for acupuncture, phlebotomy, emergency medicine and intramuscular injections. Next week it’s physical medicine exams. In three months it will be a pharmaceutical prescribing exam... and and and...
🌧 You can’t wait for the thunderstorm to come. You just have to plant the garden when you have the time. Waiting for rain is like waiting for water to boil.
❄️It snows past May Two Four weekend in Toronto. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s safe to plant that weekend. Your plants are never really safe.
🦶I love connecting with patients. I’ve been fortunate to experience so many things in my life that I can usually find a connection with most people. Interestingly in this new socially constructed role of naturopathic medical intern, I find myself keeping what connects us hidden from plain sight. It’s almost a new game I get to play with myself... what’s the thing that connects us? And how can I hold space for that connection without the conversation ever being about me? It’s freaking beautiful, let me tell ya!
🩺I learned a lot about subclinical hypothyroidism and how incredibly sensitive some people are to any disequilibrium in their bodies. Sometimes blood work spits out numbers that say a person is within normal limits... but sometimes some people start showing symptoms before the blood work ever shows anything abnormal. A lot of times, people in this particular situation (with any diagnosis) are brushed off by medical professionals and not taken seriously. I am grateful to be in a profession that nurtures curiosity for those not feeling their best even when everything might look perfect on paper.
If any of these thoughts resonated with you, drop a message below and share a little story or thought that was unearthed while reading this. LoveLightHealth
