Dr. Daria Love was a member of the very first class of what is now CCNM in 1978.  A career dedicated to serving patients, her community and our profession spanning over 4 decades (and still going strong!), Dr. Love takes us on a journey of remembrance of who we are and how far we have come and imparts so heart-warming wisdom along the way!  

Dr. Tracy-Lynn Reside, ND:
I am so grateful for this opportunity to chat with you today. Your career as an ND has spanned four decades, and you were a member of the very first class of NDs in what is now CCNM. I can only imagine how much change you have witnessed in the world and in our profession in that time. To start, can you tell me about your journey to become a Naturopathic Doctor?

Dr. Daria Love, ND:
I began my professional career as a chiropractor. My older brother was in first year at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), and basically said that I would love this as a career. It wasn’t until the end of my second year that I realized that no, this would not be the case. There were a number of us at the time, including such leaders in our profession as Dr. Pat Wales, who realized that chiropractic practice would not fulfill our visions of holistic healthcare. When I graduated as a DC in 1977, there was no naturopathic educational institution in Canada. Initially, our option was to write additional exams to qualify in Drugless Therapy (DT). In 1978, in response to the government making moves to retire drugless therapy/naturopathy because there was no formal educational process, the first post-graduation class in naturopathic medicine was created as a school without walls. We met monthly at a downtown Toronto hotel for an intensive educational experience. It was an exciting time, as a number of seasoned and new practitioners came together to become part of a collaborative educational process. The majority of us were chiropractors, but there were a few MDs and dentists. Many of our teachers were also students in the program as we all shared the common goal of becoming Naturopathic Doctors. One of our teachers who was very influential to me was Dr. Leo Roy, a medical doctor who had practiced natural medicine for years focusing on restorative medicine. Another was Dr. Gordon Smith who, in my recollection, was the only licensed ND in Ontario at the time, having graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine. We shared the challenges and rewards of this unique learning process and were the renaissance of the naturopathic profession.

We have come a long way, and I believe it is very important that we do not forget the sacrifices that our early leaders made on our behalf.

Dr. Tracy-Lynn Reside, ND:
It is so fascinating to me that what is now quite a large profession and certainly one of, if not the largest, naturopathic medical school in the world started out as a sort of conglomerate that met at a hotel on the weekends! What was it like starting out for you personally?

Dr. Daria Love, ND:
Let me backtrack a bit. I was in my very early 20s when I graduated as a chiropractor, and the first practice I was involved with was an absolute disaster. I realized that while I was trying to develop my clinical skills, I knew little of business practices (should have paid more attention in class!). My saving grace was being offered a clinical residency in radiology at CMCC. I was able to mature personally and professionally. Teaching chiropractic students was a great experience. I remained with CMCC for an additional five years as an assistant professor, and another couple years as a part-time lecturer with the Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine. I really enjoyed those years, but eventually asked, “What am I doing in Radiology?” Politics and the desire to devote more time to my clinical practice caused me to leave teaching. My first step was to purchase a part-time chiropractic practice that was located in the Yorkville area. This provided a stable financial foundation upon which I could develop an integrated chiropractic-naturopathic practice. I practiced as a solo practitioner at this location for over 20 years. Initially, it felt a little crazy, but it was great. Since then, I have been in two other practice locations in downtown Toronto, one still solo practicing, the other in a multidiscipline clinic. Due to a building fire in 2020, I have now moved to a very small office and manage the clinical practice as well as the dispensary and associated administrative responsibilities on my own.

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Dr. Tracy-Lynn Reside, ND:
Thirty years in a sustainable, solo practice is such an incredible achievement. What was that like?

Dr. Daria Love, ND:
Being a solo practitioner can be isolating, probably more so in the early years as we didn’t have Internet, Zoom, etc. We also didn’t have the research supports that we do now. Conventions were really important to connect with colleagues and exchange not only clinical information, but facilitate the comradery that is so important in maintaining personal and professional connection. Naturopathic Doctors are known to be very huggy at our gatherings. But there was also a great deal of turmoil in the profession. I was not intimately involved with all the politics with either regulation of the profession or of our College, but was supportive as individuals such as Drs. Pat Wales, Pam Snider, and a number of other NDs really saved the profession. They paved the way to our eventual regulation under the Regulated Health Professions Act and our becoming the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. We have come a long way, and I believe it is very important that we do not forget the sacrifices that our early leaders made on our behalf.

Dr. Tracy-Lynn Reside, ND:
It sounds like one of the lessons then is you need to be okay with being new and maybe not having all the answers and the willingness to grow into yourself as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Dr. Daria Love, ND:
Looking back, I am amazed by how far I have come. I was very young and uncertain of myself when I began as a health professional. From this vantage point, those early years of practice were of both self and professional discovery and learning. School can only teach you so much; then there is life. You are testing out your learned theories and skills and asking patients to work with you in that capacity. This is perfectly valid, and it is fine that one does not have “all the answers.” Patients who consult Naturopathic Doctors are often seeking fresh ideas and insights. Listening to their stories and what they have experienced, bringing new perspective to complex issues, and engaging the patient as an active participant in their healthcare are important foundations of a naturopathic therapeutic relationship. Many times, new practitioners do not have confidence in the knowledge they have. Fortunately, there is more available information, access to testing, and treatment supports than there ever was.