Languages: French · English

Paola DeCicco, BSc, ND has spent more than two decades helping people make sense of complex, interconnected health concerns. A self-described clinical detective and systems thinker, she is especially drawn to the cases where hormones, digestion, immune function, environment, stress physiology and lifestyle all seem to be talking at once.

Graduated: 2004, CCNM

Why I chose naturopathic medicine

I was fascinated by the human body long before I had the vocabulary to explain why—and my own health experiences made me even more curious about the question behind the question: why is this happening? Naturopathic medicine gave me a way to combine science, investigation and whole-person care rather than looking at each symptom as though it lived on its own little island.

My approach to patient care

I approach each person like a puzzle, not a checklist: listen carefully, connect the dots, look for patterns and leave as few stones unturned as possible. My goal is to help people understand what may be filling their proverbial “health glass,” then build a realistic, personalized plan to start emptying it.

What I wish people knew

That it is far more than herbs, vitamins and telling people to eat their vegetables. At its best, naturopathic medicine is thoughtful detective work—bringing together physiology, lifestyle, nutrition, environment, lab data and the person’s lived experience to understand the bigger picture.