Dr. Diane Thistle
Dr. Diane Thistle, BSc, ND has returned to private practice in Guelph.
Diane has an extensive naturopathic medical background spannng the last 15 years. Diane's career began when she received an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Biology in 1991 from the University of Guelph. In 1993, when seriously considering post-graduate study at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), she returned to the University of Guelph to pursue part-time studies in Human Physiology and Environmental Biology. Dr. Thistle did go on to attend CCNM in 1994, receiving her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine diploma in May 1998; she was licensed to practice the following October.
During the first three years of practice, Dr. Thistle had private practices in three Ontario cities; Brantford, Guelph and Waterdown, the last of which she did a six-month locum. She lectured on a regular basis to various groups and organizations in the Brantford and Guelph areas, including the Women's Cancer Support Group at the Brantford General Hospital, Mohawk College, the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Society of Nutrition Management, North Park Collegiate, the Natural Life Festival, as well as Guelph's own Hillside Festival. Last summer, she was invited to provide medical care to performers at Hillside.
After three years of private practice, and being interested in expanding and diversifying her role, Diane left private practice and accepted one of seven newly created full-time Clinical Faculty positions at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto. She remained at the College for seven years, during which time she held several positions. Most of her time was dedicated to the work as a Clinic Supervisor and Assistant Professor in the Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, the teaching clinic of CCNM. This clinic is the largest of its kind in North America, with annual patient visits upwards of 25,000. In this capacity, she was responsible for patient care and management, and in doing so worked with and treated a wide range of people with a variety of health concerns and conditions, while teaching, mentoring, and supervising fourth year student interns. She also worked, in a more limited way, with third year students. Diane also had the pleasure of working at two of the College's satellite clinics, namely LAMP, which serves lower income families, and the Sherbourne clinic, which treats and supports people dealing with HIV and AIDS. Dr. Thistle has had influence in the education and training of a few hundred naturopathic doctors who are now practicing in the field.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Thistle held other positions in the Academic Department during her second year at the College, namely Coordinator for Year 1 of the ND Programme, and Course Coordinator and lecturer for Naturopathic History, Philosophy & Principles. She also had the role of Teaching Assistant for Physical and Clinical Diagnosis.
Her professional contributions to the College are extensive and include Clinical Hydrotherapy project development and the creation of the RSNC 2001-2003 Clinical Curriculum, in which she was requested to serve as Project Coordinator, Contributor and Editor. This formalized clinical curriculum was a year in the making, and was the first of its kind at any of the six naturopathic medical schools in North America.
Diane left CCNM in May 2008 and has taken the last year to dedicate time to herself and to further expand upon her professional development in a more focused way. At present, she is particularly interested in Bioregulatory Medicine (as is widely practiced in Germany) and the critical role that the Matrix (no, not the movie!) plays in overall health; in Biotherapeutic Drainage; in Psychosomatic Energetics, which utilizes homeopathic remedies to treat emotions and harmful thought patterns; and in Constitutional Medicine. She is a big advocate of keeping it simple; her clinical experience and approach adheres to the basics while treating the root causes of illness. Simple and fundamental go a long way, she will say. Her ecclectic approach allows her to draw upon a variety of therapies including Hydrotherapy; Clinical Nutrition (including diet, supplementation and oligo-elements); Homeopathy (including classical homeopathy, combination remedies, drainage remedies, tissue salts); Psychosomatic Energetics (see description below); Botanical Medicine (including Gemmotherapy and Bach Flower Remedies); Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture; and Prevention and Lifestyle Counseling.
Prior to the start of her naturopathic training, Diane had experience working in the conventional medical field, specifically in psychiatry and in working for a supplier of conventional medical devices to Canadian hospitals and clinics. Further, she has extensive personal experience with both conventional and complementary medicine; injury in a car accident in 1990 led her to the exploration of both forms of health care. She will say these experiences have all been a valuable resource; she believes that personal work, experience, and attention to her own health contributes significantly to the therapeutic relationships with, and an understanding of her patients. Over the years she has had additional training in CranioSacral Therapy, Bowen Therapy, Vipassana Meditation, and Pilates.
Over the last 11 years, Diane continues to refine how she practices, but remains an "old school", ecclectic practitioner; she firmly believes in the body's inherent capacity to heal itself; in uncovering and treating the root causes of disease in the simplest and most effective ways possible; in engaging, educating and supporting those she works with; and in the importance of treating the whole person.
Dr. Thistle recognizes her role as being one member of a team of heatlh care practitioners, all of whom have an important role to play in people's health. She is experienced, both personally and professionally, in working with a wide variety of practitioners, both in conventional and complementary medical fields.
Dr. Thistle is a member of the Canadian Naturopathic Association, a professional member of the Institute of Naturopathic Education and Research, and a past member of the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors.