About Erika

L
ife is about journeys, and my life journey brought me here, to be a naturopathic physician in Golden, British Columbia.  I always dreamed of having a medical practice in a beautiful place.  A place surrounded by trees, rivers and hiking trails.  The mountains were also part of the dream, but a part I never shared at because at that time I saw my life and practice continuing in Whitby, Ontario – where I started my first practice in 2004.  But life has a funny way of changing in a moment, and in 2011, suddenly I found myself starting a new life in Golden.  Welcome to my life and to my practice!

I can’t say that I am surprised to find myself here.  Science and nature were always involved in my answers when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  In Naturopathic Medicine I have found the vocation that satisfies my scientific curiosity, allows me to be in awe of the amazing power of nature, and gives me the opportunity to connect with people in a personal and meaningful way.

I also should have known that I’d wind up living in the mountains someday. The first time I visited the Rockies I was eight years old.  They had such a profound impact on me that I cried when we had to leave. I remember watching the mountains fade away as we drove east on the Trans Canada Highway out of Canmore, not wanting to miss a moment of their majesty.

I am grateful to have found such a warm and welcoming community in Golden.  Outside of my practice there is plenty to keep me busy.  Outdoor activities such as gardening, skiing, biking and hiking; volunteering with the Age Friendly Committee; being a part of the larger business community through the Kicking Horse Country Chamber of Commerce; and playing my oboe in the Purcell Mountain Orchestra are all part of my work/life balance!

Now that I’m a mother, work/life balance is even more important to me, and a keystone of how I see, treat and inspire my patients.  The older I get, the more I see life as continuum, and our health being on an ever adapting balance between illness and wellness, stress and relaxation, or yang and yin.  Understanding what knocks us off balance is just as important as the understanding how to regain that balance.  And, if we don’t know how, all it takes is being willing to ask for help.  Please do ask!  I would be honoured to help you regain your holistic health balance, for your body, mind and spirit.  

Dr. Erika

erikabuckleynd@aquavitalis.ca | 250.344.4983 | www.aquavitalis.ca