Meet The Providers
NATUROPATHIC DOCTORS
DR. KATHLEEN MERCER, B.Sc., N.D.
Dr. Mercer was born and raised in St. John’s Newfoundland. After receiving her first Bachelor of Science Degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland, she moved to Asia to teach English and travel. During this time Kathleen became interested in Chinese Medicine and decided to return to Canada and further her studies in Naturopathic Medicine. Already having chosen Medicine as a life path, Kathleen felt Naturopathic Medicine encompassed principles of health care that could complement conventional medicine including; prevention, do no harm, doctor as teacher, stimulate the bodies own vital force to do the healing, healing power of nature, patient as an individual, finding and treating the root cause of disease.
Kathleen graduated in 2000 from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine after 4 years of Naturopathic Medical Training. She held a successful and busy Practice in Orangeville Ontario for 3 years. Kathleen returned to Newfoundland in 2004 to become the first licensed Naturopathic Doctor on the island. Kathleen holds a Practice in St. John’s.
Kathleen has also been trained as a Doula and works as a birth support partner combining her Naturopathic training and her Doula training. Kathleen works with patients going through fertility support. Kathleen has been trained in Cranio-Sacral Therapy and incorporates it into her practice. Kathleen is a Yoga Teacher and obtained her Yoga Teacher’s qualifications with The Yoga Connection Teacher Training Course in Ontario. Kathleen sees Yoga as a healing art that goes hand in hand with Naturopathic principles.
Kathleen’s practice is a general practice seeing patients of all ages and circumstances. The modalities of Naturopathic Medicine include nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, Chinese medicine and acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and lifestyle counselling. Kathleen’s agenda incorporates many outreach projects to the public including talks, seminars, and community events.
DR. TANYA O’BRIEN, B.Sc., N.D.
Dr. Tanya O’Brien is a Naturopathic Doctor who graduated in 2008 from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), an accredited medical school that offers four years of formal studies in Naturopathic Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from St. Francis Xavier University where she first discovered her passion for health and healing.
Following her graduation from St. FX, Dr. O'Brien worked as a Clinical Dietetic Assistant at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. She also worked as a nutritionist at a Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic. It was here that she realized there was still a lot more she wanted to learn in the field of natural medicine, so she furthered her studies at CCNM.
Dr. O'Brien's primary interest is to help empower others to heal themselves. Her passion is helping those with gastrointestinal issues and working with mothers who are past the baby stage and still exhausted.
Upon returning to her roots in St. John’s, Dr. O’Brien began her private practice with a special interest in Women’s Health and Digestive issues. She is also the co-founder of 2 Naturopathic Moms LLC. An organization built to help spread the seed of naturopathic medicine.
PSYCHOLOGISTS
ANDREA COOK, MA
Andrea Cook is a Registered Psychologist with Master of Arts Degree in Counselling Psychology from McGill University (2003). Andrea is the past owner of Waldegrove Psychological Services and was the managing psychologist of True North Psychological Services in Halifax from 2017 until her recent move home in June. Andrea has worked in a variety of settings including the Department of National Defence, Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Correctional Services, private practice, and she was a part-time faculty member at Saint Mary’s University. She was the chair of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia’s Post-Trauma Services Committee from 2003-2008.
Andrea is an eclectic psychologist who pulls in various forms of evidence-based psychotherapies including Mindful Cognitive Behavioural, Sensorimotor, Acceptance and Commitment, and Emotion-Focused therapies to design the best treatment approach for each individual client. With over 16 years of experience, her current niche would fall within the realm of first responders; and more specifically those experiencing difficulties with trauma and other occupational stress injuries. She is very holistic in her approach, considering a client’s level of physiological, emotional, and cognitive reactivity, in an effort to restore a sense of personal balance.
Naturopathic Doctors
Dr. Kathleen Mercer
Dr. Tanya O’Brien
Psychologists
Andrea Cook