Katy Howard is a Naturopathic Doctor, Intuitive Energy Healer, teacher and author who focuses on helping people find healing in body, mind and spirit.  She has a special interest in guiding others to their Soul Path, and embracing their inner truth. Katy is the author of Finding Your Gifts: A No Bulls**t Guide to Energetic Protection, Intuitive Expansion, and Realizing Your Soul Path, the creator of the Psychic Gifts training series targeted at helping you discover and develop your psychic gifts, and the creator of Intuitive Practitioner, a course designed to help other healers dive more deeply into the mental, emotional and spiritual roots of illness so they can help more complex and deeper cases.

 

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Want to understand me better?

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A (LONG) NOTE FROM KATY:

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Please note that due to the regulation of the naturopathic profession, I must see you formally as a patient to work with you.  This means that we will be working on healing your body, mind and spirit all at the same time.  I do not do stand-alone psychic readings or energy work sessions.  Intuitive knowledge is just one tool I use in the healing work.  But if a simple reading is all you need, please email me (findingyourgifts@gmail.com).  I have a list of amazing intuitives up my sleeve that I can connect you with!

 

Don't know if you want to see me or not?  Please read on to find out more about me and my approach.

 

First off, for those who don’t really want to wade through the details of who I am, but just want to make sure I know what I’m doing as a naturopath:

 

Education

I started my postgraduate education with a four-year undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto in the Microbiology Specialist program, which was later merged with the Molecular Genetics program (the departments merged). I graduated with distinction, and earned an Honours Bachelor of Science degree (HBSc) with a Specialist in Microbiology. 

 

What does that even mean? It means I studied and experimented with various viruses and bacteria. I worked in the Infection, Immunity, Injury and Repair (IIIR) lab at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kid’s) in Toronto during my final year of study. Because bacteria are studied as pathogens (bugs that cause infections), and as the means of examining gene expression (DNA), my degree also gave me a firm understanding of infection and genetics. In particular I came to see how our genes can contribute to our health, and how our environment and lifestyle affects our gene expression.

 

Next, I enrolled in the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), where I completed another 4-year program and became a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND). After graduation I successfully completed the board and licensing examinations and am currently a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario. During my last 2 years of study at CCNM, I also worked in a naturopathic clinic in Toronto specializing in cancer care and intravenous vitamin C, giving me a far deeper understanding of the power of natural medicine.

 

Throughout the time of obtaining my scientific training, I have also expanded my learning into spiritual and energy healing, and I have obtained my Usui Reiki Level 2 and Celtic Reiki Master certifications.  I have over 15 years experience with hands-on healing.

 

So, hopefully that gives you a better understanding of the letters behind my name. But if knowing that I’ve been rigorously educated and tested isn’t what you came here for, please read on.

 

My Roots

I was born and raised in North Toronto by a family with strong values and a diligent work ethic. I have always been an overachiever and pushed myself hard to achieve my goals. Unfortunately, with the strain of medical school and trying to keep a part-time job to make ends meet, I began to push myself too hard. My life was completely out of balance, and eventually I got very sick. We all get a “tap on the shoulder” as warning to make us change our ways when we are out of balance. For most people, this is enough to scare them into change. I guess I’m a stubborn person. I ignored the taps and required a metaphorical punch in the face to get me to slow down.

 

Just before Christmas vacation in my final internship year at CCNM, I became deathly ill and had to be hospitalized for nearly eight months. Prior to that time I had a very narrow view of allopathic medicine (the kind practiced by MD’s), and wouldn’t even take Tylenol for a headache. This illness was my lesson in humility, and gave me invaluable insight into the experience of hospitalization, multiple surgeries, loss of independence and then recovery. In addition to all of the help I was given in the hospital, I was also very fortunate to have naturopathic medicine up my sleeve as well. My recovery astounded my surgical team and specialists alike. Once the root of my problem was discovered and solved, my recovery progressed relatively quickly. I went from bedridden and near death, through relearning to walk, and all the way to normal life in 6 months. I have a massive support network of healthcare professionals, and unbelievable family and friends to thank for that. Once I had recovered enough to be able to help others, I was able to finish my schooling and get my license. I am grateful for all that I learned from my experience and hope that I can pay it forward by being a member of your support and healthcare team.
 

Who I am

I am a fun-loving and frank person who really loves interacting with others. This is one of the reasons working in a lab didn’t become my career. I have an inner need to help people, and I find nothing more fulfilling than having someone tell me that I helped change their life for the better. It’s a high that I can’t get enough of!

 

If you are thinking of coming to see me, you should know that I become invested in my patients and their well-being. I believe in giving you a safe space to discuss anything that you need to bring up, and I will never judge what you say. I do have a tough-love style from how I was raised. I will always give you my frank opinion, and will only sugar coat it if you ask me to. I also love to laugh and am often joking around – so a sense of humour will greatly benefit you as my patient. From my experience, I have truly come to believe that laughter is the best medicine, although sometimes tears are more powerful. Both have a role in healing.

 

Spiritual Shift and teaching

Part of my illness journey involved dying very briefly after my first surgery. The amazing hospital team had me resuscitated in less than a minute. I have no memory of these events because of the anaesthetic, but was told about it later by my husband who was there when it happened. After that time, I developed some additional abilities that aid me in my healing work. I am able to do psychic readings and use my intuition and abilities to better help you heal and grow onto your Soul Path.

 

Does the psychic and intuitive stuff not resonate with you? Believe me, I get it. It took a solid 2 years for my science mind to allow me to believe that it may actually be real and not just the product of a schizophrenic mind, or post-operative brain damage (although I'm still open to those possibilities!). In the intervening years, I've come to believe that psychic ability is not magic, but an untapped potential present in all humans. It's just science we don't understand yet. Like how a cellphone would be “magic” to people in the 1800's. It's not just for the chosen few, and we all have the potential to tap into our innate gifts.  This is how my teaching career got started.  I believe that with some simple guidance, everyone can step into their psychic and intuitive abilities!

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My Business(es)

I have always been an independent person, and I was never a fan of having a boss.  Because of my experience working as an naturopathic office manager during school, I was able to quickly set up my own business in Orillia immediately after getting licensed in 2011.  Renewed Health & Wellness was my business baby for nearly 10 years and we grew together over that time.  Fortunately, as my husband and I moved from Orillia to Trent Lakes, and expanded our family, Dr. Hannah Lafayette-Brooks, ND took over the business and kept it's spirit alive and well.  At the same time I started up Finding Your Gifts and began to work virtually.  That freed my husband and I to briefly move to Calgary to adopt our son!  We spent 2.5yrs focused on raising him, before deciding to open a clinic space near our home in Trent Lakes, and that's how we came to open Finding Your Gifts near Buckhorn.

 

But enough about me…What about you?

What am I looking for in a patient? This was a tricky question for me when I first thought it over. I didn’t want to alienate anyone from coming to see me. Then I realized it is actually very important for me to set my intention here. There are things that I expect from someone coming to see me, and I don’t want to waste your time or money if I can’t help you.  So here's what I require in a patient:

 

Motivation

I cannot magically heal someone who won’t do any work. Because of that, I want a patient who is motivated to get well. This doesn’t mean that I won’t help you find reasons to be motivated. I’ll be there beside you every step of the way, but I can’t do the work for you. Or as my father loves to say “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”. I can only help others who will help themselves.

 

Realism

There is no magic pill to cure all or likely even one of your problems (although sometimes homeopathy comes close)! Finding better health is often a matter of work and changing habits…which leads me to my next expectation:

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Flexibility in Mind and Lifestyle

I don’t expect you to be able to change everything in your life all at once, nor do I expect you to change your long-held beliefs. But I do need you to have an open mind and be willing to try new things, even if it’s just through changing your perspective.

 

If these sounds like characteristics in you, or ones that you’re working on obtaining, then I really look forward to meeting you!!

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