About Elisha Cook

Thank You

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Autumn Girl enjoying nature on the field. Beauty Girl Outdoors rThis photo probably sums up more than words the relief that I feel right now. Why might you ask? Well, I passed all of my licensing exams! So, what does that mean? Now I need to be approved for registration with the College of Naturopaths and apply for the appropriate insurance. Once this is complete, I am ready to practice as a Naturopathic Doctor and can then officially call myself a Doctor! This has been a long time coming and has required facing my own demons, overcoming past traumas, and discovering who I am aside from my profession. I have had successes, but also made some mistakes that have helped me in the long run. Ultimately, I am truly thankful for these experiences and for the practitioner they will have helped shaped me into. No “acceptance speech” would be without its “Thank you”, and so, what follows is my condensed list.

To start with, first and foremost is to do what most Grammy – award winning artists do, and that is, thank my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I do realize that I may receive judgement, criticism, disdain, etc. for this comment; but I truly cannot take the credit for what has transpired. My strength is in Him alone, and I could not have overcome what I have without Him. That being said, I have received so many prayers and support from my family and church family over the past 8 years, and I am truly grateful to have so much love surrounding me. My family has shaped me into the woman that I am, and I cannot thank them enough for pushing me when I needed it and encouraging me along the way, even if my own mother thought I was going to be a witch doctor 🙂 (it’s okay she is now my biggest fan).

Throughout this whole journey, I have had my faithful and loving husband by my side. I cannot say how truly blessed I am to have had him over the past 8 years to comfort me through the tears and walk with me through the pain, but also to rejoice with me in the victories.

Finally, as always, I want to thank all of the beautiful souls that I have met along the way, specifically, the patients that I have had the pleasure of working with. I have learned so much and have been so blessed by you all. Walking with you has helped shaped me into the practitioner I want to be and will be. Also, thank you and much love to you my readers for all of your constant support!

I will keep you all posted in the following weeks as to when I am accepting patients!

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

Transitions: End of One Journey, the Beginning of Another

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Elisha-Cook-black-and-white-about-PhotoAs most of you may know, this is my last week of internship at the Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic. The feeling really is bitter sweet. I will miss many of the wonderful people that I have had the pleasure of walking with, but I also embrace the opportunity to be back home and transition into the next phase of my life.

This past year has been quite the journey, full of ups and downs. I have learned much about myself, patient care, and the healing capabilities that everyone has. I have laughed with many, cried with some, and cheered on many who strived for better in regards to their health. Often I feel we take for granted those opportunities in life that we each have to walk with others, speak encouraging words, and cheer others on as they run their race. I am so blessed to have had this position where I can embrace this opportunity to provide hope. I so appreciate the opportunity I have had to be in the position with so many patients, and I would like to thank each of you for allowing me to be a part of your healing journey. Though you may not realize it, you have taught me a great deal and I appreciate the lessons taught. I also appreciate the vulnerability each of these patients showed in the sense that they opened up about themselves and the aspect of their lives that they may not have been so fond of. I also want to thank you for being a part of my growth and development into the practitioner that I will become.

From here, I will go back home, prepare for my board and licensing exams, and pursue the career that I have always dreamed of, which is becoming a Naturopathic Doctor. I will keep you all updated as to when that dream becomes a reality (hopefully November 2015), where I will be, and how I can support you through your journey. For now, I will continue to write blogs, provide information, and stay in touch with you. If you are interested in subscribing to my blogs, send me an email through the contact portion of this website, indicating that you would like to be on the mailing list.

Finally, I want to thank you all for being a part of these past four years, and for helping me to grow, learn, and become who I am today. Thank you and God Bless. – Elisha Cook

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please contact Elisha Cook via the Contact portion of this website.

 

Book Review: The 5 Love Languages

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Love: At SunsetBefore my husband and I got married, we did pre-marriage counselling, upon which we were asked to read the book, “The 5 love languages” by Gary Chapman. Before this experience, I was sure that myself and my spouse had a solid relationship and that there were minimal areas that needed to be improved upon. After reading this book, not only did the dynamics of our relationship change, but how we understood one another and others. I now normally give this book as a gift to those getting married because of how impactful this book was in our relationship. You might be asking yourself, “Okay I get it, this is a great book, but what does this have to do with health? I thought you were training to be a Naturopathic Doctor not a Marriage counsellor?” The reason why I am including this in my blog is quite simple. What happens in our interpersonal lives, i.e. our relationships, has a profound effect on our health. If we are stressed because our marriages or relationships are falling apart, this can cause depression, anxiety, and even physical health diseases. Therefore, though it may not be obvious, our relationships can impact our health, and so, I invite you to read the review I have provided below regarding the book and what you can expect from reading it.

The premise of this book is that everyone has their own love language. This means that everyone shows love in specific ways, and knows that they are loved in others. If we do not speak each other’s languages, we can often leave the other person feeling unloved, or feel unloved ourselves. In order to keep each other feeling loved, you need to speak your partners love language. As foreshadowed by the title of the book, there are 5 love languages: Acts of Service, Quality time, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, and Gifts.

If we show love one way, and our partner receives it another way, this can often lead to conflict and mixed emotions. For example, let’s say Jim cuts the lawn for his partner Mary because his love language is Acts of Service. He feels as though he is showing Mary a sign of love because that is how he shows others that he loves them is through Acts of Service. However, what if Mary’s love language was words of affirmation? She would not necessarily see Jim cutting the grass as an act of love but maybe instead a duty. If we are unaware of how we each show love and receive love, it can sometimes cause unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings.

This book helps you to discover what language you speak, what love language you receive (how you know you are loved), and what love language your partner receives. This book also provides you with some ways that you can speak your partner’s love language if you do not know how to show affection in that particular way. In some editions, there is also a quiz at the back to help you to identify what love language you or your partner speak.

Please note I do not have any association with this author or with the publisher’s. This is merely a review of the book based on my opinion and experience. Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.

 

Metaphors from the Fishing World: Lessons on Life and Health from the River

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fishingAs some of you know, my husband and I are avid fishermen. We will often walk through rivers around the area we live or spend our holidays exploring new rivers, all in an attempt to catch “the big one” and just spend time in nature. Not only is the activity enjoyable and therapeutic, but being in nature helps to press the “reset” button for the following week. From the many adventures we have had, I have had time to reflect on life lessons that can be taught from the river.

It’s not the size of the fish, but the fight in the fish.

Many times when I have had a fish on, I would swear that the fish on the end of the line is much bigger than what it actually is, all because of the fight that it gives me. I think of this as encouragement. Your situation may be difficult. You might think you are weak or small, but you can fight. Keep on fighting when the odds are against you, because you never know when that fighting might help you get off of that hook!

Fake it ‘til you make it.

Recently, my husband taught me how to fly fish. It is challenging, but the rewards are worth it. There are many different tactics that you can do that you could not really do with your standard rod and reel. One of these tactics involves using flies. With your line, you are able to make you bait lightly land on the water and allow it to drift down river, giving the impression that your bait is a bug that fell into the water. These different tactics make me think of the phrase “Fake it ‘til you make it”, which makes me think back to many of the blogs I have written about emotions, depression and the control you do have over your circumstances. You do not have to let your circumstances control you. You can choose to be happy, and if you have to fake it for a while, well then so be it. Fake it until you make it.

Unforeseen Rocks

We do not walk in cloudy rivers too often, but when we do, it can be challenging if you do not know the river well. You may not know where the deep pockets are, or where the stones or rocks are placed. Sometimes you can trip, and if you do not correct for that stumble, you could fall in. How many times in your life have you not seen the rocks or deep pockets ahead, and completely fallen in? How did you respond? Did you give up and stay in the river, or did you get back up and keep walking? Or did you even walk the river in the first place because you couldn’t see where you were going? Did you not bother to take the risk?

The one that got away

You cannot have a blog about fishing without discussion of “the one that got away”. And so ensues one of my tales of the one that got away. My husband and I were fishing one of our favorite fishing places (sorry chaps a fisherman never tells), and I have a 2-3 pike my line that was giving me a good fight. Remarkably, he jumped out of the water (which looked amazing) and spit the hook. He got away. I had a choice (and so do you!). I could have called it quits, and packed it in for the day, or I could have kept fishing. Well, I kept fishing. My next cast happened to be what landed my biggest catch yet (the picture for this blog happens to be that fish). I landed a 20 inch small mouth bass (that is huge ladies and gentlemen)! If I would have gave up after the one that got away, I would have never caught my biggest “trophy”.

Sometimes the Best Catches are on Cloudy Days

Sometimes the greatest catches are caught on those cloudy days. I recall when I was younger and I would go Salmon fishing with my dad, that he always liked going on those cloudy days, and sure enough, we always did better on those days for some reason. Sometimes the lessons we learn and the biggest rewards can be gained in those “cloudy” moments in our lives, when things are not so good, and we are struggling. You will make it through, and you will be stronger for it.

Biting off more than you can chew

When my husband and I will go fishing for perch, we often have a problem with them swallowing the hook much farther down than we would like. This often causes aggravation for us, and, unfortunately, discomfort for the fish. Frankly, the fish bit off a bit more than he/she could chew, and has to deal with the consequences of those actions. Such is life.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC (416-498-9763), and let me help you achieve your health goals.