A Welcome from Dr. Macdonald
Welcome to The Macdonald Centre for Natural Medicine! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our clinic, our services and our team of health care professionals.
You deserve a doctor who listens, who respects you and who is your ally in creating optimal health. Great health can take time and effort, but it’s our goal to help you get there, and our vision to do it in a caring, enjoyable environment.
Thank you for your time and interest, and on behalf of The Macdonald Centre team, thank you for considering our Courtenay clinic. We value your trust, and we look forward to helping you feel better.
Yours in good health,
Dr. Deidre Macdonald, ND
Founder, The Macdonald Centre for Natural Medicine
Meet Our Practitioners
Dr. Deidre Macdonald, BA, ND
Dr. Deidre Macdonald has won the Reader’s Choice award for Best Naturopathic Physicians and Alternative Health Providers every year the contest has run. She is a naturopathic physician who has had a naturopathic medical practice in Courtenay, B.C. since 1997. She is passionate about sharing the wisdom of naturopathic medicine to help people achieve their health goals. She believes that her patients hold the power to change their own lives given effective and professional medical coaching.
Listening is a doctor’s number one tool, and Dr. Macdonald works with her patients to find the underlying cause of their health challenges and create protocols that work.
She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from U.B.C. and graduated first in her class. She has her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon and is a licensed naturopathic physician in B.C. She chose to attain additional training in pharmacology and received prescribing authority in 2010. She has also done post-graduate training in pediatric medicine, homeopathy, Bowen Therapy, laser therapy, SIBO (IBS), women’s medicine and more.
What kind of person comes to see Dr. Macdonald?
- Dr. Macdonald assists patients with a wide variety of concerns. She welcomes men, women and children into her practice.
- Dr. Macdonald has extensive experience in treating people with allergy-related concerns, women’s health issues, digestive disorders of all kinds and many other acute and chronic conditions.
- She often treats patients with complex health concerns such as chronic pain, cancer, autoimmune disease or neurological disease.
- She also treats healthy people who want to be healthier. For instance, people who are generally in good health may desire coaching to lose weight, review their supplements, do cleansing programs, enhance athletic performance, have a thorough physical exam and blood work, optimize their nutrition or have a Pap test.
Dr. Shawn Peters, ND
Dr. Peters brings many years of experience as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist to his role as a primary care provider / Naturopathic Physician. He is a good listener who strives to deeply understand his patients’ cares, concerns and goals.
Dr. Peters has many tools to offer you. He can provide complete medical workups, including physical exams and blood tests. He can help you understand your body better and learn how to get the most out of your health. His treatment plans may include nutrition, herbal and homeopathic medicines, acupuncture and spinal manipulation. Dr. Peters also uses facial rejuvenation acupuncture (cosmetic acupuncture) to support signs of aging.
Dr. Peters practices general family (naturopathic) medicine and also has an interest in helping men to feel great and age well. He believes that listening and collaborating are the keys to a good doctor-patient relationship. Learn more about Dr. Peters or Book now.
Ricki – Administration
Ricki is the Master of Multi-tasking. She’s the one who gets you quick appointments when you are sick and puts a rush on your special orders, so be extra nice to her!
Erika Massicotte, RN – Laser therapist
Erika brings her depth and warmth to her role as laser therapist. As a registered nurse, she conscientiously attends to all the little things that add up to an excellent treatment.
Terry – Bookkeeper
Terry has been with Dr. Macdonald since 1998 and is the real brains behind the operation. She handles the books with flair and is adept at reading Dr. Macdonald’s mind at this point.
Natalie Rogers, RMT
Natalie Rogers is a licensed massage therapist who shares her kind heart and skilled hands with her lucky clients. We love having Natalie as our in-house massage therapist. She can provide a massage to complement our laser patients’ treatments, and the staff here all love to get a massage too! Natalie’s practice goes beyond traditional massage in that she teaches Somatics and other gentle techniques. To book an appointment with Natalie, click here.
Lisa Steels – Counselling
Lisa is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Canadian Certified Counsellor with a holistic approach to treatment using body-based practices and behavioural techniques to improve wellness. She uses a collaborative approach to treatment while emphasizing the importance of creating a safe space with compassionate and respectful communication. Her background as a Firefighter and Paramedic provides a unique lens for appreciating the impacts of trauma and crisis on how people show up in the world. If you are experiencing hypervigilance, anxiety, poor sleep, fatigue, defensiveness or emotional challenges, you can explore goals and strategies that support you in a return to balance. She provides care for adults and couples, emphasizing supporting health care workers, first responders and veterans. Learn with her profile below: Psychology Today Profile-Lisa Steels Schedule a session here: Click here to Book