Toronto Naturopathic Doctor for Stress and Burnout
I’m Dr. Claire Lockridge, ND, a registered Naturopathic Doctor in Toronto. I help women understand why they’re exhausted and address it naturally through assessment, testing, and treatment that addresses what’s actually broken.
- Root cause approach to chronic stress, burnout, and adrenal dysfunction
- Testing that shows why you're tired (not just "your labs are normal")
- Herbal support to help regulate and strengthen your stress response
- Mindset work to help you build resilience and take on more in your life
- Training in hormones, metabolism, and stress response
You're Running on Empty
You wake up exhausted despite sleeping 8+ hours. Coffee doesn’t help anymore. You can’t focus at work. Small tasks feel overwhelming.
You’re doing all the right things. Eating well. Exercising when you can. Going to bed on time. But you still wake up tired.
You have had basic labs done, but nothing has come back flagged.
I help women identify what’s driving their burnout through assessment and testing. Then we fix it naturally.
Stress and Burnout Issues I Treat
Chronic Stress That Won't Let Up
You feel wired but exhausted. Your mind races at night. Small stressors trigger big reactions.
Chronic stress changes how your body responds to everything. This affects your sleep, digestion, immune function, and hormones.
Treatment focuses on nervous system regulation with vagal tone support, adaptogenic herbs, and practical techniques.
Physical and Emotional Burnout
You have nothing left to give. Work feels impossible. Things that used to bring joy feel like chores. You’re irritable with people you care about.
Burnout depletes specific nutrients. B vitamins. Magnesium. Vitamin C.
Recovery requires nutrient replacement, nervous system support, and addressing the life factors driving burnout
Debilitating Fatigue Despite Rest
Thyroid dysfunction. Anemia. Blood sugar problems. Chronic infections. Sleep disorders. This level of fatigue has specific causes.
You sleep 8-9 hours and wake up exhausted. Naps don’t help. Rest doesn’t restore you.
We identify what’s causing your fatigue through comprehensive blood work, then address root causes.
Stress-Related Hormonal Imbalances
When cortisol normalizes, other hormones follow. That’s why we balance your stress response first.
Your period disappeared or became irregular. PMS got worse. PCOS symptoms flared. You’re gaining weight around your middle despite eating well.
Chronic stress disrupts your entire hormone axis. Treatment addresses the root dysfunction, not just symptoms.
Metabolic Issues Connected to Stress
Unexplained weight gain. Blood sugar swings. Sugar cravings that feel uncontrollable. Pre-diabetes or insulin resistance.
Your metabolic function and stress response are deeply intertwined, and both need to be addressed at the same time to see real benefits.
Weakened Immune Function
You catch every cold. Infections take forever to clear. You get sick when you finally relax on vacation.
Chronic stress suppresses immune function. You’re vulnerable to infections.
Supporting your immune system means fixing the stress response driving immune dysfunction. Plus targeted immune support through nutrition, vitamin D, zinc, and immune-modulating herbs.
Sleep Problems Despite Exhaustion
You can’t fall asleep even though you’re exhausted. You wake up at 3am with your mind racing. Morning comes too fast.
We restore sleep through cortisol pattern correction, sleep hygiene that works, calming herbs, magnesium, and nervous system regulation.
Brain Fog and Cognitive Issues
You can’t focus. Words don’t come easily. You forget things constantly. Your brain feels cloudy.
Brain fog reflects inflammation, blood sugar problems, nutrient deficiencies, or thyroid issues. All connected to chronic stress.
Treatment addresses the root causes through anti-inflammatory nutrition, blood sugar stabilization, thyroid support, and brain-supporting nutrients.
Digestive Problems From Stress
Bloating gets worse when you’re stressed. IBS symptoms flare. Your gut feels off even when you eat well.
Your gut and nervous system are directly connected.
We heal stress-related digestive issues through gut-specific protocols, nervous system support, and stress management.
Ready to fix your burnout?
My Approach to Stress and Burnout Recovery
Testing for Stress and Burnout
Blood work checks thyroid function (full panel), cortisol, blood sugar, hormones, inflammation, iron, and key vitamins.
For complex cases, I order advanced testing. Salivary cortisol to map your daily rhythm. DUTCH testing for detailed hormone and cortisol metabolites.
Treatment Protocols
Your recovery plan is built for you specifically, this can include support for:
Nervous System Regulation Vagal tone exercises, breathing techniques, and practical stress management.
Adrenal and HPA Axis Support Adaptogenic herbs based on your cortisol/ adrenal pattern. These help your body respond to stress properly.
Targeted Nutrition Blood sugar stabilizing meals with anti-inflammatory foods. Protein at breakfast. Nutrients that support stress response.
Strategic Supplementation This can depend on your case, but often focuses on replenishing lost minerals and nutrients
Lifestyle Support Sleep optimization. Movement that doesn’t overtax you. Boundaries that protect your energy. I’m not afraid to get personal and help you truly evaluate what in your life is supporting you, and what is not.
Hormone Balancing When Needed If stress has disrupted your menstrual cycle or worsened PCOS or PMS, we address hormonal imbalances alongside stress recovery.
Who I Can Help
You must be located in Ontario due to regulatory requirements for naturopathic doctors in Canada.
I work primarily with women in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area dealing with chronic stress and burnout. But I help women of all ages.
Good Fit If You're Experiencing:
- Chronic exhaustion that rest doesn’t fix
- Adrenal fatigue or HPA axis dysfunction
- Wired and tired feeling that won’t quit
- Changes in stress and resiliency related to different parts of your cycle
- Stress-related hormone problems like irregular periods or PCOS
- Weight gain related to long term chronic stress
- Blood sugar problems connected to stress
- Recovery from a period of long term stress
- Postpartum nervousness and exhaustion.
- Anxiety and mood changes from burnout
- Been told your labs are normal but you feel terrible
Not a Good Fit If:
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You’re looking for quick fixes without addressing lifestyle factors. Burnout recovery requires commitment.
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You need emergency mental health care. I treat the physical manifestations of stress and burnout. Severe depression, panic disorder, or suicidal thoughts need immediate psychiatric care.
Let’s work together to restore your health
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the blood work that I will get different from what my MD will run though OHIP?
I offer requisitions for basic laboratory testing that can be completed with your medical doctor, you always have the option of completing basic labs though your doctor, as these will often be covered by OHIP (if they agree there is a valid medical reason to do so)
As part of a thorough assessment, I may recommend having additional labs run, as these will give us a better understanding of how your body is funtiong.
I also spend 60-90 minutes on initial consultations examining your complete health picture, this combined wiht the blood work you do though your MD, or though is can give us a better piuctiure of what is going on for you.
Can naturopathic medicine help if I have hormonal problems too?
Yes. Stress and hormones are intimately connected.
Chronic stress disrupts your menstrual cycle and worsens PCOS and PMS.
I look at the intersection of stress, hormones, and metabolism. We address all of it together because you can’t separate them.
Will I have to quit my job or completely change my life?
No. Recovery doesn’t require burning your life down.
We work with your actual life. Your job. Your responsibilities. Your constraints.
Treatment focuses on what you can change. Better boundaries. Five-minute stress techniques. Mindset shifts. Physical health. Nutrition that works with your schedule.
What if I've tried everything and nothing has worked?
Most women I see have tried a lot: therapy, meditation apps, supplements, better sleep hygiene, exercise, yet nothing seemed to stick or help enough.
Often, this is because foundational factors, like blood sugar imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, or mindset patterns, were not addressed. Many women come to me after years of trying “everything” with no clear plan for execution or implementation.
Here’s what’s different: we identify the specific foundations driving your symptoms through testing, then address the root causes with targeted treatment.
Ready to Stop Running on Empty?
You don’t have to keep pushing through exhaustion. There are real reasons you feel this way. Through comprehensive assessment, testing, and targeted treatment, we’ll identify what’s depleting you and fix it.
