Dr. Courtenay Boer, ND

03/18/2025

Hi friends! 👋
I’m excited to have been invited to speak at Cowichan Valley fitness & nutrition on all things perimenopause!

April 26th in Chemainus, tickets at the link below. I hope you’ll join me! ♥️

Join Dr. Courtenay Boer, ND, for an informative discussion about perimenopause and menopause.

07/22/2020

An important message re: COVID-19 - see below!

04/22/2020

Sending our love, support and thanks to all the frontline workers. You know who you are. Keep up the incredible work and know that every day we are sending energy to help you through this. Until then please know that you’re in our hearts and mind. ❤️

We’d also like to thank everyone who is continuing to practice physical distancing and self isolation. Let’s continue to do our part and help bend the curve.

04/20/2020

It might not be glamorous. It might be a little sweaty, and really red (don’t worry, 🍅-face is a healthy part of life 😂). But 🌟Movement Is Medicine🌟

Running, dancing, yoga, cycling, gym workouts, weightlifting - however you choose - moving your body has so many benefits. It can provide release: for pent up energy, racing thoughts, and yes, endorphins of course!

This is something we’ve known for a while, and now there is plenty of research to tell us it’s true. Exercise releases endorphins, among other neurotransmitters, which can increase mood and a sense of well-being. Movement can be a powerful ally to support mental health, it can help to mitigate stress, it is beneficial for your immune system, it’s important for heart health, and maintaining healthy bones - and that’s just a start.

Inviting movement into our lives is a way to wish our body well. How can you incorporate movement as part of your ?

04/17/2020

How can we cultivate calm in the presence of anxiety?

I spent yesterday morning sitting in the sun, listening to Brené Brown’s podcast “Unlocking Us” and found it so insightful that I wanted to share a few take-aways.

Just like anxiety, calm can be a somewhat nebulous term. Brené offers two key points for understanding calm:
1. Defining “calm” - as perspective, mindfulness, and the ability to manage emotional reactivity
2. Calm is a practice (and we all have the ability to practice it).

It can be easy to think that some people are naturally more calm, but it’s an important distinction to see calm as a practice. For most people, unless your parents modelled calm really well, it’s unlikely to be your default emotional response. However, everyone has the ability to practice. So how do we do that?

Brené’s Steps To Practicing Calm:
1. Try to be slow to respond and quick to think “Do I have all the information I need to emotionally respond?”
2. Stay mindful about the effect that calm has on anxious situations (a panicked response produces more panic and fear, while a calm response is equally contagious)
3. Commit to practicing it. Small things matter. This can be counting to 10 before responding, taking 5 deep breaths, giving yourself permission to say “let me think about it” before responding. Take small, actionable steps.

04/15/2020

How are you holding up? Are you riding the roller coaster of emotions day to day, too?

One thing that has been coming up for me more often lately is anxiety. Amongst the uncertainty and fear, I can feel it rising. I’ve been practicing tuning into my body and the way that anxiety shows up there - and the way that I show up to anxiety. I want to share a bit of that with you.

Firstly, let’s talk about bringing mindfulness to the presence of anxiety in the body. This can be knots in the stomach, quickened or shallow breathing, feeling your heartbeat in your chest, flushing and/or sweating. Yes, anxiety can show up with thoughts (and those are important to explore), but it is also a visceral experience. Drop into your body and notice areas of comfort and discomfort.

Next - ask yourself how you show up to anxiety? Some of us go into hyperdrive, wanting to do all the things and leaning into productivity. Some of us experience overwhelm, shut down, or numb. Or maybe you swing between those two. Brené Brown talks about “over and under-functioning” in response to anxiety. Do you identify with either or both of those?

Why is naming anxiety in this way useful?
There are a few reasons. I believe that naming anxiety can decrease shame and allow us to ask for support. Our bodies can signal a nervous system reaction before we consciously have words to put to anxious thoughts. Naming these bodily sensations can give us an awareness of what’s happening even if we can’t pinpoint why. Naming how we show up to anxiety can help us identify behavioural patterns, both helpful and unhelpful. And together, this awareness gives us agency to allow us to create new practices in the face of anxiety.

03/17/2020

We are all in this together // COVID-19 Practice Update

The safety and health of our communities are of the utmost importance. In an effort to keep our community safe, all consultations have been moved to telemedicine (phone or video), while temporarily suspending injection and acupuncture therapies. Both Juniper Family Health and Active Solutions Health + Sport are taking active and preventative measures that reflect the current recommendations of Health Canada, the BC CDC, and our governments - I will share more details in my stories.

On a personal level, my husband and I just returned from a trip to Hawaii this past weekend, and are on Day 3 of a 14-day self-isolation.

To my patients, I will continue working from home, offering support through telemedicine. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.

Sending love, kindness, and compassion as we all do our best to navigate these uncertain times. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support or have any questions. We are all in this together 💚💚💚

01/18/2020

Fantastic news from BC Women's Hospital!

Endometriosis often go years undiagnosed, and that may be in part due to women not knowing what their symptoms mean. Empowering young women with information about this common condition is such a big step in the right direction!

Because few discuss the symptoms or regard the severe pain and nausea during menstruation as abnormal, many suffer for years before getting treatment

01/10/2020

Is there any good way to take a picture with a speculum? 🤷‍♀️ My husband recently asked me if I liked doing PAP testing, and I told him unequivocally YES! I get excited when a patient books in for a pelvic exam, because it means that she is invested in her health.

Many of us dread having to get a PAP test, and I would like to see that change! I believe PAP testing is ⋒ Important
⋒ Preventative
⋒ Empowering
⋒ Educational
⋒ A way to wish your body well

There is no doubt that getting a PAP test can feel vulnerable, but that does not mean it should feel disempowering or embarrassing. There is so much room for improvement in this area of healthcare, and I love providing a service that uplifts and supports women. If you would like to book in for a PAP, please visit the link in my bio or call 778-265-8340 💫

01/08/2020

PAP Testing Guidelines // Do you know if you’re up to date with your PAP testing?

The BC Cancer Agency recommends having a PAP test done every 3 years, from age 25-69, for people with a cervix.
⋒ Note that PAPs are required yearly for those that are immunocompromised or have a history of pre-cancerous lesions or cervical cancer
⋒ Follow-up will also vary if atypical cervical lesions are found (please discuss with your healthcare provider).

What exactly are we testing? 🤔
The PAP test is a sample of cells taken along the transformation zone (squamocolumnar junction) of the cervix. This is an area of active cell remodelling, and therefore more prone to dysplasia (abnormal cell growth) and carcinoma.

Are you up to date with your PAP testing?

If you would like to book in for a PAP, please book online (https://www.smartnd.ca/online-booking/774) or call 778-265-8340.