Meet Wendy Pardiac

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Wendy Pardiac. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Wendy, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

This is an interesting question because I had no resolve as a kid. No work ethic, no confidence. If anything I would have preferred to melt into the wall and be unseen.

It started in high school and elementary where I was bullied for a variety of reasons… the way I spoke, the way I looked. The fact that I was shy. I didn’t get good grades, I wore hand me down clothes and would rather drown then be called upon in class. I met a girl in 5th grade who had moved from another province, and for a reason I wasn’t sure, wanted to be my friend. I’m still unsure what she saw in me, she felt like my complete opposite; well spoken, unafraid of attention or speaking in public. She unashamedly raised her hand in class, stood up to people who bullied her, and shined in the classroom. She inspired me.

One day as I watched her, I decided I didn’t want to be in the shadows anymore. I wondered what it would feel like to not be afraid. It took 10 years for me to go from wall flower to straight A student, graduating with honours and a scholarship to University.

Once I got to University I stumbled again… afraid again. This was a whole new ballgame. Everyone around me shinned as well, also had scholarships and impeccable grades. I lost my confidence. I struggled in school and lost my path.

I took some time off, focused on my partner at the time and put all my energy into helping him achieve his dreams of becoming an RMT. Only to loose myself. The relationship ended and I had no idea who I was, with only half a University degree in my pocket and a new designation of Registered Massage Therapist that I never intended on having.

I began working at a clinic where I met Naturopathic Doctors that had a sudden glow to them, the way my friend did when I was a child. I slowly started to learn everything about them and their career. I felt that familiar warmth in my belly the way I did when I looked at my childhood friend. Something here was inspiring me.

I soon realized I would need to go back to school for another 5 years to become a Naturopathic Doctor, not to mention spend more money on tuition than I knew how to handle.

But that gentle pull of “what if” was strong and I was suddenly enveloped in the same warm glow of potential I knew I could be. My heart grinned at the idea and I ignored the uphill challenges.

Needless to say I finished those 4 years, graduated from medical school with honours again, and here I am now; A Naturopathic Doctor, and Registered Massage Therapist with a bachelors degree in biological sciences. Looking back at my life, my resilience came from facing my paralyzing fears, and the whispers of inspiration of what I could be…. the more I followed my heart, the more expansive I have become.

My resilience comes from the quiet nudges of knowing who I truly am, and following it.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a Naturopathic Doctor, and for those of you who are unsure what I do or why you might need this type of medicine, let me help.

Naturopathic Doctors spend 4 years as a postgraduate medical degree learning all the Western medicine basics including biological sciences, medical testing, lab testing, imaging, and pharmacology. While we learn this, we are also learning Eastern and Traditional types of medicines such as Herbal medicine, Chinese medicine, Homeopathy, Chiropractics, Massage and more. We are the masters of blending what is old and traditional with what is new and innovative

We learn the body as one large unit that connects and communicates with itself. We learn how the body’s innate intelligence balances and heals itself as it has always been programmed to do. We look at your labs, we look at your symptoms, we look at your imaging and pinpoint the imbalance. Though most peoples body’s are programmed the same way, everyone has unique expressions because everyone has unique genes, unique experiences, childhoods, processing, and perspectives on life. We all have different tolerances, sensitivities, traumas, and environments.

So what do I do? I advocate for you, I educate you, I help you change your environment, your labs, and your lifestyle. I help you become aware of your patterns and your body so you can make the changes necessary to grow and be as healthy as you can be.

How do I do it? I do this with a variety of tools, sometimes it looks like a well placed supplement, sometimes it’s optimizing your diet and workouts. Other times it’s through therapy and becoming aware of your unique patterns that sabotage your health attempts. I order and analyze bloodwork and functional testing such as stool tests, hormones tests, and more. I can prescribe nutrient injections as well as bio-identical hormones when they’re needed.

I am your health advocate in every sense of the word.

I am so excited and pleased to accept new patients in Ontario. I have a special interest in women’s health through every phase from hormone imbalances, to fertility, to menopause. While I enjoy this special population, I have a general practice and love to solve any and every puzzle put in front of me.

Let’s rewrite your health story.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Learning how to learn – this was a big one for me considering how many times I’ve failed. I used to spend time beating myself up for not understanding things the way those around me did. It wasn’t until I took an interest in how my unique brain understood and applied information that I began succeeding and gaining confidence. There’s always more than 1 way to learn and apply a topic, figure out yours!

2. Tolerating discomfort – as an anxious kid, teen, and young adult, learning how to tolerated my fears became paramount to moving forward. Running away from hard or uncomfortable challenges only keeps them sticking around. The only way forward is through, and that means feeling the fear and the discomfort and doing it anyway!

3. Leading with passion first and knowledge second – In some of my most difficult moments whether at school or learning to deal with the public, one thing kept me grounded and good at my job – letting my passion and heart show first. Anyone can learn a topic if they want to, not everyone can make the kind of connections that change peoples lives. It’s worth finding where your heart feels it’s excitement and lead with that! The rest will always follow.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

They believed in me.

It may sound cliche, but my parents let me flounder, change my mind, fly across the continent, succeed, fail, and succeed again. They never wavered in their belief in me even at my lowest, darkest places. They always knew I would crawl myself out again. They never solved my problems for me, they let me figure it out. They never told me what to do, they simply held my hand, wiped my tears, and told me everything was going to work out in the end.

I can’t thank them enough for maintaining this balanced approach. By giving me the space I needed to grow up while still being there every step of the way, they did one very important thing for me.

Helped me build my own confidence.

I can stand here today believing in myself straight to my core because they allowed me to create that all on my own. My confidence is not borrowed, it’s built. My parents did that for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wendythend.com/
• Instagram: @dr.wendythe_nd
• Other: https://wendythend.janeapp.com/#staff_member/1

Image Credits

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