By Steve Hubrecht
[email protected]
A new natural health and wellness business is bringing homeopathic care to the Columbia Valley.
Former valley resident and homeopath Rachel Gillis returned to Invermere earlier this summer and opened West Coast Whole Health.
Gillis has been a professional homeopath for nearly half a decade, but her homeopathic journey began much earlier.
She grew up in Kaslo and developed a love of the outdoors as a youngster. As an adult, Gillis moved to Invermere, living in the valley for eight years, and enjoyed the hiking, rock climbing and other outdoor activities the place offers. But she was plagued by consistent health problems — stage 4 endometriosis, a cancerous spot on her cervix, and severe chronic pain and fibromyalgia.
She went on to work in the mainstream medical field but was surprised and disappointed to find that it offered no real solutions for her own?health struggles
“I almost felt like I was dismissed,” said Gillis. “I didn’t want to have to take medication forever, to maybe need a care worker to look after me, and to never be able to hike again. That simply wasn’t an answer for me.”
A Columbia Valley doctor suggested she try a homeopath in Cranbrook, and the homeopath — along with changes in nutrition and lifestyle — helped Gillis. Some of her acute symptoms disappeared “almost right away” and within a month, she noticed changes in some of her chronic pain as well.
Eventually she went “from having flare-ups (of symptoms) every single day to having flare ups about once a month,” she said. “I have my quality of life back that I deserve.”
Intrigued she decided to pursue a career in homeopathy. She spend four years at the Alternative Medicine College of Canada in Montreal, and graduated four years ago. After graduation, she lived on Vancouver Island and was able to practise homeopathy virtually with clients across the country. She wanted to do more in-person care, but clinic space was hard to find on Vancouver Island. When the opportunity for part-time clinic space in Invermere opened up, Gillis leapt at the chance to move back to the Columbia Valley, which she said has always felt like her “home away from home.”
Her clinic is on Laurier Street in Athalmer, right above Columbia Cycle and Ski, and in early 2026 she will expand from part-time hours to full-time hours.
The response from valley residents has been excellent so far.
“People are curious and the feedback has been great,” Gillis told the Pioneer.
She explained that homeopathy is a natural system of medicine that works with the body’s own healing abilities. “I take time to understand the whole picture, including physical symptoms, emotional health, and lifestyle factors, to find a remedy that truly supports balance,” she said.
Gillis aims to make natural health care approachable through one-on-one consultations, seasonal workshops, and community education. She specializes in fertility and women’s health (especially postpartum) as well as anxiety and trauma, but also focuses on immune health, digestion, stress management, sleep concerns, and hormonal balance for women and much more, and Gillis tailors each consultation to the client’s unique needs.
She is currently offering free 15 minute ‘discovery’ calls (or chats in her clinic, or over coffee) for those wanting to learn more about West Coast Whole Health or about homeopathy in general.
To learn more or to book a free discovery call, visit westcoasthomeopathy.com or call 250-201-5050.
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