Naturopathy is a science-based medicine that provides a holistic and personalised approach to health. It is based on 6 foundational principles:

Healing Power of Nature:

Naturopathic clinicians like myself believe in the inherent ability of the body to maintain and restore health when provided with the right conditions. We simply help this process along by removing any obstacles that prevent good health and supporting your body with individualised treatments that enhance healing.

Treat the Cause:

Naturopaths also believe in addressing the underlying cause of illness and preventing disease rather than just treating symptoms. We understand that illness is driven by imbalances within the body and that your symptoms are indicators of physical, emotional and/or mental imbalance. Naturopathic clinicians look at the WHY behind your illness which often requires some in depth detective work, hence the long consultation times (60+ min). We are trained in pathology and disease processes so rather than simply diagnosing, we seek to understand the complex imbalances causing your illness.

Because of the holistic way we view health, a naturopathic medicine treatment plan is never quite as basic as popping a pill. (Sorry but your headaches are not due to a lack of Aspirin in your system!)

Doctor as Teacher:

This is a big one for me… I have always been passionate about empowerment through education. Naturopathic clinicians recognise the importance of understanding your body and believe that teaching people how to care for their health is a vital part of disease prevention. The daily choices you make about what to eat, where to work, when to sleep, or how to exercise can have an enormous impact on your wellbeing.

First Do No Harm:

Utilising the least invasive and least harmful interventions possible whilst restoring your body to health is a key principle of naturopathic medicine. Gentle, scientifically based and effective therapies that have minimal side effects are employed to stimulate your innate healing capacity first.

Rather than a ‘shoot first and ask questions later’ approach… Naturopaths prefer to ask ALL the questions first (hence the long consults) and we will only use aggressive therapies if the severity of a condition deems it necessary.

And as a four-year degree-qualified Naturopath, I personally chose to use evidence-based, practitioner strength products of the highest quality that are rigorously tested and approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Association.

Treat the whole person:

Naturopathic clinicians look at your personal and family health history, consider your diet along with other lifestyle factors like your emotional health, exercise, sleep quality and exposures to toxins when making sense of illness. This is known as holistic medicine, whereas your typical dermatologist or gastroenterologist practises what is known as reductionistic medicine in which just one single organ of the body is considered and treated.

Because of its holistic approach, addressing illness naturopathically is never a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, a tailored combination of nutritional and herbal supplementation alongside lifestyle and dietary advice. We may also recommend stress management techniques, emotional release strategies and physical therapies as part of our wellness plan.

Prevention:

Proactive maintenance of good health is far cheaper and easier than treating chronic disease and sickness when it occurs! Rather than working from a disease treatment model, we naturopaths prefer to emphasis prevention strategies and operate inside a wellness model. So even though you may arrive on our doorstep in poor health our aim is not only to resolve your immediate health issue but also to help you build a strong foundation of wellness that prevents any future illness. We can discuss specific lifestyle, nutritional and herbal strategies for disease prevention and increased longevity.

What can you expect from working with me?

Education and empowerment – I will teach you how your body works so you can make informed choices about your wellbeing.
Dietary analysis and guidance on improving your daily diet.
Lifestyle advise – simple changes to support your physical and mental health.
Coaching - I may challenge you with some hard questions, I may point out ways that you are sabotaging yourself and may ask you to dive deep along your healing journey.
Pathology testing - To find the underlying cause of your illness and monitor your progress I may request functional and conventional pathology testing.
Nutritional and Herbal Supplements - To assist the healing process.

Who can benefit from seeing a Naturopath?

Naturopaths assist all kinds of health concerns, ranging from acute to chronic conditions and we often work in conjunction with other healthcare providers where we can manage ongoing side effects of strong medications.