My Journey

In 1997 I attended a lecture on nutrition. I was a young GP keen to learn more, but I thought this talk would be a ‘light weight’ topic. A bit of fluff.

That evening changed the course of my life. I was stunned to learn about the evidence linking healthy eating with better health outcomes for all sorts of diseases. Why didn’t I learn this in medical school?

That evening started a quest for more information. I started with the Australian College of Nutritional Medicine. I did their primary 5-day intensive course on Nutrition. It was so jam-packed I repeated it the following year. And I have continued to update my skills in nutrition regularly with courses, conferences and educational events.

I added acupuncture and meditation training to my skills.

In 2009 I did a year of Naturopathy training at the Southern School of Natural Therapies in Melbourne and loved it.

That same year I opened my own practice. I was working, studying and supporting two elderly parents in country New South Wales.

It was the best of times ……. and the busiest of times. A few years later as their health faltered, I closed the business to be closer to them, something I have never regretted.

I now work as a holistic doctor combining natural therapies with orthodox medicine within the framework of a traditional General Practice setting. My business is Melbourne Integrative Medicine. My appointment times are longer, and I work in collaboration with my patients listening to what matters to them.

Holistic medicine has its challenges. It is sometimes viewed with cynicism by the mainstream medical profession. A degree of scepticism can be useful when there is so much on the internet. My practice is based on evidence and emerging research.

What you eat, how you move your body, how well you sleep at night and how you manage stress are powerful tools for optimal wellbeing. These are the foundations for health and wellbeing. It is as simple and as hard as that.

My role is to facilitate this process. I love learning and sharing my knowledge with patients and giving them choices in how to deal with a health issue: -it could be a lifestyle intervention, a healthier diet, the use of supplements or herbs or medication.

Holistic medicine is empowering. You are the front seat driver in your own health journey. And this is what I love.