What to Expect When You See a Naturopath

Naturopathy is a holistic approach to improving and maintaining your health. In its truest sense of the word, naturopathy teaches people to manage and optimise their health using a range of methods that support the healing processes of our bodies, and creates and maintains a healthy balance.

Education Levels

What many people don't know is as a clinical naturopath we spend 4 years studying a Bachelor of Health Science degree and its through this combination of traditional medicine and science that informs how we treat clients. So when it comes to naturopaths being anti-science and anti- Doctors this is definitely not the case. Personally, I have so much respect for what medical doctors do and there are so many amazing doctors out there who are open to working with naturopaths as part of the overall care for the patient. I personally love working alongside doctors and I believe we all have a lot to learn from each other. To be able to stay registered and prescribe practitioner only products, every year it is a requirement that we meet a certain number of hours in professional education

I use a combination of traditional naturopathic methods and herbal remedies, functional medicine, practitioner only supplements, nutrition and lifestyle tweaks to create a scientifically sound, effective, and (most importantly) personalised and realistic approach to supporting and restoring your health.

I love nothing more than playing health detective and investigating the root causes of what's going on for you. In naturopathy the focus is to give you the tools and education to move forward with your health and feel empowered to lead a life you love.

How does Naturopathy Work?

Naturopathy takes a big-picture approach to your health, rather than just focusing on the symptoms that brought you here. I like to think of naturopaths as the investigators of the health world - we dig deep to uncover why you're experiencing certain issues instead of just masking what's happening on the surface.

You won't find any magic bullets or overnight solutions. Instead, we examine every piece of the puzzle - from your digestion to your stress levels, sleep patterns to hormone balance - to understand how they all influence each other. The role of a naturopath is to develop a practical strategy that aligns with your body's natural rhythms. For instance, if you're struggling with anxiety, we won't just try to calm your nerves - we'll explore what's triggering it, whether that's nutrient deficiencies, gut health issues, hormone imbalances, or lifestyle factors.

The ultimate aim? To empower you with knowledge and practical tools so you can understand and support your own health. When we get to the root cause and give your body what it needs to heal, that's when true healing begins.

If you are curious about the underlying principles of naturopathy, I recommend you check out this article

What to Expect in The Initial Consultation: Your Health Deep-Dive

In your initial naturopathic consultation we will spend 90 minutes together, either in person or online, and we will go deep. We will discuss everything about your health, not only the symptoms and concerns that led you to book your appointment, but also the body systems that intertwine with these. You will have a safe space to openly talk about your health, how it is that you've come to this point, and everything that's impacted you up until now. This is a moment for you to tell your story and be listened to compassionately and without judgement.

For your first appointment, you won't need to bring too much with you. What would be helpful, is if you are tracking your menstrual cycle, bring your diary with dates of recent menstrual cycles; any Western medicine blood test or examination results (you can request a copy of these from your doctor). I also ask clients to create a timeline of personal health events. Start with when you were a baby and then just add to it as things come to mind.

Going Deeper: Understanding Your Health

After your initial consultation, it may be that we need to gain further insight into whats going on with your health. As a clinical naturopath, I am able to order a wide range of functional pathology tests. I like to use these tests so I can get a better understanding of what's going on with your health and especially when it comes to your functional, biochemical, nutritional, metabolic and hormonal status. These functional tests can be anything from looking at the health of your gut microbiome to seeing what your hormones are up to.

What Your Naturopathic Care Includes:

- 1:1 naturopathic support

- A bespoke prescription with practitioner only supplementation & herbal tonics created just for you (at an additional cost). You will also receive a guide on how and when to take each item and the reasoning behind them

- A holistic overview of your current health status - to help you better understand why you're feeling the way you do

- A pathology analysis looking at any relevant testing you've had done, and any we have ordered together

- Health goals - during your initial consultation we will discuss your main health priorities

- Resources such as educational PDFs, meditations and yoga prescriptions

- Dietary & lifestyle recommendations specific to you

- Supporting resources (educational PDFs, meditations and yoga prescriptions) all designed to help you on your health journey

- After each appointment I will send you through a personalised treatment plan with your health priorities (what we're working on), personalised diet and lifestyle goals as well as recipes, handouts and links. Basically anything you need to help you on your healing journey

What to Expect in Your Follow Up Consultations

I can’t stress how important it is to see your naturopath more than once. You wouldn’t clean your car once and then expect it to stay clean forever. If you have a treatment plan trust me when I say, you will need more than two weeks and one session for the magic to happen. I’m not saying you need years of fortnightly sessions, but healing takes time.

In your follow up consultations, we will check in on how you're going with your current treatment plan, talk about your progress and any challenges you've faced, and then make any adjustments to your treatment and prescription as needed. These consults are important to make sure everything is going smoothly and that you continue receiving support on your healing journey. Your follow up consultations will range from 45 minutes to 60 minutes depending on what's going on for you. As part of your naturopathic care, I am always doing additional research, ensuring your protocols are up to date with the latest in evidence based data.

What Can a Naturopath Help With?

As a clinical naturopath I work with a number of different conditions including:

- Fertility and preconception care

- Pregnancy care

- Post natal support

- Thyroid dysfunction

- Hormone regulation

- PCOS, endometriosis and irregular periods

- Understanding your menstrual cycle

- Perimenopause and Menopause

- Sleep difficulties

- Managing stress and anxiety

- Gut health - bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, heartburn

- Nutritional deficiencies and biochemical pathway imbalances

- Migraines or headaches

- Immune system support

About Nutrition and Supplements

Nutrition forms a big part of how a naturopath will work with you. From creating meal plans for you to follow, to helping you to understand more about the foods needed for optimum health, nutrition plays a key role in restoring and maintaining health. Our approach to nutrition and food is more about health and less about the latest fad diet or losing weight drastically to look a certain way.

My gold star tool especially for anyone who feels like they have tried everything is definitely using Metabolic Balance with my clients. This nutrition program isn't just another diet - it's a scientifically based, personalised approach that uses your actual blood values to create a unique food plan just for you. Through Metabolic Balance, we look at over 30 different blood values, along with your health history and personal goals, to determine exactly which foods will help restore balance to your body's natural processes. It's particularly powerful for hormonal health, sustainable weight management, improved energy, and addressing digestive issues. What makes it so effective is that it's not about restriction or counting calories - it's about eating the right foods for YOUR body, at the right times, in the right combinations. Once you cycle through this, your metabolic flexibility is restored and MB becomes a lifestyle, not just another short-term fix.

Supplements and Herbs

General supplements can be ok for general health and maintenance, but therapeutic dispensing of "Practitioner only" products is necessary for therapeutic results. The other issue with some supplements is that they are synthetic, not natural, poorly absorbed and have little to no impact on healing the body so are essentially a waste of your money.

Herbs off the shelf are a waste of your time and companies who sell directly to the public do so because they have had to water down the effectiveness and use sub standard products to be able to sell to you without the TGA interfering.

A Warning on Self Prescribing

Just like medications, supplements and herbs can have side effects and should be treated with the same respect. This is why we spend years studying to understand how to prescribe correctly and safely. Take Ashwagandha for example - while it's often touted as a wonder herb for stress and anxiety, it's not suitable for everyone. You should avoid it if you have an autoimmune condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have hyperthyroidism, take thyroid medications, are on sedatives or medications for anxiety/depression, have hormone sensitive cancers, are having surgery within two weeks, have stomach ulcers, have low blood pressure, or experience nightshade sensitivity. This is why it's so important to work with a qualified practitioner rather than self-prescribing based on what you've read online or heard from friends - what works wonderfully for one person could be harmful for another.

Working with Your Doctor

While you don't need a referral to see a naturopath, I always recommend if you are seeing a GP or specialist regularly then it can be beneficial for them to know you are working with a naturopath as well. Clinical naturopaths are trained at integrating natural medicines with conventional medicine while working with specific health conditions and dietary restrictions. If you are currently working with your doctor and taking medications for a specific health condition it is important to let your Doctor know you are also using natural medicine. I can work with your Doctor to ensure correct monitoring and assessment can take place during your treatment plan. It is important to continue taking medication from your Doctor until advised otherwise by your Doctor.

I have had a number of clients referred to see a naturopath by their GP's who appreciate how a naturopath can help especially when it comes to things like nutrition and lifestyle habits that they may not have spent time studying or are limited with their knowledge.

So is Seeing a Naturopath The Right Fit For You?

Seeing a Naturopath is For You If:

- You are wanting to make long term changes to your health

- You are willing to do the work. Naturopathy is not a miracle cure. It requires you to show up and be an active participant in your healing journey

- You want to start living a life that feels right for you

- You would like to cultivate a better relationship with your own health and wellbeing, feel listened to and learn whats right for your body without any confusing messaging

As a naturopath I focus on creating balance and working with where you are at right now. We are all individuals and this means your health needs are also unique.

If you are unsure about seeing a naturopath, I'm more than happy to answer any questions. Feel free to book a free 15 minute discovery call to help you decide if seeing a naturopath is right for you.