My deepest belief is that we all contribute to making the world a better place when we nourish ourselves and embody who we came here to be. I learnt this the hard way, by experiencing burn out at just 21 years old.
What helped me to heal was working with a holistic practitioner, who allowed me to feel seen, heard and accepted. I made the decision there and then to pay attention to my body’s signals, honour my needs and always be true to myself.
For the past two decades, I have supported many people on their journey to optimal health and holistic wellness.
Let me tell you about my experience
I’d wanted to be a Physiotherapist since the age of 14, yet I knew instantly upon starting my degree at Brunel University that it wasn’t right for me. Rather than tell someone, I ploughed on with the demanding course. Desperately unhappy, I turned to the London dance music scene. All-night parties made me forget my troubles, at least for the weekend.
I’d become so disconnected from my body that I hadn’t realised I had glandular fever. Given the diagnosis of post viral fatigue and told to rest and give it time, I returned home, lost and dejected.
Thankfully, as fate would have it, I met an aromatherapist who changed the trajectory of my life. For the very first time, I felt seen and heard. She helped me to understand that by ignoring the messages my body had been giving me, it had resorted to shouting.
Burn out was my body’s way of telling me to slow down, reconnect to myself and discover what I really wanted out of life.
Healing journey
Living with a chronic illness gave me the chance to step back and reflect on what I wanted in life. What was missing was the holistic approach. I realised that we can only thrive when mind, body and spirit are in harmony.
When I recovered, I moved to Dorking, Surrey, to take the Natural Health Practitioner’s course at the Raworth Centre. Whilst here, I was dragged along to my first yoga class. Yoga had never appealed – I thought it would be too slow and boring! However, after my first class, I felt such profound sense of peace and connection that I was instantly hooked.
Experience and training
After graduating with distinction, I gained experience at an integrated health clinic in London. During the next 5 years, I offered massage, aromatherapy and reflexology in a variety of settings, from luxury hotels to corporate events.
In 2008, I left London for East Kent. I was soon offered a dream job – working for the NHS as a Complementary Therapist. The role involved supporting people with cancer and life limiting illness. The Supportive Therapies department closed down in 2013 and at this point I set up my private clinic in Preston, near Canterbury.
After 14 years of regular yoga practice, I finally completed my Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) in 2017. I have since trained in Accessible Yoga in the Adaptive Yoga style.
I trained in Homeobotanical therapy in 2020. This enables me to prescribe safe and effective tinctures that can be taken as dietary supplements to support whole body healing.
Last year I trained in the Human Design system with Rose Tautari and have since been offering readings and coaching. The Human Design system appeals to my values of freedom, authenticity and embodiment. I love it because it reminds people of who they truly are and allows them to live by their own rules. I believe that if we can all embody our unique design, together we can create a better world for ourselves and future generations.
Why I can help
Where the conventional medical approach is to treat the affected part or symptoms, the holistic approach works to integrate all parts of a person. The root of the word ‘holistic’ is ‘whole’. My method as a coach and therapist is to bring all of myself, from the scientific to the spiritual, to my work, to guide and empower my clients to reconnect with their most authentic selves.
On a practical level, I love sharing wellness hacks – simple changes, easily incorporated, for radical shifts in vitality.