What is naturopathy?
This is a question I get all the time! Whilst naturopathy and herbal medicine are not new, they are not mainstream in Australia and people are often a little sceptical as to how a naturopath can help and whether it’s safe. Some think it’s some kind of witchcraft or at least a hippy thing and a bit ‘woo woo’. However, naturopathy is in fact an evidence-based science that has evolved over hundreds of years.
Naturopathy is a system of healthcare that focuses on supporting the body’s natural ability to heal by addressing the underlying causes of illness — rather than just managing symptoms. It is guided by these six principles:
First Do no harm - core to all medical practices and naturopaths will refer when the patient’s presentation is outside their scope of practice
The healing power of nature – the body has an innate capacity to heal itself and a naturopath’s role is to identify and remove obstacles to healing (e.g. poor nutrition, chronic stress, toxic exposures, poor sleep) and provide resources for the body to restore itself
Treat the cause (of illness) - naturopaths aim to identify and address the underlying drivers/causes of imbalance — such as nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, hormonal changes, gut dysfunction, or lifestyle factors. Treatment is focused on targeting the drivers rather than on suppressing symptoms (or indeed just treating the symptom rather than establish the cause for the symptom).
Treat the whole person - Treatment plans are personalised rather than “one-size-fits-all.” Every plan is different because it is recognised that health is influenced by the interaction of individual biological, psychological, social and environmental factors.
Practitioner as teacher – A naturopath aims to help patients understand their respective health and physiology. They teach them self-care skills and help patients make informed lifestyle, nutrition and behavioural changes, so that patients can take an active role in their healing process.
Prevention is better than cure – Naturopathy prioritises proactive health optimisation and early intervention. This includes lifestyle and nutrition strategies to maintain health, slowing progression of chronic disease and promote healthy ageing.
What treatments are used?
Naturopathic practitioners typically use a combination of:
Nutrition and dietary therapy
Herbal medicine
Nutritional supplementation
Lifestyle medicine (sleep, stress, movement, environmental health)
Functional or integrative testing (where appropriate)
Education and behavioural support
Treatment plans are individualised based on health history, symptoms, and goals.
What happens in a naturopathic consultation?
Initial consultations typically last 60 minutes, which allows for an in-depth discussion of the patient’s health. It helps identify patterns, triggers, and underlying drivers of symptoms. Topics usually include:
Current symptoms and main health concerns
Medical history and diagnoses
Medications and supplements
Family health history
Diet and eating habits
Digestive function
Energy levels and sleep quality
Stress and emotional wellbeing
Hormonal and reproductive health (if relevant)
Lifestyle factors (work, activity, environment)
We may then review test results or discuss what testing may be appropriate to do, for example gut microbiome testing. After the consultation the patient might leave with a herbal tincture specifically mixed for them and/or some nutritional supplements. They also receive a treatment plan that outlines some recommended nutrition and lifestyle changes.
A key part of the consultation and treatment plan is helping the patient understand what may be driving their respective symptoms and what changes will have the greatest impact.
Healing is a process and not an overnight fix, so follow-up consultations are necessary. How many depends on the severity of the patient’s condition, but I usually recommend at least 3-6 30-minute follow-ups over 3-6 months.
How do I know that my naturopathy has received adequate training?
Naturopathy and Western herbal medicine practitioners in Australia are currently not regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), the body that regulates Australian health professionals. This is despite most Australian naturopaths wanting statutory regulation because they are concerned that currently anyone can call themselves a naturopath regardless of their qualifications. Many, if not most people, calling themselves a naturopath are degree qualified, but technically speaking you can call yourself a naturopath without having the proper qualifications to do so. This is why I would recommend to always ensure that the naturopath you are seeing has a) a four year bachelor's degree in naturopathy and b) is a member of professional association such as the Naturopaths & Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA).
How does naturopathy differ from conventional medicine?
Naturopathy is a complementary medicine; it is not meant to replace conventional medicine. The patient receives the best care and outcome if both practitioners work together collaboratively. They differ in that naturopath use herbs, nutrition and lifestyle instead of pharmaceuticals and medical procedures. Often both are needed, which is why it is so important that practitioners work together.
Naturopathy is particularly well suited to supporting chronic, complex health concerns such as stress, poor sleep, fatigue, hormonal and reproductive changes (including perimenopause), digestive issues, and skin conditions. These concerns are often multi-factorial, involving interactions between lifestyle, physiology, and environmental influences — which is why they respond well to naturopathy’s holistic, whole-person approach. While conventional medical care plays a vital and essential role, time constraints can sometimes make it difficult to explore all the underlying contributors to ongoing symptoms of these conditions. This is where naturopathy can offer additional depth and support. For the best patient outcomes, naturopathic and conventional care work most effectively in collaboration.
If you want to explore if naturopathy can help you, book an appointment here.
