Something that revealed itself to me very early in life and what has shaped my personal and professional life ever since is an awareness that there exists both seen and unseen worlds; each equally impactful on our health and wellbeing. Born into a spiritualist home; whilst still in single digits, my inherent curiosity had me delving into texts discussing eastern philosophy, rebirth, Jungian archetypes and the collective unconscious—there were also varying explanations of subtle anatomy, global mythology, and the many differing experiences of human reality. Exploring these topics led me to develop a meditation practice in my mid-teens and an introduction to Buddhist psychology at 17, then onto insight meditation in my early 20s. All of these offered a level of self-enquiry, reflection and wisdom I still draw upon regularly, even decades later.
In 1993, I entered a clinical environment as a veterinary nurse, and for several years spent every workday morning in surgery and the afternoon counselling and supporting those whose family pets were unwell. A smiling face on a workshop flyer in the health food store opposite the clinic caught my eye in 1997, which led me to study the healing art of Reiki—I initially used this with my inpatients, helping them settle during their recovery.
This same year had me roll out a yoga mat for the first time, and so began an initially very erratic yoga practice, but one I have become fully committed to over the years, with its precious gift of mindful movement.
After some time off to travel in SE Asia and live in Aotearoa New Zealand’s south island alpine region, I returned to London in 2000 where I completed a massage diploma before emigrating to Australia in 2001 and thus began a broadening of my health industry career. For the next few years, I continued to invest in my personal development, increase my professional practice experience, and also found time to study. It was in Sydney that I qualified in meditation teaching/facilitation, aromatherapy, and finally achieved my Reiki Master Teacher certification.
Throughout this time, I continued to reflect on my deepening awareness of the flow of Qi/Prana in and around me, and my observation and insights regarding the interconnectivity of mind-body-spirit and environment—it became clearer that an imbalance in any of these aspects impacts them all; like pulling on a thread in a web. I have also come to understand that it is necessary to attend to all facets of ourselves (the self) equally to not only improve wellbeing in the short term, but to achieve a lasting sense of vitality.
Acknowledging there was more to be learnt about the physical self, I relocated to Melbourne in 2006 and returned to full-time study at Australia’s oldest naturopathic school—the Southern School of Natural Therapies (SSNT)—and after five challenging but rewarding years, completed a Bachelor of Health Science (BHSc) specialising in naturopathy with majors in western herbal (botanical) medicine and clinical nutrition. I graduated as DUX of the overall 2011 year with high distinction (a first equivalent) and the ‘Most Outstanding Graduating Student’ achievement award and prize. In addition, I was fortunate to also be presented with the ‘Excellence in Naturopathy Award’ and prize for which I remain most grateful.
And so, for me, the learning has never stopped. I continue to evolve my understanding and read widely. I have dipped further into traditional medicine realms and seen new scientific studies be released while others are disproved. I follow where my interests lead at any given moment, but all of my learnings add a layer to what I know about the human experience. This includes mind-body medicine, energy psychology, physical-biochemical research, spiritual and transpersonal wellbeing, subtle anatomy and energetic medicine, or the impact of environmental factors on health.
As such, the breadth of my studies have spanned traditional Chinese medicine theory, nutrition psychology, wellness and spiritual life coaching, energetic kinesiology, yoga (including both teacher training and yogic nutrition), mindfulness practice, and transpersonal art therapy. In the latter, I have explored symbols, dreamwork, myth, ritual and shamanic practice—all of which led me to complete a Graduate Diploma in Arts Psychotherapy. It is a powerful method of deep enquiry, helping a person connect creatively to their inner wisdom and psyche.
Over the years, I have worked in several boutique therapeutic environments working one-on-one with others in the UK, Australia and Hong Kong, and been privileged to collaborate with a range of conventional and allied health practitioners. But I also take breaks from full-time practice from time to time, to explore other health and wellbeing projects and experiential opportunities. One of these included a 6-week volunteer program supporting the day-to-day activities of a leading organic lifestyle retreat in Australia; another was a volunteer position as a community art therapist. Yet another was my involvement in a practitioner clinical and technical support team, assisting other health professionals with their client casework.
This latter position led to a supervisory editorial role mentoring a team of naturopaths and nutritionists and facilitating the creation of a range of functional medicine-inspired educational resources, professional technical documents, and patient materials. As someone who began writing creatively in my youth and created a blog several years ago, this was a wonderful platform to improve my health-related research, writing and editing skills and something I continue to build upon.
From my beginnings in the UK to my varied global explorations and 18 years in Australia, you’d think I’d have settled by now. But opportunities arise when you least expect them and thus, in 2018, I began two life-changing years working in Hong Kong, where I was able to not only support a range of incredible clients, but also meet some amazing people, hike in beautiful locations, swim in warm seas, and still make time for daily yoga with several outstanding international teachers. It was with sadness that I chose to move on but the change in global circumstances encouraged me to head back to Aotearoa New Zealand’s north island this time to ride out the pandemic wave. Here I focussed on my writing and editing whilst completing a post-graduate certificate in health science focused on population health and health promotion. This has given me a new ‘lens’ through which to view the determinants of health and wellbeing that I can apply to my work in future.
That said, the call of a warmer climate was strong—it warms my heart and spirit as much as my body—so my sights turned to Australia once more, and I find myself in tropical far north Queensland…at least until the next opportunity arises to view the world from another angle. Indeed, I learn so much about myself and my global human family by living amongst them wherever I can.
Throughout my long journey to date, the areas that have spoken to me the most are personal empowerment through knowledge-sharing, change facilitation via coaching, mind-body medicine, and energy psychology. I also keep an eye on how people create, hold and use their energy (both physical/biochemical and subtle energetics) and this has formed the heart of my personal and professional practises—because without good energy flow there can be no forward movement.
And, whilst I will always give due respect to traditional medicine systems, I have also been informed by the more contemporary approaches to lifestyle and functional medicine as well as psychotherapy—thus I consider all of these facets when working with clients or when approaching my health-related written work. As such, I now consider myself a truly holistic therapist.
Ultimately, I embrace a paradigm whereby I acknowledge myself and others as an integrated whole of heart-mind-spirit-environment and approach all of my work and life accordingly.
My future personal aims are many and include deepening my ongoing yoga practice and teaching skills by completing a YTT300 hours training (taking me to YTT500), developing my meditation teacher skillset further by completing my Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training, and I am currently enrolled in a Master's of Guidance and Counselling as well as a Sound Healing Course. I’d also quite like to share my favourite vegan recipes in a book one day (maybe writing a few books to share all I have learnt) and will continue to guide and mentor others along their path to ever greater wellbeing and personal development.
Wherever you are on your path to ever-increasing wellbeing, I wish you well.
Jo
