How did you end up studying Herbal Medicine?

Studying Herbal Medicine has for me, always been a lifestyle change not just a career change. Having come into contact with all types of healing modalities and alternative medicine as well as mainstream practitioners, I realised that I wanted to change careers aged 30 (having worked in the fashion industry up until this point). At that time a lot of people were retraining as Nutritionists; I had already done a course in nutrition years earlier and felt I really wanted to learn another healing practice all together. I moved out of London and took a job in Thailand working at an award-winning wellness sanctuary in Koh Samui and here I was able to remove myself from a typically Western way of thinking, living day to day immersed in nature. It wasn’t until I returned from Asia two years later that I started a diploma in Herbal Medicine at The College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. After 5 years part-time study and over 500 clinical hours I gained a Distinction setting up my Herbal & Naturopathic practice “Sharing Plant Wisdom” with my colleague Marie. We see patients and create bespoke herbal blends and formulas for them as well as recording bi-monthly health related podcasts, write articles on request and hold workshops catering towards a preventative approach to health and wellness.

What change do you wish to embody with your company?

My intention with Herbal Medicine is to help educate and inspire people to live in harmony with nature and navigate their way back to optimum health through the healing power of plants alongside naturopathic lifestyle advice.

I would like to take the fear out of a scary diagnosis, and help people realise anything is possible in terms of healing – the sky really is the limit. Inspiring people to make small steps to improve their health and tread more lightly on this earth.

What does an Herbal consultation with you involve?

We offer digital consultations where my colleague Marie and I hold an initial patient consultation lasting one and a half hours – we go through your full medical history, your family medical history, the medications you might currently be taking and we ask questions about every system in the body (digestion, urinary, nervous, reproductive etc.) we then do diagnostics check your nails, tongue, look at your iris and eyes. After the consultation we prescribe the appropriate herbs and lifestyle advice. We usually book a follow-up for 2-4 weeks later which is a shorter consultation.

What advice would you give someone going through a healing crisis?

This is very much dependent on the individual but I believe less is more, hydration is key, earthing and reconnecting with nature is always underestimated and try to let the symptoms arise in other words don’t suppress them. Become more aware of your body and trust your body. Try and stay true to you – there is no wrong or right way of healing; your body given the right support knows how to heal itself but the mind can often hinder this so work on the relationships you have with people too (emotions can often trigger stagnation and imbalances so look at boundary setting and try and let go of the toxic relationships or pattens you might be experiencing or creating).  I also think it is incredibly important what you put in and, on your body, and an organic approach is always preferable. To book an Herbal Medicine consultation with Sophie or Marie or arrange a “Sharing Plant Wisdom” Event please e-mail: sharingplantwisdom@gmail.com