What drew you to herbal medicine?
I came from a family who were interested in healthy options. Most of my family practise Yoga and we always had a lot of vegetarians around us, so eating healthy has always been a part of my life. My mum used to drag me to Victoria several times a year to the natural health show where I became fascinated by astrology and crystals. Then as a young child, my nanny used to say, “Katie, is strange climbing trees and talking to the flowers”. They could never find me when they were going out and had to search for me in a park or at the end of the garden, often up a tree. That was a long time ago. I went to college to do A-levels, ran away to France with my ex-husband, gave up my University place, and then had children.
Where did you study?
Fast forward to 40 years old, my children were off to their respective colleges and I decided to apply to Westminster University to do a degree in complementary therapies. Back in 2000 there were lots of degrees in complementary therapies, nutritional therapy, and herbal medicine, and a thriving comp med education scene in London. After a few months on the degree in complementary therapies, I had a lecture with Chris Hedley and Dr Julie Whitehouse and knew instantly that I needed to switch pathways, jump ship and join the herbal medicine degree.
How were your student days?
I studied there for three years, had a great time, made some great friends and of course it changed my life, as studying herbal medicine does for everyone. I had a great time at university. Despite being in town, we would often go to Regent’s Park with Christopher Hedley and have some amazing herbal walks.
The work was hard, but I had some great lecturers and was fortunate to study with some of the most renowned herbalists I have come across. Clinical examinations skills with Andreas Syrimis and pharmacology with Peter Conway. I graduated in 2003, but couldn’t leave the university. So I got a job there managing the dispensary; then, after a few years, started teaching at Westminster and completed my PGCHE.
Please describe your clinic and dispensary
I moved to Lincolnshire after a few years and now have a practice in a little village called Swineshead.
I love my practice room. It’s my sanctuary and a very special place. The herbs are everywhere. All my dried herbs are in cupboards or in another area. This room is mainly full of at least 350 tinctures. I have built up quite a collection and have tinctures from every supplier on my shelf.
What is your typical working week like?
I was involved with manufacturing herbal products and then started teaching at Lincoln University. I now teach on the degree programme at Lincoln College as a senior lecturer. I see patients here and some online. But as I teach three days per week, I spend the other two days seeing patients and making up medicines. My days are from 9 am to 6 pm. I tend to see about three patients face-to-face and another three online each day. Yesterday when I saw two patients, who hadn’t been for two years; they both said they missed me dispensing the herbs and telling them what they are in there for, also my strange mutterings to myself when I am dispensing and adding up the herbs … In the summer I am out foraging for herbs and making tinctures from herbs in my garden at the weekends. I think it’s important for herbalists to make up some of their own tinctures and blends to keep that direct connection with the herbs going.
The last two years have been a great lesson to people to really embrace their life and make healthy changes. So I am busy and it’s wonderful to see people feel so much better after having their herbs. If you are just starting out, then you will find you are much more in demand, wherever you set up your dispensary, people will find you …, search for you. I feel blessed to have been taught by wonderful teachers. Some have passed away and some are still sharing their knowledge. I hope all new herbalists have an exciting journey. Herbs do change your life in a good way. So enjoy them.
Katie x