All about…how I came to herbal medicine

Looking back, I remember that when I was quite young, I used to help my Nan in her back garden. Now this helping was often collecting ladybirds, making mudpies, or picking rose petals to make perfume but it was my first real connection with growing and nature. Later in my childhood my parents, for the briefest of time, had a veggie plot, where I used to help by picking (and eating) the beans and podding peas. As I grew up, I lost this connection to nature and growing. My first degree (a long time ago) was a BA (Hons) in the History of Design and the Visual Arts from Staffordshire University; I have also worked various jobs in HR and finally settled in the NHS in a primary care mental health setting. I trained as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (you can read about this role in the NHS here) and achieved a Post Graduate Certificate in Mental Health from UCLAN.  This led me to see firsthand how mental health services were overstretched but how even brief talking therapies could be a huge benefit to people. BUT other than the odd wander up Pendle Hill, I was not connecting to nature, and I knew deep down something was missing. I was lucky enough to move to Cornwall in 2014 and became being part owner in a small business but started searching for ways to reconnect to nature. A bit of cold-water swimming, coast path running and short courses on herbal first aid led me to find the professional herbal medicine course at Betonica.  My studies at Betonica led me to my love of research - I have a notebook article on sarcopenia coming soon. After four years of study, I graduated from Betonica with a distinction in 2025. So where can you find me now? When I am not researching herbal medicine for my practice, you can find out on the coast path or at my new allotment attempting to grow herbs and veggies just like my Nan…watch this space!