Welcome. I’m Christie…
“Wherever there is tension, it needs attention”
…an empathic, curious and innovative holistic health practitioner offering a unique and individualised service that combines my extensive education and experience in nursing, counselling, mental health and addiction care, integrative nutrition, relationship coaching, and mindfulness, meditation and breath work teaching. Further expanding my offerings, is an irrepressible interest and ongoing study in functional nutritional medicine, traditional medicine and plant medicine. Basically, I’m endlessly fascinated by the human condition and believe wholeheartedly in the mind-body link. My Health Coaching Services take a true ‘whole person’ approach to helping through Care, Counselling & Coaching.
I’m convinced by the overwhelming and continually growing body of evidence that now exists, to clearly demonstrate how significantly lifestyle and systemic factors impact on health and happiness. My understanding of the human mind and body and its strengths and vulnerabilities, has been fundamentally changed through adapting my own road map, according to the principles of personalised, integrative and functional medicine. Merged with traditional forms of health and healing, and a humanistic style of counsellling, these approaches to wellness represent a new and growing paradigm of care, that respects the connections within us, between us and with our world.
My Holistic Lens.
Nutrition, movement, sleep, mindfulness and meditation, the quality of our relationships, our environment, sense of community and purpose, along with spirituality…all play a vital role in health and well-being. We are now very clear that genetics are only one piece of the human puzzle and that our biology affects our psychology and vice versa. The vastness of these inter-related subjects fascinates me, and I’m driven to keep learning, sharing and helping.
With respect for the rigours of modern science, the complexities of the human experience, coupled with the remarkable strength of the human spirit, and the wisdom of our ancestors and the natural environment, I aim to support people in successfully traversing their own journey towards optimal health and happiness.
Partnership in compassionate, creative and flexible whole person healthcare, coaching and counselling, is my passion. I wish for us all to incorporate more lifestyle medicine into our lives, cultivate deeper relationships and promote discussions about health & well-being that are personalised, leading us towards better understanding ourselves and our place in the world.
I favour a coaching and counselling model of care that invests in the relationship between the practitioner and client. Through authentic connection, comes opportunities for real progress.
Experience and Education.
With over 20 years experience working as a registered nurse and mental health and addiction clinician - trained in multiple psychotherapeutic frameworks, I have developed a keen appreciation for the individualised and trauma informed lens, the importance of hope, advocacy and spirituality in healthcare, and the power of the therapeutic relationship. Having long been witness to the incredible link between the mind and body, both in the development of ill health and also in recovery, and the many and varied ways humans manifest and respond to illness and treatment, I became compelled to practice holistically.
Through my work with couples, children and families, I have come to realise just how much of our individual and collective happiness, rests upon the quality of our relationships. I have further come to realise that developing skills to support life transitions, manage adversity and adjust to loss is absolutely fundamental in successfully moving through the human experience.
Management and leadership roles in public health have provided a broader systems perspective that has allowed me to consider the intricacies of our health institutions, and the experience of the consumers who navigate them. I have learned that in this space, once again relationships are key, yet often neglected. Too often consumers of health services feel frightened, confused, judged, unheard and invalidated.
Qualifications in integrative nutrition and health coaching have progressed my understanding of bio-individuality, food as medicine & the significance of the lifestyle choices we make each day. Ongoing study in brain, hormonal and gut health further informs my integrative and functional medicine approach. I also continue to be a student of mindfulness, meditation and breath work as my belief in and experience of the power we hold within to support healing, becomes more steadfast.
I also continue to study in the wisdom teachings of traditional medicine such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine which further supports my integrated, whole person approach.
Through all of my education and experience, I have grown more acutely aware of just how disconnected many of us have become from the natural world, our communities and ourselves. It is now my endeavour to provide a service that is grounded in these observations and lessons. I seek to offer an alternative model of support, that honours a true partnership approach to care. I believe that knowledge is power and as a life long student, I continue to develop professionally through many forms of ongoing study and consider the integrity of my approach to education with my clients, to be my greatest offering.
Approach.
Serving as a Holistic Health Practitioner allows me to combine my skill set in a bespoke offering and really take the time to help people better understand their health, wellness and relationship challenges, encourage connection with one’s own inner intelligence and support the establishment of individual goals and practices that are meaningful, sustainable and seek to address the cause, not just the symptom. Working in this way affords me the opportunity to hear people’s whole story rather than just focusing on one aspect of their life or body, and genuinely combine the art and science of health care in a transparent and collaborative model.
My method in sharing information balances a healthy respect for a strong existing evidence base, with exploring new and emerging science, taking guidance from Mother Earth, and learning from traditional teachings.
I strongly encourage links with other health providers and believe that creating a community of co-operative and co-ordinated health supports gets the best results.
My experience has led me to favour a curious and reflective stance in all areas of my practice and I embolden personal sovereignty with my clients, who are the experts within their own lives. Together we will co-design plans that are meaningful to you and I’ll scaffold your progress with a support style that feels comfortable for you. As every person is unique, it is my belief that individualised approaches to assessment and intervention are the only way to truly provide a holistic and helpful service.
Special Interests.
I’m particularly interested in combining my background in working with individuals and families who might experience struggle in relation to their emotional or mental health, addiction concerns, relationship issues and neurodevelopmental diversity with the application of newer learnings from a holistic paradigm.
Exploring and addressing with clients the fascinating and significant links between trauma, the gut microbiome, mitochondrial health, hormonal health, stress and sleep issues with ill - health, dysfunction and unhappiness, is a fundamental component of my ongoing learning and work.
With an emphasis on bio-individuality, the interconnectedness of mind and body, and respect for lived experience, my intention is to provide a service that champions a whole person view, encourages connection with innate, traditional and natural wisdom and promotes the power of lifestyle and relationship modifications on health and happiness. I implore others to realise that even small changes, can make a big difference. My own personal journey continues to reveal these truths.
