It is with a heavy heart that I learned today of the passing of Andrew Stableford. Andrew was the course leader of the University of Lincoln BSc (Hons.) Herbal Medicine course, and pretty much ran the third year of the course. He is a light that has gone out in the herbal medine community before his time. It is probably because of Andrew that I finished my degree and became […]
It is almost five years since I graduated from the University of Lincoln with a degree in Herbal Medicine. Since that time, A lot has happened. I’ve built a reasonably successful practice, I’ve written books, I’ve travelled the country working as both a herbalist and an EMT. I’ve taught courses. I’ve grown a lot of herbs, and seen a lot of patients. A lot changes in 5 years. I often […]
Finally, something happened tonight that I have been dreaming about for a couple of years. I taught a group of people who are training to be Medical Herbalists. I have never made a secret of my desire to teach other practitioners or teach my subject at a professional/degree level. So tonight I had my first chance to do just that – running the first part of a two part webinar […]
So, I find myself on the come-down from the euphoria of publishing my first book. Yesterday, a final draft copy arrived in the post, and after half an hour of squinting and hovering with a red pen – that ultimately wasn’t used – my finger rather heavily clicked on the ‘publish’ button and I found myself an author. Now; I suppose technically I’ve been an author for a while in […]
Another day comes to an end – I sit, in complete silence, the only sounds in the house are the tick-tock of the cuckoo clock, and an occasional rustle as embers settle in the grate. This is winter – not yet the deep mid-winter, but it is Samhain eve; to Celts the start of a period of limbo lasting until the midwinter solstice. And, as the sudden jolt of the […]
Time to be, time to re-evaluate where I’ve come from, and what I’ve done over the past three years since leaving university So, last week, I did something I’ve not done since I left university and set up my practice. I went on a short holiday. A few short days in a Yurt in mid Wales, letting go and just being. With work far away, like a half forgotten dream. […]
Today marks a very special anniversary. It is ten years to the day since my journey towards being a practitioner of Herbal Medicine started. As so often happens, it all started with a book. Let me set the scene a little; ten years ago, I was training to be a commercial pilot and had spent most of the summer of 2006 flying. Then the autumn came and due to ‘difficulties’ […]
So, early tomorrow (more like later today as it’s after midnight) I am off to the Scottish Radical Herbal Gathering. One of the organisers, Ally Hurcikova was half a year below me at University and has now got deeply involved in the Scottish Radical Herbal network. So I was blown away when she invited me to present at this gathering/conference/event. For me, it marks another step on the journey – […]
So, now the busy-ness of the summer is passing into the quiet, reflective time of winter, it is time to revisit some of the things I’ve done over the past year to get me to where I am in my life, practice, and development of my business at this point. I’d say one of the biggest things I’ve done to get myself known in the local area, and further abroad […]
Apologies dear reader, for the dearth of posts from me recently. Life has been very hectic, and I will be catching up on posts soon! One of the most essential things to discuss in setting up a complementary medicine business/practice is communications. Very few complimentary therapists I have known over the last 10 years or so get this right. Some are quite hard to contact, and that doesn’t make for […]