BSc, LicAc, Dip.CHM, RCHM
Treatment(s): Chinese Herbal Medicine & Acupuncture / Co-Founder
Availability: Thursday mornings and Saturdays
Prices: Herbal medicine/Acupuncture (or combination of the two) - Initial consultation (45 mins) £48 Follow-up appointments £38. Cost of herbs additional (£8 - £10 per week). Concessions can be discussed at appointment.
Website: www.rchm.co.uk
Mobile: 07572589858
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TRAINING
After graduating from the University of East Anglia in Biological Sciences I worked as an ecologist. I was drawn to the ecological principles which underlay Chinese medicine.
This led to a study of acupuncture at the College of Traditional Acupuncture in Leamington Spa. On graduating in 1981, we opened the Natural Health Clinic as I was interested to work alongside and learn from other therapies.
After 10 years as an acupuncturist, I began to feel I was working with only part of Chinese Medicine and studied Chinese herbal medicine in London at the School of Chinese Herbal Medicine.
After another 5 years working with both acupuncture and herbs, I became president of The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM) www.rchm.co.uk
My aim at this time was to improve the ecological sustainability and quality of herbal product being given to patients.In 2005, I set up the Approved Suppliers Scheme to audit suppliers for the RCHM to ensure safe delivery of herbal products to patients.
RCHM auditing of herbs used
CHINESE HERB GARDEN
My interest in the actual source plants led to a travel scholarship from the Winston Churchill Trustto visit China to work in Nanjing hospital of TCM and with the Nanjing Botanic Gardens which had the best Chinese herb garden in China.
On return I established the Bristol Chinese Herb Garden in 2000 which is located at the University of Bristol Botanic garden.
More information on the garden including a database of the plants is available on the RCHM site under the garden tab.
Bristol Chinese Herb Garden
Carthamus tinctorius (hong hua)
TEACHING
The garden is used for teaching and research into Chinese herbal medicine. It is attempting to combine traditional use with modern science in the field of ethno pharmacology. Alongside undergraduate teaching, I also run a series of seasonal seminars in Chinese medicine at the Chinese Herb Garden entitled SEASONS IN CHINESE MEDICINE.
Seasons in Chinese Medicine
For more details on this please contact me on:
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PRACTICE
Taking the Chinese pulse
My practice at the Natural Health Clinic is very wide ranging.
I can use either acupuncture or herbs alone or more often in combination depending on the complaint and choice by the patient.
Acupuncture is good for pain including headaches and muscle and joint pains. It is also one of the best treatments in the clinic for stress and energy balancing for many digestive such as IBS.
If there is fatigue present or for combined mental and physical conditions such as PMS, I combine acupuncture with herbs which can also tonify the blood more quickly than acupuncture.
For deeper conditions including hormone imbalance/ arthritis/ internal pain/phlegm complaints andinfertility, then herbs are usually the first line of treatment with acupuncture being optional.
Herbs are usually required for skin conditions.
The herbs I give are suitable for vegans and I also have very strong ethos of not using endangered plants. It is quite possible for Chinese herbal medicine to be both effective and ethical.
My normal working practice is to have an initial consultation of 40 min where we look at the relative importance of acupuncture and herbal medicine in your case and suggest any self help methods which can be helpful to help you maintain health or assist with treatment
The course of treatment is reviewed after 4 sessions.
HERBAL MEDICINE FOR ALL SERVICE
If cost is a problem I also run a Herbal clinic as part of the ‘for all’ accessibility services at the hub.This does not include acupuncture and just focuses on providing a herbal formula.
The cost of the herbs is the same for each service and additional to the cost of the consultations.
GENERAL HUB CONSULTATION
As clinical director of the Health Hub, I also run the general consultations to help decide on which therapy in the clinic may be the best for you. This does not involve treatment. For details of this service, contact reception or see the clinic website.
This is a summary of times and costs:
SERVICETIME COST
INITIAL
CONSULTATION40 min£45
TREATMENT30 min£35
FOLLOW UP
CONSULTATION20 min£25
(Herbs for all)
FOLLOW UP15min£20
(Herbs for All)
GENERAL HUB20 min£25
CONSULTATION
HERB COST2-3 week supply£25