After graduating as a Medical Herbalist top of her class and with a scholarship in 2011, Mel opened her private practice. She has since completed further qualifications in Nutritional Medicine and Naturopathy, as well as a Bachelor Degree of Health Science, in Complimentary Medicine. In 2023 Mel completed a Master in Health Science in Drug and Alcohol Addiction.
Mel proudly released her third recipe book ‘From Peasant Foods to Superfoods’ in December 2018. This book explains the simplicity of food and removes much of the confusion and fear around healthy eating. Melissa takes traditional home recipes and transforms them into nutritionally dense super-meals. She uses culinary history to shape her book and educate her readers of food origins and why we ate particular foods and should continue to do so. Click here for more info.
Her passion for food is contagious and can make even the simplest cook into a downright foodie. When one on one in the clinic Mel aims to provide sustainable dietary changes where needed, unique to the individual, that align with each person’s desires and goals. Mel works to create plans that suit the client’s lifestyle and their family.
Mel runs a private practice in her renovated garage at home in Newcastle, seeing clients throughout the week. Current clients will know that Mel often has final year students in her clinic and is passionate about developing and producing high quality Naturopaths that the community can rely on.
When she is not in the clinic, teaching, kissing her 2 beautiful babies, writing recipe books, presenting, tutoring or training she can be found working on her other passion with her coach and hubby - Olympic Weightlifting!
She is passionate about prescribing herbal medicine as a tool in fighting illness and imbalance within the body. Mel aims to fuse traditional herbal medicine with current research and evidence. She believes in an integration of herbal and pharmaceutical interventions.
"I come from a genuine place when I give advice. I believe in what I tell my clients, I believe it is the best way to live a healthy life. I practice what I preach and I preach what I practice-I do not believe in giving a false sense of perfectionism. My clients know I train hard in the gym, I have a good diet and I take herbs and supplements as needed but I still enjoy a gin and tonic as a treat. I don't have time for strict fad diets, extremism or dogmatism and I get the odd cold or flu just like every other person. I want to educate people on a way to live a simple, healthy and balanced life through the food and medicine that nature has given us, the miracle of pharmaceuticals where needed and the movement the body craves. I believe this is the key to good health, happy minds and managing chronic conditions effectively."
