Dip. Phyt., MCPP.

Julie has been seriously interested in herbal medicine since she worked for Oxfam in Latin America from the mid-1980s to early 1990s.  Herbal medicine is still the most widely used form of medicine in the world.  This becomes obvious as soon as you walk into a pharmacy in, for example, Chile and see the dried herbs hanging everywhere, or if you watch indigenous people in Peru or Bolivia preparing herbal teas for medicinal use.  Such people cannot afford many modern medications and in any case may live far from any access to them.  They rely on herbal remedies that have been used by their forebears for generations. 

While studying Sociology at University Julie learned that this country too has a colourful tradition of herbal medicine as practised by so-called wise women, yet today we have forgotten how to recognise healing plants, and herbs have largely disappeared from prescribed medications. Julie studied herbal medicine at the College of Phytotherapy, Bodle Street Green, near Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 4RJ and at the London Clinic of Phytotherapy, 180 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3TQ.  The studies were partly distance learning, partly seminars, and lots of hands-on practise with written examinations every year.  She studied Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Materia Medica (in this case the study of medicinal plants), Pharmacology, Clinical Diagnosis, Differential Diagnosis, General Medicine, Nutrition, Dermatology, Ethics, Geriatrics, Gynaecology, Psychiatry and Medical Laboratory Science. 

Julie completed 500 hours of practical clinical training, taking her own patients, under supervision, at the London clinic and took a clinical examination at the end. She was awarded the Diploma in Phytotherapy and is now a member of the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy (CPP). This particular course attracted top class tutors in the world of herbal medicine, and was well known across the world with students attending from New Zealand and many countries in Europe, where similar training in herbal medicine simply doesn't exist.

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