Bronwyn Shaunessy   -   Medical Herbalist

Your first appointment will last up to one hour. After a thorough assessment, a realistic treatment plan will be developed. Your individually prescribed medicines will be prepared which will take about 10-15 minutes. All treatment plans are different, though you will probably leave with a bottle of herbal tincture and one or two realistic dietary or lifestyle goals. You may also require nutritional supplements or flower essences.

This depends on your individual health issues. With conditions such as colds, flu and infections, some improvement in symptoms may be noted within hours or it may take several days to a week. Longstanding conditions (arthritis, skin problems and hormonal imbalances) respond very well to treatment with herbal medicine, with improvements usually being noted within four to six weeks. After your first consultation, you will have a greater understanding of how your body is currently functioning, and what improvement you should expect.

Most probably! All symptoms arise from some type of imbalance and my approach treats the whole person, therefore illnesses from the common cold to complex long standing conditions can benefit from herbal medicine. If you are unsure, please contact me. 02 49327533

Generally, you will have an individually prescribed liquid herbal extract, taken two or three times a day with water or juice. Some people find the taste a little unpleasant initially but soon get used to it. You may also have tablets or capsules depending on the individual herbs required and your preference.

In general, herbs stimulate healing and balance the body while drugs often work by supressing a natural body process. Pharmaceutical companies often make drugs by isolating an active constituent from a herb, or producing a synthetic copy. The end result is a drug that is far from what nature produced, often resulting in side-effects. A herb's total effect is a result of the combination and interactions of all of the elements of the plant as it occurs in nature, which gives a medicine without harmful or distressing side effects.

Unfortunately, Medicare does not currently subsidise the cost of herbal medicine consultations.

Many herbs are perfectly safe to take with medications prescribed by your doctor. However, some herbs do not mix well with medications. I have extensive training in the interactions between herbs and drugs and stay up to date with the latest research in this area. It is imperative that you inform us of any prescribed or natural medicines you are taking. Similarly you should inform your Dr when you are taking herbal medicines and supplements - I can give you a copy of your script if required.

Yes, babies respond well to herbal medicine.

Yes, women respond well to certain herbal treatments during pregnancy. However some herbs are contraindicated during pregnancy so be sure to let me know if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.

Bronwyn studied Herbal medicine with Denis Stewart and graduated in 1985 (Dip HM). She is a member of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS 0561) and a qualified SoulCollage® Facilitator.