Cath Couzens, Medical Herbalist
Back in 2017 I was running my own marketing agency and from the outside everything looked shiny and successful. From the inside I was falling apart. My health was suffering from stress, extensive travel and not the best diet. I ended up in hospital with a suspected gallstone and experienced shocking pain in my stomach, as well as being diagnosed with chronic sinusitis and labyrinthitis.
As a last resort I went to see a herbalist and within six weeks was feeling a lot better. The herbalist suggested making changes to my diet and lifestyle alongside taking a herbal tincture, tea and a powder. It seemed like a lot to do at the time but I was desperate to feel better and almost immediately I could feel the improvements in the pain I’d been experiencing.
After a couple of months I was so inspired I decided to have a complete career change and started retraining to be a medical herbalist. Little did I know it would open up a whole new world of plants, people and lifelong learning! My training was to degree level, with a four year course at Heartwood, one of the UK’s leading herbal educators. The course was over 3,600 hours of study, plus a minimum of 500 hours of patient facing consultations. I’m registered with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and also a member of the Association of Naturopathic Practitioners.
I see patients in person in Macclesfield, Cheshire and also support patients throughout the UK by online appointments.
I’m passionate about the power of plants
My Inspiration
I was inspired at a young age by my Nana Ivy who lived at Woodside Cottage, hence the name Woodside Apothecary. Nana Ivy was practically self-sufficient and the jars of jams, chutneys, herbs and bottles of homemade vinegars had a magical attraction. As well as starting the family beekeeping tradition (now in my brother’s care) she also kept pigs, chickens and ducks. I feel very fortunate to have been introduced to a self-sufficient lifestyle. In my spare time I love being outdoors and grow my own herbs.
01.
My Allotment
My allotment has been in my family for almost one hundred years, handed down from great grandfather, to my granddad and now I share the allotment with my Dad. He’s focused on fruit and vegetables and I’m growing herbs. The allotment is my happy place and it’s such a joy to grow food and herbs. Being able to grow herbs from seed also gives me a much deeper relationship with the plants.
02.
Sharing my knowledge
After years of studying it’s so nourishing to be able to share my knowledge of medicinal herbs at my own workshops, encouraging people to try a herbal tea, grow some herbs in their garden and think differently about what they see as humble weeds!
03.
What does nature have to offer?
In these times of rushed living, considering what nature has to offer is central to my practice. Herbal medicine dates back thousands of years and is considered to be the foundation of modern day medicine. Many people have lost their connection to both plants and nature and I’ve seen time and time again the benefits of connecting back to nature, combined with bespoke herbal medicine.
Book a FREE 15 min discovery call with me
S.M. Cambridgeshire