I have a lot of random interactions with health professionals when we happen to find ourselves on the same patch of real world out there. Two weeks ago someone served me in a local health food store and at the end of the transaction said, “I went to that Australian Naturopathic conference that was held here – now which one are you?” I knew immediately what she meant 😂 I said my first name, then mentioned I was actually on my way to see one of the other directors, Kathryn, and as I was leaving she said, “See you next time Kathryn!”👋
Then just last week I was in Launceston sitting in the sun in the mall and a woman walked by and waved. Given I suffer terrible face-blindness (in case you ever think I’m just being rude!) I was worried I knew her but had forgotten, so I waved back. Five minutes later we met again in a shop and with all the smiling & waving already done, she asks, “Do I know you?” I answer that I’m not sure but she follows up with, “You’re a naturopath right? 👍 You’re Rachel?👍 Greg’s wife from Devonport? 🙅♀️🙅♀️ Ahhhhh I guess 2 out of 4 ain’t bad 😂 Turns out I’m not as memorable as I had imagined 🤣
Just 24hrs later I’m at a wedding & someone who I do know & they do in fact know me (can confirm, name, profession, context, location etc. all check out 😅) proceeds to say, “I’m trying to work out what you mean in your latest emails.” I look at them with confusion about their confusion and then they add with incredulity, “Are you actually not going to do mentoring anymore?!”🤯
Ahhhhh yes that is exactly what I mean – I’m not doing a John Farnham here folks!
I have loved meeting up every month with hundreds of practitioners across the 13 years. It’s been an absolute honour to play such a consistent part in all of your professional development, witnessing your individual growth, challenging myself as much as you, while constantly adapting to changes in the profession and, let’s face it, the whole information, education, health landscape! We’ve worked up hundreds of complex cases together, supported a whole next generation of new grads to transition to clinicians who really stand out from the pack, offered many the opportunity to up-skill in mental health and most recently, we became the proud parents of hundreds of !NEW! Nutrient Prescribers – who really are the experts in nutritional medicine now. At one stage I was running 16 separate groups that met every month from February to November, then we expanded the group sizes to cut down the number of groups necessary, then we shortened the year, shortened it again, went to just half a year…yeah the pattern was patent for all to see…next stop…no more monthly mentoring.
Now of course I will not disappear all together…well maybe for a bit but I’ll be back! And my existing educational material will remain available on the website.
My intention is to keep contributing to the education & professional development of my peeps but not in the way I have been.
My compulsion to innovate rather than replicate has kicked in big time
Do I know what’s next? A break. After that? Maybe another lil break 😅 But no honestly, we don’t as yet have any clear vision about future offerings at this time…maybe that will come with a break. And if you ever see me in the same patch of real world out there – please do come up and say hello – whoever you think I am 😂
Keen to join me this one last time?
The Nutrient Prescriber’s Mentoring Program – a structured process for creating prescriptions that’s systematic, scientific and more likely to produce successful outcomes. Join here
Cracking the Case mentoring – curated cases that will build your skills in complex case work-ups, condition specific knowledge, prescription decisions and pathology interpretation. Join here
New Graduate Group Mentoring – supporting your transition from student to naturopathic powerhouse, you will find your tribe, gain support and radically build your toolkit. Join here
