I truly do love my work; it’s beyond being a job and more a way of life.
It’s such a privilege to continually learn from the stories my patients share of their lives, health and experiences. The understanding that grows from this, now into its third decade, is key to my ongoing development and success as a practitioner. Every person I meet teaches me something new.
My professional journey with herbs began in the mid 1990s following a lifelong curiosity and resonance with both nature and health. I was fortunate to be inspired by, and serve as apprentice for, Medical Herbalists Anita Ralph & Philip Evans at their Canterbury apothecary alongside study with the University of Wales at The College of Phytotherapy. In 2005, following on from my first-class honour’s degree, I set up in Maidstone. Then I added my hometown of Folkestone in 2008. As technology advanced, I was able to serve beyond my in-person clinic to the whole of the UK via video platforms.
I am continually energised by the investigative nature of my work and genuinely interested in my patients’ stories. For many it’s the first time they have been able to tell a health professional the ‘whole picture’. The understanding that brings them is massively important. Together, we explore, and patients are empowered to learn of the patterns and links we confirm or identify between their symptoms and development of the problem. Matching the herbs to the person truly is both a science and an art that is explored in more detail here.
Over time my practise has evolved. I have always considered a patient’s diet as part of the picture with varying levels of focus depending on our findings. For many years food intolerance testing was a big part of my practice. It’s a joy to see how much better patients could feel with dietary change alone. I do still offer this and for those interested skip to here.
I have chosen to use ‘intake forms’ for completion prior to your first appointment to provide better value for money. This allows more time to be spent ‘drilling down’ (as one patient described it) into the problem and how it can be best helped. Intake forms enable you to let me know should you need any reasonable adjustments to be made for your appointment. Also any other information I might need to honour your wishes.
What is exciting for me is the science emerging during the last decade or so around the microbiome. It is massively enlightening and helps explain many of the anomalies I witness working with people and their diet. It provides understanding for previously hypothesised theories of all manner of health-related matters,. Particularly surrounding food additives and processing, body weight, food intolerances, auto-immune issues, and including (but not exclusively) metabolism, the gut and nervous system. This understanding has led me to introduce a new type of consultation which focuses on food. Also how one might make dietary changes to positively impact health. More details can be found here.
I care about your safety and want you to feel confident in your decision to trust me with your health. My training and qualification details can be found in more detail here. Including information on insurance, membership of Professional Associations and my commitment to continuing my professional development.
I am a ‘general’ practitioner first and foremost. With the individual person always being the focus and their personal experience of the ‘condition’ they have being central. I have encountered certain work, family and personal experiences creating an inevitable ‘special interest’ in particular fields. Such as asthma, allergies, gut & skin issues, nervous system dysfunction including depression and anxiety, learning disability, neurodivergence (particularly ADHD) and hormone related matters.
So, what about me, Lynda Jones, the person behind the Medical Herbalist?
My patients often describe me as kind and genuine. I do strive to be authentic, empathetic and hope I identify with a wide range of people! I grew up in Manchester, in a working-class family with my beloved late dad in gardening and mum having many different part time jobs. This grounding is fundamental to my intention to keep my costs fair which I constantly have to balance with being a self-supporting woman. Some patients have kindly expressed their gratitude for what they consider to be excellent value for money by ‘rounding up’ their bills. This enables me to run a modest ‘pay it forward’ fund.
I have a daughter who dances professionally for a living. She also shares my home in between work; thankfully we are very good friends too. I also like to live alongside animals. Currently Zuko, the majestic indoor cat whose mission in life is to gain access to the forbidden clinic and dispensary. Also Frankie the mixed breed terrier with complex neurological issues who wants everyone to love him.
I love to tend to my ‘Yarden’ when there’s time and make my home and clinic warm, welcoming spaces.
