Herbal Beginnings
The High Weald Herbalist was founded by Julie Padgham. Julie’s herbal journey began whilst growing up in the Sussex High Weald. She spent many hours playing in the fields, woods and rivers near her home and this led to a keen interest in plants and a fascination for the natural world surrounding her. Pressing flowers and making ‘perfumes’ from flowers, roots and leaves she gathered from the garden and countryside became a self study in recognising and identifying the plants and trees that grew around her.
Julie’s Dad was a keen organic vegetable and fruit grower and her Mum preserved the produce by making bakes, jams, pickles and chutneys. Her Dad would brew beer and make wine, whilst her Mum was always sewing, knitting and creating. Growing up in this sustainably minded environment, allowed her the freedom to develop her interest in herbal medicine.
The Herbal Journey & Insights
Julie started her herbal training by undertaking a one year certificate course in herbal medicine run by The College of Phytotherapy based at Bodle Street Green. Whilst studying, she worked at a herbal apothecary in Alfriston alongside a qualified medical herbalist. She enjoyed the experience so much that she decided to take her studies further and joined the herbal medicine degree course, graduating in 2008. She has been in practice ever since.
A few years later, Julie decided to train as a reflexologist. Her experiences with reflexology, have shown her the profound effect this therapy can have on a person’s health and well being. To find out more about Julie’s reflexology practice, please visit http://www.lewesreflexology.co.uk
Julie is passionate about promoting better health through herbs and diet and prides herself on being knowledgeable, honest and friendly. She encourages people to allow common wild plants back into their life, diet and medicine cabinet, not only to benefit their own physical health, but to increase awareness of the natural world around them.
From Julie’s own experiences in the countryside, she understands how getting out in a green space and allowing ourselves the time to take in the sight, smell, feel and taste of the plants growing in our local area, can benefit our emotional health enormously too.
Pastimes
Not surprisingly, Julie enjoys spending time outside. In her spare time you will find her exploring the countryside with her trusty, if enthusiastic, Springer Spaniel and foraging wild plants to make liqueurs, shrubs and oxymels. She has also started experimenting with fermenting foods and is finding it quite fascinating (and a little addictive!) She gardens, frequents craft shows and has recently discovered a love of canoeing; enjoying the tranquil and meditative waterways of Sussex.
Qualifications
In 2008, Julie graduated from the University of Westminster with a BSc (Hons) Health Sciences: Herbal Medicine.
In addition to seeing patients at clinics in Lewes and Hurstpierpoint, for five years, she worked at a busy herbal dispensary in Wadhurst offering over the counter advice and herbal medicine for acute ailments.
In 2011, Julie completed a VTCT Level 3 Diploma in reflexology.
Professional Associations
Julie is a member of The College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy (CPP).
CPP is a professional membership organisation of phytotherapists (Medical Herbalists) that sets the highest standards of practice in herbal medicine. All members are qualified to university level 6 (BSc), have undergone a final clinical exam, and have a minimum of 500 hours of clinical training.
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