Meet The Naturopaths
Meet Sara
Sara Canney — Naturopath
Sara Canney is a degree-qualified naturopath with over 15 years of clinical experience, helping clients across Melbourne uncover the root causes of complex health concerns through evidence-informed natural medicine.
A Career Built on Clinical Naturopathy
Sara began practising naturopathy in 2008 at a busy clinic in Potts Point, Sydney, where she quickly developed her signature focus on digestive health, mood, stress, fatigue, and immune function. From the outset, her work was grounded in the naturopathic principle that lasting wellness comes from treating the person, not the symptom.
In 2010, Sara accepted a role at a respected detox and wellness retreat on Koh Samui, Thailand, where she spent 18 months managing therapeutic programs for an international clientele. Working alongside leading practitioners from across the world deepened her clinical naturopathic skills, particularly in gut restoration, detoxification, and integrative case management.
Returning to Australia in 2012, Sara further expanded her clinical toolkit by training in closed-system colon hydrotherapy, which she offers as a complementary modality alongside her core naturopathic practice.
Clinical Focus — Digestive Health, Mood & Immunity
Sara’s naturopathic practice centres on the gut as the foundation of whole-body wellness. She regularly supports clients with:
- IBS, SIBO, candida, and inflammatory bowel conditions
- Constipation, irregular bowel motility, bloating, and intestinal permeability
- Skin concerns linked to digestive imbalance
- Burnout, chronic stress, low mood, and anxiety
- Hormonal imbalances and fatigue
- Allergies and both acute and chronic immune challenges
Her Naturopathic Approach
Sara’s consultations combine evidence-informed dietary and lifestyle guidance, herbal medicine, nutritional supplementation, and practical strategies designed for sustainable, long-term change. Where clinically appropriate, she recommends pathology testing or functional assessments, including microbiome testing, to identify underlying imbalances and guide individualised treatment plans.
Recognition & Published Work
Sara has contributed naturopathic health articles to Cosmopolitan Magazine and Australian Natural Health Magazine, and has worked alongside some of Australia’s and the world’s leading naturopaths and wellness practitioners throughout her career.
Qualifications & Memberships
Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy | Diploma of Nutrition | Diploma of Remedial Massage | Reflexology | Certification in Colonic Hydrotherapy | ATMS Member Provider No. 089322CL | Recognised by the Australian Colon Health Association
Meet Carmen
Carmen Farrugia — Fertility & Pregnancy Naturopath, Midwife & Registered Nurse
Carmen’s clinical passion lies in supporting women and couples through every stage of their reproductive journey — from pre-conception planning and natural fertility support to IVF assistance, pregnancy care, and the postnatal period. She also works extensively with menstrual disorders, PCOS, menopause, and the anxiety and depression that so often accompany hormonal health challenges.
Her approach is deeply individual. Carmen takes the time to thoroughly investigate the underlying factors contributing to your health concerns — considering your personal goals, circumstances, and genetics before crafting a treatment plan that draws on nutrition, herbal medicine, dietary planning, lifestyle medicine, pathology testing, and stress management.
Beyond her clinical work, Carmen is a respected educator and author. She has developed webinars for health practitioners on pre and post-conception care, mentored graduate midwives and student naturopaths, and authored a widely loved pregnancy eBook — gifted to every one of her patients as part of their care.
Her contributions to the Royal Women’s Hospital include developing evidence-based antenatal guidelines, implementing triage processes for pregnant women, shaping team midwifery models, and establishing mentoring programs for graduate nurses — a testament to the exemplary standard of care she brings to everything she does.
We are truly fortunate to have a practitioner of Carmen’s calibre at Naturopathy Melbourne.
Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy | Bachelor of Applied Science Nursing | Graduate Diploma of Midwifery | Natural Fertility Lecturer, Author & Mentor | ANTA Member No. 8255 | AHPRA Midwife Registration NMW0001034617 | AHPRA Nurse Registration NMW0001034616
Meet Jess
Jessica Pensa — Thyroid, Hormonal & Acne Naturopath
Jessica Pensa is a passionate and highly skilled naturopath with a special focus on the conditions that conventional medicine so often struggles to fully address — thyroid disorders, hormonal imbalances, autoimmune conditions, and hormonal acne.
Holding a four-year Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy, Jess brings both academic rigour and genuine clinical dedication to every consultation. Her approach is rooted in one core belief: that lasting health comes from understanding the whole person — not just managing their symptoms.
Her clinical expertise centres on the endocrine system, with a particular focus on thyroid and autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and fertility concerns. Jess is especially passionate about skin health, recognising that acne and other skin conditions are frequently a reflection of deeper hormonal and gut imbalances. Rather than defaulting to antibiotics or conventional treatments, she offers natural, targeted skin protocols that address the root cause — with results that speak for themselves.
Jess takes a thoroughly individualised approach to care, drawing on a wide range of naturopathic testing and analysis to build a clear and accurate picture of each client’s health. From there, she crafts personalised treatment plans that incorporate advanced herbal medicine, nutritional therapeutics, dietary planning, and lifestyle medicine — always working in harmony with the body’s own healing intelligence.
Her training in Integrative Complementary Medicine also means she works collaboratively alongside GPs and specialists, ensuring her clients receive the very best of both natural and conventional care.
Jess is a proud member of the Australian Natural Therapist Association (ANTA) and is committed to delivering health solutions that are not just effective — but enduring.
Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) | ANTA Member
Meet Allie
Allie Sanderson – Melbourne Naturopath
Allie Sanderson is a naturopath based in Melbourne who is passionate about guiding people toward better health through the principles of natural medicine. Her clinical experience spans a broad spectrum of concerns — from gut health and skin conditions to hormonal challenges, low energy, and chronic stress — as well as supporting clients who simply want to optimise their everyday wellbeing.
Allie’s practice is grounded in a warm, non-judgmental philosophy. She meets clients where they are, building personalised strategies that are genuinely achievable within the rhythms of real life — no pressure, no overwhelm, just clear and meaningful progress.
A firm believer in integrative care, Allie works collaboratively alongside conventional medicine, combining the best of both worlds to deliver the most effective outcomes for each person she sees. Every treatment plan is evidence-informed, whole-person focused, and shaped entirely around the individual.
Allie holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy from Endeavour College of Natural Health and maintains professional registration with the Naturopaths & Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA). She welcomes clients via online consultations throughout Australia, as well as face-to-face appointments at her Kensington, Melbourne practice.
Instant claims with all major health funds — you only pay the gap
Est. 1990 | 65,500 Patients Treated Successfully.
To read real patient experiences, please visit our Google Reviews for both Naturopathy Melbourne & Brunswick Health
Overwhelmed, exhausted & unsure what to do next?
You don’t have to figure it out on your own, we're here to help!
