New Patients — Welcome to Naturopathy Melbourne
Est. 1990 | 65,500 Patients Treated Successfully.
To read real patient experiences, please visit our Google Reviews for both Naturopathy Melbourne & Brunswick Health
What to Expect at Your First Consultation
Your initial naturopathic consultation is unlike a standard GP appointment. This is your time — unhurried, thorough, and completely focused on you.
When you arrive at our Brunswick clinic, you will be warmly welcomed and asked to complete a brief health intake form before your consultation begins. This helps your naturopath hit the ground running and ensures no important details are missed.
During your consultation your naturopath will:
- Take a thorough and detailed health history covering your current concerns, past health issues, family history, diet, lifestyle, sleep, stress, and more
- Listen — really listen — to your story without rushing or interrupting
- Conduct any relevant physical assessments
- Discuss any diagnostic testing that may help clarify your health picture
- Explain their findings clearly and in plain language — no jargon
- Begin developing a personalised treatment plan tailored specifically to you
- Walk you through their recommendations and answer every question you have
By the end of your first appointment you will have a clear understanding of what is contributing to your health concerns and a realistic, personalised plan of action to move forward.
A Few Things to Know
- Your first naturopathic consultation runs for 60 minutes — please arrive a few minutes early to allow time to complete your intake form
- If you are attending for a naturopathic consultation as well as a colonic session specific preparation instructions will be provided at the time of booking
- If you need to cancel or reschedule, please give us at least 24 hours notice so we can offer your appointment to another patient
How to Prepare for Your Appointment
To make the most of your initial consultation, a little preparation goes a long way. Before your appointment we recommend:
- Writing down your current symptoms, how long you’ve had them, and anything that makes them better or worse
- Making a note of any medications, supplements, or vitamins you are currently taking
- Thinking about your diet, sleep patterns, stress levels, and lifestyle habits — your naturopath will ask about all of these
- Gathering any recent blood tests, pathology results, or specialist reports you may have — the more information we have, the better
- Arriving with an open mind and ready to have an honest conversation about your health — there are no wrong answers here
What to Bring
- Any recent pathology results, blood tests, or specialist letters
- A list of current medications and supplements including dosages
- Your Medicare card and private health insurance card if applicable
- Any relevant health history documents you feel may be useful
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.
You're in Safe Hands
At Naturopathy Melbourne we understand that opening up about your health can feel vulnerable — especially if you’ve spent a long time feeling unheard or unsure of where to turn. Our practitioners are warm, non-judgmental, and genuinely invested in helping you find answers and feel better.
There is no pressure, no upselling, and no rushing. Just honest, personalised, whole-person care from practitioners who truly care about your wellbeing.
How to Book
You can book online or call our friendly front desk team.
We’re here to make your first experience smooth and welcoming.
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