How We Work

Who Is Sarah?

Sarah is a qualified Medical Herbalist, Functional Medicine Practitioner and internationally trained Health Coach with over 16 years of clinical experience. She is also a Certified HeartMath Trainer.

During her training, Sarah wrote a thesis on using natural plant medicines and standard drugs together safely which is still used as a teaching aid in one of New Zealand’s leading naturopathic colleges. She founded The Self Heal Clinic in the Wairarapa New Zealand, and specialises in auto-immune conditions, inflammation, cancer treatment support, metal and chemical detoxification, nutrition, digestive complaints, skin disorders, and allergy and hormonal/gland related issues. Her skill is in addressing the root of various health problems.

Sarah has a passion for educating people as to why their bodies have expressed their imbalance in a particular way with the aim of empowering them to gain the tools needed to facilitate long lasting change.

An outline of the process Sarah may need to take you through:

Sarah’s clinic will send out some detailed forms for you to fill in and return prior to your appointment. These are designed by Sarah to provide her with a lot of information quickly so she has a good handle on where your strengths and weaknesses lie before she starts to work with you. This cuts down the amount of consulting time required, which reduces the cost of getting started. Sarah will go through your information prior to your appointment and this time is usually given free of charge. (If you have a lot of medical tests or reports you would like Sarah to read in addition to the forms she sends out, there may be a charge for the added time to go through these.)

Sarah’s focus is on educating you about your body and resolving the root cause of your health issues. She does a lot of what she calls “joining the dots” for people and for many of them it is the first time they fully understand why their body is behaving the way it is.

Your first appointment will be 1 hour long. This is to go over your health history in depth and to discuss any testing that may be required. Sarah will ask you more about certain things that may have been identified from your questionnaires. At this appointment Sarah will give you a clear idea as to the process she will need to take you through.

She may get you to do a short food diary. Your second appointment may be an hour depending on what is being covered. If doing dietary work, Sarah will talk to you about food nutrient density, what kinds of signals your food is giving your body, how to control fatigue and weight gain, how you can use food to reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and how to read food labels more accurately.

The most common tests she uses are:

A Food and Chemical Sensitivity Test. This is a comprehensive test for food, food chemical, chemical and environmental, and some microbial irritants, and comes with a personalised report. More information is available through the Testing Menu. A half hour long appointment is required to go through this result.

A Hair Mineral Analysis. This comes with a 20+ page personalised report including a full treatment outline. More information is available on the testing via the Testing Menu. An hour long appointment is required to go through this result.

A Complete DUTCH Hormone Test. This is a leading-edge hormone test which provides information, not only about the individual hormone levels, but also how the hormones are being metabolised. The test also assesses cancer risk and provides a good reflection of how the detoxification processes are affecting the use of hormones in the body. Included are multiple organic acid markers for nutrient use and brain chemistry. An hour long appointment is required to go through this result.

DNA Testing. A DNA profile can help with understanding where priority areas are for the individual and what sorts of quirks may be affecting various areas of body function. It is like having a blueprint. All of the genes tested are responsive to dietary, lifestyle and nutritive intervention. Having this information can assist with putting in place a more personalised and effect treatment program. An hour long appointment is required to go through this result.

Sarah will discuss with you at your first consult what level of testing is recommended. It varies from person to person depending on the complexity of the condition presenting. She may also consider other testing such as standard blood testing, thyroid testing, stool testing, or liver testing. An appointment may be necessary to discuss these test results.

From here the appointments are usually half hour appointments and vary in number. This will depend on your rate of progress, the amount of work required and whether you raise other things that are going on outside of your initial concerns.

Supplement costs can vary enormously but Sarah can give you some feel for these at each stage in the process. She always tries to work as economically as possible for you, but please understand that certain tools are required to achieve certain outcomes.

Consultation Costs

Initial consults are $140 if in person, or $175 by Zoom. Follow up appointments are $70 for a half hour in person or $80 if by Zoom for  for New Zealand clients.

For clients who are working with Sarah via Zoom, Skype or phone, there may be additional charges to cover time spent emailing documents and instructions outside of the appointment time. This will be charged at Sarah’s standard hourly rate. Sarah is happy to discuss this with you if you have any questions about it.

All Zoom, Skype or phone appointments must be paid for at the time of booking.

Here is some feedback from people who have worked with Sarah:

“Sarah has changed our lives and many others. Very empowering to get to know exactly how your body functions/or does not function, and how to heal it. As an ex pharmacist I need the hard science, and her treatments are exactly that by getting to the core of the problem. I have seen so many people’s health and lives transformed. Thank you Sarah, you are one very clever lady. ☺️.”

Shellene E (NZ)

“Sarah has been my full stop at the end of a very long health journey. She has that rare blend of hard science and ‘soft’ alternative medicine. The result is that she can get directly and comprehensively to the heart of the problem. Eleven out of ten.”

Steph. D (NZ)

“… my utmost regard for Sarah. I talk about her in my circle of friends comparing her to an academic scholar.  I use a term I made up as a “Surgeon of alternative therapy”. She is brilliant and there is no doubting her knowledge, wisdom and goodwill for her clients”

C. Ross (Australia)

“You absolutely know your stuff 🙂 I’m in debt to you for all the challenges you have helped me overcome and will always work with you going forward, I completely trust you. You have changed my life and I tell people this all the time and I recommend your services to people when you come up in conversation. ”

Jenn. H (Australia)

“I first reached out to Sarah at The Self Heal Clinic out of sheer desperation. I had seen multiple doctors, specialists, and alternate practitioners and spend every cent of savings I had on appointments, consultations, tests, creams, lotions, you name it I’d tried it. It got to the point where I was clawing at my skin and scalp, losing hair, drawing blood in absolute agony and discomfort. I’d completely lost all confidence and sense of self and had started to become depressed and suicidal as I simply couldn’t take it anymore. Medical practitioners looked at me as if I was going insane when I described to them it felt like something was constantly crawling around under my skin’s surface and despite their best efforts to try and treat my condition, nothing worked or provided any sort of relief, mostly everything I tried aggravated my skin further.

Sarah adopted a very personalised approach and went through a very thorough series of questions which at the same seemed a little odd. Strangely enough Sarah never met with me in person with all consultations taking place via telephone or Skype, yet she knew exactly what was going on through her own very detailed series of tests. By re-structuring my diet and introducing supplements and foods slowly back into my diet there was a significant change within months. To date, there are still several small spots of psoriasis on my stomach, however considering it was all over my body, I honestly can’t thank her enough as the process she went through with me really has changed my life, given me my self-confidence and self-worth back and allowed me to start living again.

If you are looking for a quick fix, then best you look elsewhere as Sarah will work closely with you from the ground up to rebuild every cog in your body so that everything is functioning in harmony with one another and be prepared to commit to the possibly dietary changes you may be asked to undertake as hand on heart it is worth it. As an added bonus I now have a greater indepth understanding of nutrition and have never felt so healthy and vibrant.

G. Rogers (NZ)

Thank you Sarah for sharing all your wisdom, advice and for being the caring, kind, generous person that you are. I really can’t thank you enough for making such a difference in my life. ”

L. Morgan (NZ)

“…you are very impressive both with your vast knowledge and your gentle caring nature. I have been disappointed so many times with the medical profession that I definitely became a “self-help” person. I know a lot more than the average person, but my knowledge dwarfs in the light of what you know. I am going to commit to this program and trust you to take me through. Thank you for taking the time that you did with me today. I am well aware too, that you went over the hour that you are charging me for….THANK YOU!”

Alexis H. (NZ)

“Many thanks to you!! So far in my 56 years of life, you are far the best professional I’ve spoken with, and I will continue with you to the end of my days…:)”

P. Morales (USA)

“To anyone that is “enduring” rather than living life – whether you are stress weary or have some mystery illness that you or your doctor just can’t put your finger on and most importantly if you are someone who has suffered one or many serious traumatic life events, if the effects have left you with an on-going high level stress reaction, to you I can say – give this a go. I have had significant and sustained improvement and I am not one to put my name to something lightly. With much thanks to Sarah and her team.”

S. Diedrichs | Director/CEO | Amalgamated Helicopters (NZ) Ltd

“After more than a year of suffering from stomach pain, bloating, tiredness and muscle spasms, I visited Sarah at the Self-Heal clinic. What a relief to discover the actual cause of my problems and know that, just by changing my diet and avoiding processed foods and chemicals, etc. I could feel good again. Now, three months later, I feel great! No more awful symptoms, I’m eating well, am full of energy and what a bonus to have lost 7 kgs at the same time. Thank you Sarah.”

K. Winters (NZ)

“I sought help from Sarah, after years of sudden onset diarrhea, and acid reflux. I had read lots and tried to modify my diet on my own, I had some partial success, but when the acid reflux got much worse I realised I needed more help than taking Losec and struggling on my own guessing about diet.

I came to see Sarah, who over a period of six months guided me through diet and supplement changes. The results have been fantastic. I no longer take Losec at all. I no longer get diarrhea and there have been side benefits. I have lost weight and asthma and allergies have dramatically improved. I feel able to manage my diet and when I transgress, which I sometimes do, I can tell how much is too much and can get myself back on track. The benefits of feeling good make any lifestyle changes seem insignificant”.

J. Galbreath (NZ)

“I remember telling Sarah of the Self Heal Clinic once that her treatment had given me my life back. I am a 55 year old woman who has enjoyed a reasonably fit and healthy life, although I have always struggled to keep my weight under control see-sawing from too heavy to ok if a lot of effort was put into exercise and diet. I started to feel tired, irritable, and generally not able to live the life I wanted to. While writing this I am still incredulous as to the difference Sarah’s treatment has made. I will list the major changes –

Not only am I no longer overweight, it is easy to maintain a healthy weight for the first time in my life. I no longer have a chronic acidity problem – I did not understand the full affect of this on my body before meeting Sarah. I am living a very active and good life enjoying grandchildren and working. I have the energy levels I would expect.

I have introduced my daughters and friends to Sarah’s treatments and they in turn (because they benefited so much) have introduced their friends. Thank you Sarah.”

S. Bohm (NZ)

To Contact Sarah

You can ring contact Sarah’s clinic on 06 3787705 (NZ) or through dispensary@selfhealclinic.co.nz. Sarah can work with you in person, by Zoom, Skype or by phone.