Best Naturopaths in Dunedin: Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Functional Testing
Naturopathy is not a registered profession in New Zealand, so the useful questions are what a practitioner is qualified in, which professional body they belong to, and what they actually offer in the room. The Dunedin practitioners below differ on all three, from a clinic with its own herbary and dispensary to a health store where advice is available over the counter.
1Cliffside Herbary & Dispensary
Cliffside Herbary & Dispensary is the Dunedin clinic of naturopath Sarah Campbell-MacKenzie, who founded it and runs it from Walter Street in The Glen. It pairs consultations with a boutique herbal dispensary, a medicinal herbary and an apiary, so many of the herbs used are grown on site. Sarah also works the dispensary desk at Taste Nature Apothecary on High Street several days a week, where advice is available without an appointment.
Services
- Naturopathic consultations with a written wellness plan
- Herbal medicine, including tinctures and practitioner-only supplements from her own dispensary
- Functional testing, covering gut microbiome, mineral analysis, heavy metals, food sensitivities and hormone panels
- Iridology, and First Light Flower Essences
- Workshops on growing and using medicinal herbs, including school holiday sessions for young people
Highlights
- Registered with the New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists and with Naturopaths and Medical Herbalists of New Zealand
- Certified Microbiome Analyst, following postgraduate study as an Advanced Microbiome Analyst
- Twenty-five years growing medicinal herbs
- Own herbary, dispensary and apiary attached to the clinic
- Also available at the Taste Nature Apothecary dispensary desk on High Street
Customer Feedback
Location & Contact
Name: Cliffside Herbary & Dispensary
Address: 23 Walter Street, The Glen, Dunedin 9011
Phone: 0210 473 672
Email: na********@*****************co.nz
Website: www.tastenature.co.nz/health/naturopath-dunedin-herbalist
Contact Cliffside Herbary & Dispensary via Email
2Sunray Apothecary
Sunray Apothecary is a health store in Centre City Mall with a naturopath attached, run by Nicola Dean. It has been trading in Dunedin for more than forty years, and alongside consultations it stocks herbal teas, tonics, tinctures and its own bespoke blends. A free over-the-counter service means you can talk to a herbalist without booking, which suits people who want guidance before committing to a full consultation.
Services
- Naturopathic consultations, booked by email
- A free talk-to-a-herbalist advisory service in store
- Herbal teas
- Bespoke herbal blends made in house
- Tonics and tinctures, alongside skincare and superfoods
Highlights
- Nicola Dean holds an MSc with Distinction in Herbal Medicine, a BA and an ND
- Longstanding member of the New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists
- Trading as a Dunedin health store for over forty years
- Nicola has more than twenty-five years practising natural medicine
- Open seven days, including Sunday afternoons
Location & Contact
Name: Sunray Apothecary
Address: Shop 17, Centre City Mall, Great King Street North, Dunedin 9016
Phone: 03 474 1462
Website: sunrayapothecary.co.nz
3Karen Davis
Karen Davis practises from Gladstone Road in Dalmore as a chartered natural medicine practitioner. Her clinic centres on the Neurological Integration System, a technique she holds a masters-level qualification in, alongside naturopathy and herbal medicine. She also offers remedial and relaxation massage, so musculoskeletal work sits beside the naturopathic side rather than being referred out.
Services
- Neurological Integration System treatment
- Naturopathy consultations
- Herbal medicine
- Remedial massage
- Relaxation massage
Highlights
- Post-nominals as published: N.D. Dip ATM, PMANIS, PMMINZ, PMNZAMH, PMNZCHP
- NIS Masters qualification, and an Academy Member of Neurolink
- Over thirty years studying and practising natural health
- Has run a Dunedin naturopathic clinic for the past twenty years
- Consultations in person at a fixed clinic address in Dalmore
Location & Contact
Name: Karen Davis
Address: 128 Gladstone Road, Dalmore, Dunedin
Phone: 03 473 1779
Website: karendavis.co.nz
4Francisca Griffin
Francisca Griffin is a registered naturopath working from two locations, a home-based clinic in Port Chalmers and the Taste Nature Integrative Health rooms on High Street. She qualified through the Naturopathic College of New Zealand and has practised for more than twenty years. Alongside herbal medicine and functional testing she offers reflexology and therapeutic massage, and produces her own toxin-free body care range.
Services
- Herbal medicine
- Functional testing, including food intolerances, hormone levels and nutritional profiles
- Reflexology
- Bach Flower Remedies
- Therapeutic massage, plus practitioner-only supplements
Highlights
- Diploma of Naturopathy from the Naturopathic College of New Zealand
- Registered with Naturopaths and Medical Herbalists of New Zealand
- More than twenty years in practice
- Two clinic locations, at Port Chalmers and central Dunedin, with published hours for each
- Creator of Ambrosia Botanicals, her own toxin-free body care range
Location & Contact
Name: Francisca Griffin
Address: 16 Bernicia Street, Koputai Port Chalmers, Dunedin
Phone: 03 472 8483
Website: www.beinghealthy.co.nz
Naturopaths in Dunedin at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Cliffside Herbary & Dispensary | The Glen | Registered with the New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists and... |
| Sunray Apothecary | Centre City Mall | Nicola Dean holds an MSc with Distinction in Herbal Medicine |
| Karen Davis | Dalmore | Post-nominals as published |
| Francisca Griffin | Koputai Port Chalmers | Diploma of Naturopathy from the Naturopathic College of New Zealand |
How to Choose a Naturopath in Dunedin
Ask what the practitioner is qualified in and where they trained, and which professional body they belong to. Naturopathy is self-regulated here, so membership of a body such as NZAMH or NMHNZ is the closest thing to a common standard, and those bodies require ongoing professional education. Ask what a first consultation involves and how long it runs, since initial appointments are usually much longer than follow-ups. If functional testing is suggested, ask what the test measures, what it costs and what happens with the result. Ask whether they dispense herbs themselves or write you a script to fill elsewhere. And tell them what medication you are already taking, so any interactions can be considered and discussed with your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are naturopaths registered in New Zealand?
No. Naturopaths are not registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, which covers professions such as doctors, nurses and physiotherapists. The list of regulated professions is published by the Ministry of Health. In practice this means membership of a professional body, and the qualifications behind it, carry more weight when choosing a practitioner.
What do NZAMH and NMHNZ mean?
They are the two main professional bodies for naturopaths and medical herbalists in New Zealand. Membership requires recognised qualifications and ongoing professional education, so it tells you a practitioner is accountable to a body with standards. Practitioners on this page are variously registered with one or both, and it is a fair thing to ask about directly.
Can I see a naturopath alongside my GP?
Yes, and it is sensible to tell each about the other. Herbal preparations and supplements can interact with prescription medicines, so your naturopath should ask what you are taking, and your doctor should know what you have been given. A practitioner who does not ask about your medication is worth a second thought.
What happens in a first consultation?
Expect a long appointment that covers health history, diet, sleep, stress and lifestyle before anything is recommended. Some practitioners use additional assessment tools such as iridology or functional testing. You should come away with a written plan rather than only a bag of supplements.
Is any of this covered by health insurance?
Sometimes, depending on the policy and the modality. Some insurers cover a limited amount of natural therapy through extras cover, often only where the practitioner belongs to a recognised professional body. Check with your insurer first and ask the practitioner whether they can provide a receipt in the form your insurer needs.
How We Chose the Best Naturopaths in Dunedin
Every business in this guide was found by searching for naturopaths in Dunedin, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Dunedin, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.
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