We sit down with clinical naturopath and Endeavour College graduate Adelaide Poschelk to talk choosing Endeavour, launching her supplement brand and how to get the most out of your natural health degree.
Do you recall the moment you were first interested in natural health?
Throughout my teenage years I really struggled with chronic tonsillitis and fatigue. Rotating rounds and rounds of antibiotics, the cycle continued and eventually I became sick of how unwell I constantly felt. Looking back, I feel like I missed out on so many fun experiences because of exhaustion and fear of becoming sick.
I decided to seek an alternative solution and met a wonderful naturopath on the Gold Coast. Through simple dietary and lifestyle changes in conjunction with herbal supplements, my life was changed within two short weeks of beginning treatment. After noticing results so quickly, I continued the treatment plan for around six months as I healed my body.
This healing experience excited me so much that I began looking into studying. Not only did I have a newfound love for my personal health and quality of life, I wanted to help others overcome similar challenges.
What did you study at Endeavour College of Natural Health?
I initially began studying nutrition at Endeavour, but shortly into the degree I swapped to naturopathy.
Why did you choose to study at Endeavour?
A couple of my good friends were studying naturopathy at Endeavour and all had wonderful experiences. Based on that, it was an easy decision to enrol. I began my degree on the Brisbane campus and when we moved to the coast, I swapped to the Gold Coast. I feel that Endeavour is a well-recognised university for studying natural health, which was important to me when thinking about the future and potential job opportunities once I had graduated.
What did you love the most about your degree?
A few things. First, I love how this degree has supported my personal health journey. For the rest of my life, I now have invaluable tools that will help me make positive, holistic decisions about my health. Without our health, our quality of life suffers. Second, I really loved the community that you become a part of when studying at Endeavour. Over the course of my degree, I have made the most beautiful lifelong friendships.
What are three tips you would give someone looking to start a career in natural health?
First, make the most of your degree! Before you know it, you will be finished and thrown into the deep end of your career (exciting and a touch overwhelming).
From my experience, being a natural health practitioner is a very different world to graduating from some other fields, such as nursing. In nursing, you are guaranteed a graduate position. For natural health practitioners, it’s different, so focus on what you’d like to do when you graduate and gain experience during your degree. Try different things — there is nothing wrong with changing your direction. Each experience, positive or negative, will guide you in your career. We are forever learning.
Second, connect with people — your teachers, fellow students and people within the industry. Reach out for work experience and don’t be afraid of rejection. Yes, nine out of 10 people may be too busy to take you on, but one person may say yes and it could be the most incredible opportunity.
Finally, don’t be afraid to finish. The beauty of the career you’re about to embark on is that there are so many opportunities and avenues out there. The possibilities are endless!
In terms of your career, what are you doing now?
I currently practice at a beautiful space in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast and work for myself. My business is called IME Naturopathy — IME short for “in my experience”, encompassing the naturopathic principles of treating the whole person. IME highlights the understanding that through our innate physiology, environment, lifestyle, dietary and emotional factors, we all have a different experience. Therefore, through an individualised, whole-person approach we can restore balance and health.
I am also the co-owner of a supplement brand, Begin Again. My business partner and fellow naturopath, Brooke Oke, and I developed the brand over 12 months and launched in January this year. Begin Again’s brand ethos is simply that “you can always begin again”. Clinically, Brooke and I found that clients have often had quite a health journey prior to booking in and at times feel very defeated about what to do next. Begin Again encourages you to begin your health journey again at any point. We want people to celebrate their health, not to feel overwhelmed by it. Not everyone is in a position to see a practitioner, so we formulated a supplement that is accessible to all. Currently we have two products, Detox and Replenish.
What does your wellness practice look like?
We are very fortunate to live by the beach, so I aim to start my day with a sunrise walk, swim or surf followed by breakfast with my husband. With so much going on, moving my body, connecting with nature and setting my intentions for the day have really helped me to focus and be productive.
Lately, I have struggled with a work/life balance, so I am prioritising set times in my week where I do something for myself. This may look like a massage or simply taking my book down to the beach for an hour and leaving my phone at home. Our lifestyles mean we are always very stimulated, so reducing this has been a high priority for my wellness practices this year.
What’s next for you?
This year’s goal is to launch skincare. I absolutely loved creating customised creams in the student clinic, using different ingredients for various skin concerns. My dad had quite intense hand surgery, so at college I created a scarring cream for him and the results were incredible. I used my clinic hours as an opportunity to learn as much as I could in this realm and from there, formulated a cosmetic serum and cleanser. Outside of that, you’ll have to wait and see!
IME Naturopathy
Instagram: @imenaturopathy
Website: www.imenaturopathy.com
Begin Again
Instagram: @bybeginagain
Website: www.beginagain.com.au
