about us
John and Nichol believe that we all have the power to be well if we provide the correct healing environment in and around our body, and they work together to achieve that for themselves and patients.
John is a member of the Australian Naturopathic Practitioners' Association (MANPA) and the Bowen Therapists Association of Victoria (MBTAV), and small rebates are available from many health funds in Australia.
John commenced his naturopathic practice at the end of 1998 after achieving his own recovery from advanced Parkinson's disease and early-stage Multi System Atrophy. However, his interest in complementary medicine goes back more than 50 years when a naturopath resolved a chronic skin condition doctors had been unable to diagnose or treat successfully.
John referred his parents to this naturopath then, when his own family was formed, his wife and children all benefitted. In 1979, John purchased a run-down health food store and, over the next four years, developed a thriving little business. This experience inspired him to commence studies at the Southern School of Natural Therapies. He later went on to the Australian College of Naturopathic Medicine (now defunct). He now holds an Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy plus qualifications in massage and Bowen Therapy.
John’s greatest education came from his own exploration of ways to recover from advanced illness when nobody had written any textbooks on this. He has gone on to research and explore diverse areas of healing including meditation, self-love, trauma repair, gut function and repair, cell hydration and hypothalamic regulation, inflammation, food choices, exercise, the power of words and other diverse healing modalities. He has spent hundreds of hours studying a wide range of pharmaceutical drugs – benefits, appropriate usage and adverse effects.
When Nichol was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, John absorbed himself in methods to diagnose and treat these infections, and has become a respected leader in Complementary Treatment of the “Lyme family” of infections, spending much of his time lecturing and mentoring other practitioners.
Nichol graduated from Western Michigan University as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, and spent 14 years working with severely disabled children. She also received advanced training in Bowen Therapy from several schools.
She met John when he was lecturing in USA and, in 2007, migrated to Australia. They were married on December 2nd, 2007.
Nichol was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease (Borrelia and Bartonella) after 25 years of misdiagnosis, mistreatment and neglect from the medical profession. She decided to use only lifestyle changes and Complementary Medicine, and aim for complete recovery. This was interrupted by a severe neck injury requiring surgery but, from late 2012, Nichol has focused on her pathway to health.
Despite her health struggles, Nichol has been the mainstay of office management at Return To Stillness, handling telephone calls, scheduling, packing orders and assisting chronically ill patients with practical advice she has found helped her. In her spare time, Nichol has developed their garden, taken care of the house and nurtured some rescued chooks.
Nichol has become an inspiration for many “Lymies” who see her ongoing health improvement as guidance for their own recovery.