Medical herbalist Jonny Woodall tells us how he put a difficult period of mental and physical poor health behind him to set up the busy Sheffield clinic where he practices helping others with lifestyle change and improving wellbeing

 

I was inspired to start my business by …

My early 20s were very difficult. I was housebound with complex mental health issues and a list of other physical problems. I spent three years out of work under the care of different NHS specialists. Nothing worked and most treatments made me feel worse. I started changing my diet, lifestyle and seeing alternative/holistic practitioners and I dramatically improved. I went back to university to study for a BSc (Hons) in herbal medicine in 2014 to help others.

 

My favourite thing about running my business is …

Constantly seeing how plants most consider weeds can improve conditions that people are told to just ‘live with’. Seeing my patients start to enjoy life, go back to work, have a family and find meaning in their life is a deeply humbling experience.

 

The three words that best describe my business are …

Healing, plants, medicine.

 

Sheffield City Region is a great place to start a business because …

People are definitely more open-minded and accepting of different ways of life or businesses compared with other places in the north.

 

Sheffield City Region is a great place to grow a business because …

There are many other holistic practitioners operating across the city and everyone is really interested in helping each other grow and become more successful.

 

The best advice I ever got was …

“You cannot be protected from the things that frighten you and hurt you, but if you identify with the part of your being that is responsible for transformation, then you are always the equal, or more than the equal of the things that frighten you.”

 

The worst advice I ever got was …

“Don’t take life seriously.”

 

The organisations that have supported me and my business include …

I am a registered member of The National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH) and they have helped me in many ways.

 

The University faculty at Lincoln College where I completed my BSc (Hons) has given me continuous support to set up my business, even after graduating.

 

The main challenges facing my industry/sector are …

A lack of awareness and scepticism that you can treat illness and disease with medicinal plants. Herbal medicine is not used by the NHS and surely if it worked, they would, right? It is a challenging question that frustrates herbalists constantly. More than 70 per cent of pharmaceuticals come from plants and due to their manufacturing process can be patented and sold at high prices. Unfortunately conventional practitioners receive no training and are informed they have no value. But there is a substantial evidence base of published research for herbal medicine that continues to grow every year. More and more people are turning to herbs, nutrition and lifestyle changes as the industry grows.

 

In 5 years’ time I expect my business to …

Sustain me full-time with a continuous list of patients as well as provide a website and social media package where people can learn more about the UK’s medicinal plants.