Often students worry that it may be hard to build a successful naturopathic career or practice. The truth is, naturopathy has never been more embraced or frequently used by Australians than it is now, and the usage of naturopathy continues to grow each year.

The future of our naturopathy profession is very bright, and it’ll depend on the success of more practitioners to make it work. We’re well placed to support Australia’s chronic health epidemic, and lessen the burden on the orthod healthcare system which is struggling to cope with both the volume and the kinds of diseases that are becoming so prevalent today.

Personally, I’ve conducted over 20,000 1-1 appointments since graduating from Endeavour College in 2007 so not only do I intricately understand the process of healing but I have first hand seen the value of what we offer.

My Brisbane-based naturopathic practice The Shift Clinic is currently in its 15th year of business and has helped over 15,000 people to shift their health. I’m the author of one (Get Well Stay Well) and soon to be two (Safe to Heal) books and I’m also a mentor for naturopaths and clinics—helping them to be successful. Why? Because we need more successful naturopaths in Australia.

There is no shortage of patients that need naturopaths in Australia, but there can be a deficiency in the understanding and acceptance of what we do and why we do it. One of the main ways in which I help other naturopaths to reach success in practice is to help them develop systems and processes and a way of practicing that helps the client to understand the value and process of naturopathic care.

Often on graduating there is a huge emphasis and unrealistic expectation set upon yourself to know all there is to know about every condition, herb and supplement. What I know in reality is that naturopaths succeed based on their ability to communicate and guide the patient through the intricate process of naturopathic care.

This takes more than you might realise. Seeing a naturopath is arguably one of the hardest therapies to undertake because the patient needs to take so much action and agency to change. But it’s also the most powerful because not only do their bodies and minds heal, they adopt a way of being around wellness that often did not exist before. This then guides their future choices and shapes the rest of their health journey—if done right.

How to build a successful naturopathic practice

Here are the key things you need to get right to be successful in naturopathic practice. First of all, we need to both get clients and keep clients.

Getting a flow of new clients

Knowing how to generate clients is essential. There are people ready to book, often found through search engines, social media or ads. But an untapped market lies in those who don’t yet realise that naturopathy could benefit them, and this is often a great place to start.

For example, at Shift, many of our clients first engage with a health challenge or eBook. This gives me the opportunity to educate them and, over time, guide them toward booking their first appointment.

Converting and retaining clients long term

Just as important as getting clients is keeping them. And this is where some naturopaths fall down. If the client does not understand how you can help or trust you to help them then they will abandon their treatment process. Often this is more about what you do outside of your chosen treatment than the medicine itself.

This is an area I’ve spent a lot of time refining. A few key skills here can make or break your financial success. Here’s what I focus on with my naturopathic mentees to help them retain clients long term.

Communication

Don’t underestimate how important it is to use specific and deliberate communication with your clients. When someone decides to stop care it is rarely about cost and often about them now seeing the value in what you offer.

Map the Journey

One of the most powerful ways to build trust and retain clients is by setting clear expectations from the start.

• Have you spent the time to show the client what their journey is going to look like?
• Have you discussed time frames, what they can expect and the naturopathic process as they go along?
• Do they know what changes are likely, and what it means when things don’t shift?

At Shift we call this Journey Mapping and we do this in a very specific and methodical way

Structure their journey for success

The nature of naturopathic medicine means that treatment works best when it is fluid—changing with the client as they change. You can’t do this if you don’t see them often enough, and they need to be ready for the high touch nature of naturopathy vs conventional medicine.

Successful practitioners manage their patients well: seeing them at regular intervals and being confident in telling them what they need.

Work on your own beliefs

Most of my mentorees that need help come to me with a set of unhelpful beliefs about themselves, naturopathy and their ability to help clients. If you are worried that it’s too expensive, that the client won’t get better or that you’re not worth what you’re charging, this will sabotage your client’s chance at success. You can work to release these beliefs using many different modalities.

Personally, I use hypnosis and neurolinguistics but you could also try kinesiology and other emotional wellness modalities to break through your beliefs.

Working on these soft skills will elevate your practice and allow you to support more people on a deeper level. When a patient stays with you through to the end result, it benefits them, supports your financial success, and ultimately strengthens our industry, helping more people truly understand the value of naturopathy.

Success in naturopathy comes from clarity

It’s about guiding clients clearly, communicating effectively, and running a structured, client-focused practice. With growing demand for what we do, the opportunity is there.

What makes the difference is how well you manage the process, your mindset and your systems. Get those right, and you’ll help more people, build a sustainable business and contribute to the future of our naturopathic profession.