When she discovered homeopathy 20 years ago, Kirsty Richards knew she had found her calling, and loved that it treats your whole being, not just your symptoms. A qualified homeopath with over 10 years of experience in homeopathy and complementary medicine, the Wholebeing Health founder takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and the importance of nurturing your body, mind, and spirit. She believes that it’s never too late to begin your wellness journey and works with you to restore balance in all areas of your life. With the knowledge that everyone reacts differently – physically and emotionally – to everyday events, stressful situations, and life experiences, she creates personalised treatments plans that take into account an individual’s physical make-up, personal history, and emotional needs. Here, Kirsty talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind her business, the delicate work-family balance and her plans for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
I’ve always been interested in natural health and other ways of healing. As a young child, I saw my mother go through the medical system (which she continued to do for the remainder of her life), and while I appreciated the benefits of conventional medicine, I could also see the pitfalls. I’ve always believed there is more to health and wellbeing than just taking a pill for every ache and pain. I’ve used various types of other therapies myself over the years, but when I discovered Homeopathy over 20 years ago, it was like a light switched on and I knew this was it! I’d found my calling. What I love about Homeopathy is it looks at the whole person – it’s an holistic method of treatment meaning the physical aspect of a person is not separate from the mental/emotional. An emotional upset or trauma can manifest as a physical ailment. My approach is not to just treat the physical ailment, but to look at the mental and emotional aspects of the person too. The other thing that appealed to me about Homeopathy – and one of the things that makes it so unique – is it treats everyone as an individual. I’m treating the person and their particular symptoms, rather than just their diagnosis. For example, five people may have pregnancy nausea and they each need a different remedy. Each person’s experience of pregnancy nausea, how they are mentally and emotionally and their symptoms varies from person to person.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I initially started using Homeopathy myself when I was pregnant with my first child. I wanted something that was safe for both myself and my growing baby – and it worked! I continued dabbling with Homeopathy – using it on myself, family and of course my baby – and it spiralled from there. When my son was a toddler, I decided to take my dabbling to the next level, and enrolled to do my four-year Diploma of Homeopathy (DipHomNZ). I had some challenges along the way – my son’s father and my then husband had relocated overseas – and until we went overseas to join him, I had to juggle being a single parent to a toddler with college weekends and regular assignments. I then finished my second year of training via distance learning while we were overseas for 18 months. I took a year off studying, completing the rest of my Diploma once back on New Zealand soil. I graduated in 2010.
I started out slowly. I live on Waiheke Island and there isn’t a huge population here. In the beginning, it was very much a part-time business for me. I had some limiting ideas thinking I just had to stick with my local market, but all that changed!
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
Then, in 2020 I was approached to join an International Team of Homeopaths, and my business has rocketed since then! I now have a global business and see clients not just locally, but from around New Zealand and Worldwide via Zoom. Since the pandemic, people are more comfortable having teleconsults and using online services. The bonus is they can stay in the comfort of their home and it makes it a lot easier and simpler for them.
