During this episode, I chat with Zoe King, a Bachelor qualified Naturopath who runs a Norfolk Island based clinic, dispensary and store. She’s a new mum and understands first hand, the unique challenges facing mothers who also juggle small business ownership.

During our chat, we touch on Zoe’s first experience of plant medicine as a small child. Her Mum loved to care for the family using home remedies and one of Zoe’s first memory’s is a funny one- a home remedy for warts that raised eyebrows with her school friends….

Zoe’s experience of natural medicine deepened after witnessing first hand the magic of a herbal tincture for supporting immunity and lung health for the recurrent chest infections. The effect on her lungs and the infection was profound, she couldn’t believe how effective this medicine was. This experience marked a turning point in Zoe’s life- she was inspired to study Naturopathy at Southern Cross University in Lismore and enrolled soon after.

During our chat, we chart Zoe’s path from multi-modality clinic, to working as a Naturopath in a pharmacy through the 2017 Lismore floods, to questioning whether she would continue to practice…

She landed back home in Norfolk for a short stay but the pandemic limited further travel plans…which led to the birth of her Norfolk Island based clinic, dispensary and store…and her baby boy, now 14 months old!

We chat about the juggle of motherhood and small business ownership and the particular challenges of running a clinic in an isolated location.

Zoe shares how getting back to basics and not getting caught up in trying to do it all helps her to prioritise self care in this chapter of motherhood. She speaks of the need to always have some form of garden wherever she is and how spending time here helps save her sanity.

We chat about the ritual of herbal tea drinking as one of the most accessible ways to weave the herbs into our days no matter how busy we are- providing an invitation to slow down and savour the moment.

Zoe shares how her approach to supporting mum’s has changed and simplified since experiencing motherhood herself. Recognising how pressed for time mother’s can be, she now focuses on the basics- good, nutritious, easy to digest bulk prepped meals are paramount.

We explore how herbs and in particular, Withania, have helped carry Zoe through those sleep deprived, exhausted days of motherhood- how being consistent with this herb has her feeling more grounded and nourished.

Our chat is a must listen for all mothers- Zoe shares her struggles, her joys and her wisdom, I think you’ll love it! 

You can find out more about Zoe by following her on Instagram and Facebook. 

To find out more about The Elder Tree visit the website here and donate to the crowdfunding campaign here. You can also follow The Elder Tree on Facebook and Instagram and sign up to the newsletter. Find out more about this podcast and the presenters here. Get in touch with The Elder Tree at:  [email protected]

The intro and outro song is "Sing for the Earth" and was kindly donated by Chad Wilkins.  You can find Chad's music here and here.