Meet Erica Longstaff - Naturopath

Many naturopaths come from a background in conventional medicine — nurses, pharmacists, even doctors — often later in life, after their own health has started to falter. That’s me too.  I spent seven years in the Royal New Zealand Navy as a Medic.

Fast forward twenty years and I was eating and drinking whatever I liked, working in a stressful environment with minimal exercise. I was living on pharmaceuticals. I never knew how I’d feel from one day to the next — headaches, back and joint aches, fatigue, insomnia, mood swings, and brain fog, to name a few. In my mid-forties I realised something had to change, or my later years were going to be very uncomfortable… if I lasted that long. 

I knew there had to be a better way. Through research I discovered where my true passion lay: natural medicine. I set myself the goal of becoming a Naturopath — essentially a natural health and wellness consultant.

After searching for the best place in New Zealand to train, I enrolled at the South Pacific College of Natural Medicine in Auckland. With a history spanning more than 40 years and strong credentials, it offered the quality education I was looking for. I completed a Bachelor of Natural Medicine and graduated after three years with my degree — and felt pretty chuffed about it.

During my studies I met some wonderful naturopathic practitioners. Under their guidance I slowly worked on my own health. For me that meant cleaning up my diet, coming off most of my medicines, changing jobs, and moving towns. I’ve never looked back, and I genuinely love what I do.

While completing my training, I also worked for over four years in a busy community pharmacy as a Pharmacy Assistant/Naturopath. Working alongside pharmacists gave me valuable insight into the world of pharmacy, including polypharmacy (people on multiple medications) and over-the-counter medicines. I saw first-hand how chronically unwell many people are, and how modern medicine typically approaches those challenges.

Today, I help clients find their optimal wellness by developing a deeper understanding of their nutrition and lifestyle choices, and how these influence their health.

As a naturopathic practitioner, I aim to help you create balance in your life, prioritise your well-being, and celebrate all aspects of your true self.

By finding the Canterbury Naturopath website, perhaps the universe is gently suggesting it’s time to nurture your body and soul. Give me a call — we can have a chat and explore whether I can help you.

Erica Longstaff BNatMed
Graduated from South Pacific College of Natural Medicine (2018)

Let's fix it together!