Name: Julie Crossley.
Age: 52.
Location: My business is in Te Puke but I live at the beautiful coastal village of Maketu.
What is your job? Naturopath and Bowen therapist.
How long have you been working here? 10 years in my Te Puke clinic.
Why did you get into it? When I was 21, I
met a foundation pupil of the Naturopathic College in Auckland. I was inspired by what he told me of his study and I've had a passion for natural health ever since.
What's your favourite part of the job? The results. Helping people overcome health issues by improving their diets and lifestyles and supplementing with herbs or nutrients if needed. And I've had fantastic success with women suffering from infertility - that's very rewarding.
What were you doing before this? I studied for six years while my two sons were young.
What was your most memorable or embarrassing day? The day a woman I had been working with for a couple of months called to tell me that after two years of trying to get pregnant she had finally conceived. She was the first of many that I've worked with.
Number of employees? Just me, but two years ago I leased part of my premises to Lynaire, who runs Natural Options Health Shop. Our businesses complement each other.
How do you go the extra mile for your customers? I give my clients time. My consultations are usually an hour and I need that time to develop a trusting relationship and find out what's really going on for people.
What do you do after work (in your spare time) to unwind? I walk as often as I can and have been doing yoga for 10 years but I'm not adverse to a nice glass of high antioxidant red wine to aid relaxation.
What does the future hold for you? Nobody really knows what the future holds but I love my work and as long as that passion continues, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
