Explore career diversification opportunites in education, mentoring, research, publishing or consultancy.
Expansion Program
Professional diversification, education and leadership in natural healthcare.
A structured professional development program for experienced practitioners considering the next stage of their careers.
Expansion brings together four areas of professional learning: career diversification, content creation and teaching, interdisciplinary healthcare, and leadership through an applied professional project.
Across the Winter and Spring terms, you’ll examine how your knowledge and experience can contribute through education, research, publishing, collaboration and other professional pathways. You’ll also develop practical work that supports your chosen direction, guided by experienced practitioners and educators.
Four subjects | Two terms | Online learning with live and recorded sessions
We have world-class clinical education but near non-existent career pathways. Our profession isn’t lacking passion or education, it’s lacking a clear path forward. We're here to light that path.
Developing your career and professional contribution
As your experience grows, your interests and professional priorities may change. You may want to teach, contribute to research, develop a course, work with other healthcare professionals or create income streams alongside clinical practice.
Each direction brings its own questions:
How do you assess an opportunity?
Communicate your expertise to a different audience?
Develop an educational offering?
Establish a professional collaboration?
Plan a career that remains sustainable as your circumstances change?
Expansion provides a structured setting in which to examine these decisions.
The program connects career planning with communication, education, collaboration and leadership. It creates space to consider where your experience is most useful and what further capabilities you need to pursue that work.
Throughout the program, the emphasis is on thoughtful application: evaluating possible directions, developing relevant skills and producing work that gives your next steps a practical foundation.
"The Academy was a game-changer for me. I didnt realise how isolated and lost I’d been until I was surrounded by people who just got it and could help me move forward confidently."
Who is the Expansion program for?
Expansion is designed for practitioners with established experience who want to broaden their professional activities or reconsider the direction of their careers. It may be relevant if you are looking to:
Develop income streams alongside your clinical practice.
Create practitioner education, courses or masterclasses.
Build confidence in public speaking, writing and professional communication.
Participate in interdisciplinary care, community initiatives or professional advocacy.
Develop a project that brings together your experience and professional interests, and moves you forward in your chosen path.
Learn from Practitioners Who’ve Walked the Path
Our faculty are practitioners, educators, and business mentors with real-life experience building thriving, soul-aligned practices in the natural health space. You'll be guided by a faculty who gets it — the clinical nuance, the emotional load, the invisible labour — and who are deeply committed to helping you find your way, not just follow theirs.
Expansion Curriculum
Expansion comprises two subjects in Winter and two subjects in Spring.
WINTER TERM (9 weeks)
Career diversification, professional communication and education.
Teachings in this term focus on professional direction, communication and the development of opportunities beyond individual consultations.
SUMMER TERM (8 weeks)
Interdisciplinary healthcare, leadership and applied professional development.
Teachings in this term of the Academy extend into interdisciplinary collaboration, leadership and the creation of a capstone project.
Career Pathways, Research & Professional Diversification
Faculty: Tammy Guest, Dr Moira Bradfield Strydom, Michelle Whitehead and Roberta Barbiellini
Clinical experience can provide a foundation for a range of professional roles. Identifying which pathways are appropriate requires a clear understanding of your interests, capabilities and longer-term goals.
This subject examines opportunities within research, education, publishing, product development and professional partnerships. You’ll consider how different roles and revenue models could fit together, and how to communicate the value of your experience to prospective collaborators.
You’ll also examine the practical considerations involved in developing and licensing intellectual property, building professional relationships and maintaining a sustainable career.
what you STUDY
Professional identity and your next chapter
Review how your experience, strengths and interests inform your developing role as a practitioner, educator, researcher or leader.
Mission and professional direction
Clarify the work you want to pursue, who it serves and how it connects with your values and longer-term plans.
Research pathways
Explore higher degrees, publication and research within clinical practice as possible avenues for professional development and contribution.
Writing and publishing
Consider authorship and publication as ways to share your knowledge with practitioner, professional and public audiences.
Intellectual property, brands and product development
Examine opportunities involving your own intellectual property, licensing, brand partnerships and product creation.
Professional revenue models
Explore mentoring, licensing, affiliate arrangements, royalties, speaking and presenting, considering how these activities might contribute to your broader career.
Career sustainability
Review how your professional activities can adapt to changes in personal circumstances, capacity and priorities.
Networking and professional conversations
Develop your approach to initiating relationships, discussing opportunities and navigating conversations that require clarity and confidence.
Presenting an opportunity pitch
Practise explaining a proposed contribution to a prospective publisher, collaborator, brand or other professional partner.
Content Creation & Thought Leadership
Faculty: Tammy Guest, Kira Sutherland, Jules Galloway and Rhiannon Hardingham
Sharing professional knowledge requires more than familiarity with a subject. It involves understanding your audience, structuring information clearly and choosing an appropriate way to communicate it.
This subject examines how practitioners can teach, write, present and publish with accuracy and integrity. It connects the naturopathic principle of Docere — doctor as teacher — with practical skills in contemporary communication and education.
You’ll explore how to develop a recognisable professional voice, create useful content and design learning experiences that reflect your expertise and scope.
what you STUDY
Messaging and communication
Clarify your message and explore how values, storytelling and effective openings help audiences understand the relevance of your work.
Social media with integrity
Consider how to communicate professional knowledge publicly while maintaining accuracy, appropriate boundaries and realistic claims.
Search visibility and discoverability
Explore search engine optimisation and answer engine optimisation, and their role in helping relevant audiences find your work.
Public speaking and presentation
Develop skills for structuring and delivering presentations across professional and educational settings.
Podcasting, writing and publishing
Examine different formats for sharing knowledge and how to adapt your approach to the medium and audience.
Sustainable communication practices
Consider how your working preferences and natural presentation style can inform a manageable approach to public communication.
Facilitation and group teaching
Explore techniques for guiding group learning, supporting participation and communicating complex material.
Coaching and behavioural change
Examine coaching skills and behavioural change models relevant to mentoring and practice.
Practitioner education and course creation
Bring these elements together to consider the development of practitioner-level masterclasses and courses.
The Future of Healthcare
Faculty: Tammy Guest, Carla Wrenn and Diana Wright
Working across healthcare disciplines requires an understanding of professional roles, clear communication and a shared focus on the person receiving care.
This subject examines how naturopathic practitioners can participate in collaborative healthcare and contribute to wider discussions about health and wellbeing.
You’ll explore integrative care models, public health perspectives, professional advocacy and emerging developments in healthcare. Practical work includes developing proposals and referral communication, with attention to role clarity and respectful collaboration.
what you STUDY
Navigating healthcare systems
Examine how to communicate and collaborate within medical and broader healthcare settings, including situations where professional perspectives differ.
Health technology and integrative models
Explore how emerging technologies and models of care are influencing practice and creating questions for practitioner participation and advocacy.
Public health and community contribution
Consider how naturopathic knowledge and experience may contribute beyond individual consultations through wider community initiatives.
Salutogenesis and wellbeing-focused care
Study the principles of salutogenesis: an approach concerned with the factors that support health and wellbeing.
Professional advocacy and leadership
Examine lobbying, regulation and opportunities to participate in leadership within the profession.
Patient-centred systems of care
Consider how practitioners, services and professional relationships can work together around a person’s needs, with clear responsibilities and mutual respect.
Global developments in healthcare
Explore trends in integrative and preventive care, including the role of the World Naturopathic Federation.
Proposals and referral communication
Develop practical skills in presenting a professional proposal and writing referral letters that support effective communication.
Legacy, Leadership & Lifelong Integration
Faculty: Tammy Guest, Murray Guest and Tara Nelson
A professional direction becomes more useful when it is connected to a clear plan and a tangible piece of work.
This concluding subject brings together your experience, learning and future priorities through the development of a capstone project.
You’ll consider what you want your work to contribute, how you intend to sustain that contribution and which project offers a practical starting point. Structured reflection and project development support you to give an idea greater definition and prepare it for professional presentation.
what you STUDY
Professional review and project selection
Assess your current position and identify a capstone project that relates to your experience, interests and intended direction.
Your professional contribution
Develop a legacy statement that articulates what you want to be known for and the contribution you want your work to make.
Long-term planning
Explore goal setting, financial planning and wealth-building considerations as part of your longer-term professional life.
Capstone project development
Develop and refine a substantial piece of work, connecting your learning with an idea relevant to your chosen audience or professional setting.
Professional presentation and ongoing integration
Prepare to communicate your project and consider how your work and professional relationships can continue beyond the program.
How the learning is delivered
Our Academy programs combine regular teaching with practical application and structured reflection.
Weekly Online Teaching
Each term includes two subjects, with one class per subject each week. The handbook schedules masterclasses on Mondays and Tuesdays, with live or recorded learning.
Practical Resources
Action sheets, case studies, transcripts, presentation slides and integration tasks help you relate the teaching to your own practice and identify where further development is needed.
Applied Assessment
This gives you opportunities to turn course content into work you can review, refine and use beyond the program.
In-Person Conference
At the end of the semester we gather in-person to consolidate the learning, directly engage with faculty members, connect with peers.
"This was exactly the bridge I needed. I already had a stable practice, but I felt stuck in a loop. Through the mentoring, I got my first industry speaking gig, mapped out my first online course, and finally saw myself as a speaker and educator, not just a clinician. The shift in confidence was huge and the community has been incredible support."
"I came into this knowing I wanted to expand beyond 1:1 consults, but I had no idea how to do it without burning out as I was already working overtime all the time. This program helped me find my voice, clarify my message, and launch a group mentoring offer that feels completely aligned. It gave me structure, but also space to plan strategically for me."
"What surprised me most was how much the program focused on embodiment not just strategy. Yes, I refined my offerings and created impactful content, but I also reconnected with my purpose. This program wasn’t about hustle, it was about building something meaningful and sustainable and who you meet along the way."
Program Outcomes
A clearer direction for the next stage of your professional life.
A considered range of career pathways and potential income streams.
Greater confidence in presenting your expertise and proposing opportunities.
Practical skills in writing, speaking, teaching and content development.
A more informed approach to professional partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration.
A clearer understanding of advocacy and leadership within natural healthcare.
A capstone project that connects your learning with a tangible professional contribution.
A longer-term plan that accounts for your goals, capacity and changing circumstances.
The Academy Expansion Program is not a high-pressure, high-intensity program. The classes and assignments are designed to fit alongside your existing practice or study load.
The real challenge isn’t a lack of knowledge, it’s the gap between graduation and grounded, fulfilling practice. The Academy exists to close that gap, with structure, mentorship and a path that evolves as you do.
FAQ
Q: Can I do this alongside my current practice/study?
Absolutely. This program includes spacious integration time and is fully supportive of your current responsibilities. Any live sessions are recorded so you can catch up anytime.
Q: How is this different from a typical business course?
The Academy is practitioner-created, mentoring-based, and designed to support you over time. You’ll learn systems and strategies, with the inner work and support required to implement them sustainably. It's an industry-recognised career pathway providing irreplaceable networks that are profession-specific.
Q: Do I have to attend the end-of-program conference?
It is highly recommended to attend to integrate your learning and connect with the mentors and peers, but it is not mandatory to graduate.
Q: Does the end-of-program conference cost anything?
There is no additional cost to attend the conference outside of your own travel and accommodation expenses (if applicable).
Q: Is this a certified program? Will I get CPE points?
The Academy is an experiential education and mentoring program. While it is not a formal qualification, many associations do accept CPE/CPD points for professional development hours. We provide a CPE Certificate upon successful completion of all modules. Approx 16-20 CPE applies to each Program.
Q. What happens if I fall behind?
This is a low-pressure environment where you’re encouraged to take what you need, when you need it. You’ll have access to all content throughout your enrolment, and we actively support you to honour your own timing.
Q: Do you offer payment plans or scholarships?
Yes. We have a fortnightly payment option, and limited scholarship placements for practitioners from underserved or marginalised communities. For scholarship information, contact us via email for details.
Q: Is Expansion a qualification in naturopathy?
No. Expansion is professional development for practitioners with established experience. Its focus is on extending that experience into further professional activities, including education, research, publishing, collaboration and leadership.
Naturopathic Futures Academy™
Expansion Program
A business and self development pathway for emerging natural health practitioners.
EXPANSION (July-Dec 2027)
Includes 4 subjects (2 per term); in-person student conference; private community; CPE certificates.
EARLY BIRD ENROLMENT
Upfront: AUD$4000
Payment Plan: AUD$440 x 10 instalments
Discount available until May 2027
Supported scholarships are also available through industry partnerships for practitioners from minority groups and those facing systemic or personal adversity.
Please contact the Academy for scholarship application details or to discuss a personalised payment arrangement.
TALK TO A HUMAN
Unsure if this program is right for you, right now?
Get in touch with the team to discuss your concerns, current career situation, and professional aspirations.
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Leave us a message and we’ll be in touch.
We believe in a future where natural health practitioners don’t just survive - they lead, innovate and thrive.
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