Integrative Clinical Team
Dr Elizabeth Thompson
Integrative Medicine Doctor
Background
Dr Elizabeth Thompson trained in Medicine at the University of Oxford and completed her training at Guy’s Hospital in London. Whilst training in Palliative Medicine to Consultant level, she also studied a range of integrative approaches including Medical Homeopathy. In 2000 she was appointed as an NHS Consultant and Homeopathic Physician and set up an Integrative Cancer Care service at the University Hospital Bristol, and then went on to be Lead Clinician for the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital. In 2014 she set up the National Centre for Integrative Medicine (NCIM) and stepped away from the NHS in 2019 to run NCIM full time.
Elizabeth is a Council Member for the College of Medicine, British Society of Integrative Oncology, and the Faculty of Homeopathy. She has been past President for the European Congress for Integrative Medicine and the Integrative and Personalised Medicine Congress.
Along with her Membership of the Royal College of Physicians, she also has a Doctor of Medicine Thesis from the University of Oxford, focusing on complex trial design and understanding placebo responses when investigating complementary approaches.
Clinical approach and special interests
Dr Thompson is passionate about supporting a transformation of healthcare towards a wellness and empowerment model that combines conventional, holistic and lifestyle approaches to support health and wellbeing, as well as creating diversity and choice for patients. She practises for NCIM as an Integrative Doctor and Medical Homeopath and supports patients with Mistletoe Therapy. She has expertise in integrative cancer care and special interests in women’s health including supporting women with the side effects of breast cancer treatments.
Professional registration
General Medical Council: registration number 3262577
The Royal College of Physicians: Member since 1991
Faculty of Homeopathy: Fellow & Member on the Specialist Register (FFHom)
NCIM education
Dr Thompson is NCIM Academic Director, overseeing programme delivery and teaching on NCIM’s master’s Level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare, and Foundation and Advanced Homeopathy Training for registered healthcare professionals.
Read more about
Integrative Medicine Clinic, Medical Homeopathy, Mistletoe Therapy
Diploma in Integrative Healthcare, Homeopathy Training
Dr Duncan Still
Integrative Medicine Doctor
Background
Dr Duncan Still comes from an NHS GP background and has an interest in Lifestyle Medicine; recognising the importance of nutrition, physical activity, stress-management and sleep in achieving and maintaining optimum health. He joined our clinical team in 2018 to widen his practice in Integrative Medicine. Duncan has also worked with the cancer charity, Penny Brohn UK, for several years as a holistic doctor in their integrative cancer care team and teaches medical students at Bristol Medical School and Sheffield Medical School.
Clinical approach and special interests
Dr Still’s interest in health and wellbeing goes beyond the purely conventional, working within an Integrative Medicine Model which includes a range of holistic and lifestyle approaches. He has a particular interest in the role of mind-body relationship, nature connection, breathwork and bodywork, microbiome health, mindfulness, and the emerging role of psychedelics in mental health. He is also experienced in supporting cancer patients.
Professional registration
General Medical Council: registration number 7015935
NCIM education
Dr Still is a Modular Lead on NCIM’s master’s Level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare, delivering training on Integrative Medicine approaches and management of certain conditions. He also facilitates Student Choice Placements for the University of Bristol’s Medical Undergraduates, for them to gain a deeper understanding and experience in Integrative Medicine.
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Integrative Medicine Clinic
Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Kiriaki Marselou
Integrative Pharmacist &
Nutrition Advisor
Background
Kiriaki is an experienced conventional pharmacist and medicines expert who is also trained in Medical Homeopathy, Nutraceuticals, Mycotherapy (medicinal mushroom extracts), Mistletoe Therapy, and Lifestyle Medicine for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship. Kiriaki holds a post-graduate Diploma in Natural Health Products and is certified in Plant-based Nutrition from Winchester University. Kiriaki joined our clinical team in 2020.
Clinical approach and special interests
Inspired by Hippocratic teachings, Kiriaki believes that lifestyle interventions and dietary measures can help enormously in the treatment of disease. She has a special interest in chronic inflammation and how this can lead to several diseases. Her clinics are aimed at restoring health through a combination of moving to an anti-inflammatory diet, nutritional supplements, homeopathic medicines and other natural remedies. Kiriaki often works with patients on prescription medicines who would like to explore natural health options that are safe and compatible with their conventional treatments. In 2022, Kiriaki expanded her clinical practise to support cancer patients with nutrition, mycotherapy, homeopathy, and to assess suitability for Mistletoe Therapy.
Professional registration
General Pharmaceutical Council: registration number 2060382
Faculty of Homeopathy: Member by Examination (MFHom)
NCIM education
Kiriaki is a Modular Lead on NCIM’s master’s Level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare, delivering training on holistic management such as social prescribing and community approaches in Integrative Medicine.
Read more about
Integrative Medicine Clinic, Medical Homeopathy, Mistletoe Therapy
Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Dr Emi Maruo
Integrative Medicine Doctor
Background
Dr Emi Maruo first qualified as a medical doctor in Japan before moving to the UK. She has a broad range of professional experience in general medicine and psychiatry working in both NHS and private hospitals. Emi completed her homeopathic training with NCIM, adding Medical Homeopathy to her Integrative Medicine toolbox, and joined our clinical team in 2023.
Clinical approach and special interests
Dr Maruo’s experience of cultural and dietary differences, particularly between Japan and the UK, strengthened her belief in the importance of a broader model of healthcare which supports physical, mental and emotional health. In Japan she specialised in diabetes care to support patients control their diabetes with lifestyle and dietary approaches alongside their conventional treatments. Emi has also trained in Mistletoe Therapy to support cancer patients.
Professional registration
General Medical Council: registration number 7570139
Faculty of Homeopathy: Member by Examination (MFHom)
NCIM education
Dr Maruo is a member of the NCIM Foundation and Advanced Homeopathy tutor team, delivering homeopathy training for registered healthcare professionals.
Read more about
Integrative Medicine Clinic, Medical Homeopathy, Mistletoe Therapy
Homeopathy Training
Dr Roger Smith
Integrative Medicine Doctor
Background
Dr Roger Smith is an NHS doctor, who studied at St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London Hospital Medical School and works in Supportive Care. He trained at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine and NCIM, where he gained a post-graduate Diploma in Integrative Medicine, and gained clinical experience at Glasgow NHS Centre for Integrative Care.
Clinical approach and special interests
Dr Smith is interested in conventional, holistic, and lifestyle approaches to support the health and well-being of patients with cancer and other long-term conditions. Roger contributes to articles for NCIM and support for the Mistletoe service.
Professional registration
General Medical Council: registration number 6160785
Read more about
Integrative Medicine Clinic, Mistletoe Therapy
Dr Nikki Chatfield
Clinical Hypnotherapist
Background
Dr Nikki Chatfield is an experienced NHS GP, Lifestyle Medicine Physician, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Master Practitioner and Mindfulness teacher, and joined our clinical team in 2022 to support patients with hypnotherapy. Nikki is also a graduate of NCIM’s master’s Level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare.
Clinical approach and special interests
Finding that many of her clients struggle with significant overwhelm and don’t know where to start, Nikki helps patients to identify important changes to their physical and mental habits. Then, using a combination of mind-body approaches, including hypnotherapy and mindfulness, will help support, motivate, and empower patients to make a transformational difference in their lives. Nikki has special interests in mental health (anxiety, depression, stress, phobias), chronic pain, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome and supporting lifestyle change.
Professional registration
General Medical Council: registration number 6025382
British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis: Member since 2021
Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy: Member since 2023
UK and International Health Coaching Association: Member since 2023
NCIM education
Dr Chatfield is a Modular Lead on NCIM’s master’s Level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare, delivering training on Integrative Medicine approaches and management of certain conditions.
Read more about
Clinical Hypnotherapy
Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Dr Asim Vine
Integrative Medicine Doctor
Background
Dr Asim Vine has over 12 years of experience working in healthcare, and as an NHS GP for the last 7 years. His medical career began in Pakistan, and since then has spent time working in the Republic of Ireland, Australia, and completed internships in the United States and New Zealand before moving to the UK. This global exposure instilled in him an understanding of healthcare disparities and limitations, particularly in managing chronic conditions. Driven by a desire to expand his knowledge and offer more comprehensive care, Asim attended the NCIM Diploma programme and graduated in 2023, joining our clinical team in 2024. Asim continues to expand his training further and is currently studying Homeopathy and Western Herbal Medicine.
Clinical approach and special interests
The concept of merging conventional medicine with evidence-based holistic and lifestyle interventions resonated with Asim’s experience and desire to help patients achieve optimal health. He is now eager to offer patients a holistic approach to well-being, empowering them to take charge of their health through personalised interventions and evidence-based care. He is very enthusiastic about the outdoors and about nature-based therapies, with interests in mental health (anxiety, depression, stress), chronic pain, endometriosis and women’s health, chronic fatigue, autoimmune conditions, palliative medicine and optimal aging. Asim has also trained in Mistletoe Therapy to support cancer patients.
Professional registration
General Medical Council: registration number 7501671
Read more about
Integrative Medicine Clinic, Mistletoe Therapy
Chris Barker
Mindfulness Practitioner
Background
Originally a PE teacher, Chris discovered how transformative mindfulness can be when he was a stressed Head of Department in a large secondary school. Seeing how much it had changed his life he now teaches mindfulness to school children and leads international training courses for other schoolteachers to do likewise.
Chirs graduated as a Mindfulness Teacher from The University of Exeter in 2020, leads a national group supporting Mindfulness for Cancer teachers, and joined NCIM as our Mindfulness for Wellbeing Lead in 2021.
Clinical approach and special interests
Chris’ main Mindfulness experience is with those living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis, which includes family members and carers who have also been impacted by the diagnosis. Chris has undertaken further training through Oxford University and the Mindful Eating Training Institute in California. This includes ‘Mindful Eating’ for those who experience yo-yo dieting or emotional / binge eating episodes as well as courses aimed at the over 55’s who want to shift from languishing to flourishing in later life. Chris holds a space safe which allows difficult experiences to be shared and drawing on a deep understanding of the principles of mindfulness, Chris offers insights into the mechanisms of suffering, as well as ways to skilfully work with this to improve emotional wellbeing.
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Mindfulness for Wellbeing
Anna Thomson
Nutritional Therapist
Background
Anna is a registered Nutritional Therapist with a degree in Nutritional Medicine from the University of West London. Anna also holds a Master Practitioner Award in Eating Disorders & Obesity from the National Centre for Eating Disorders and has additional training in Intuitive Eating, Mindful Eating, Motivational Interviewing and Functional Imagery Training. Anna is also the founding director of Nourishing Families, a social enterprise that supports parents, children and young people build a positive relationship with food to nurture wellbeing. The organisation works in partnership with children’s centres, schools, and social enterprises to deliver community nutrition and food education. Anna joined our clinical team in 2022.
Clinical approach and special interests
Anna works collaboratively with a client and focuses on small doable changes rather than a complete dietary overhaul to create sustainable long-lasting outcomes. She supports a wide range of conditions but has a particular interest in digestive issues, no-diet approaches to weight management, and emotional or disordered eating challenges.
Professional registration
British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council
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Integrative Nutrition
Audrey Dickinson
Nutritional Therapist
Background
Audrey is a holistic Nutritional Therapist and food enthusiast. Audrey has supported NCIM’s online delivery of community Food for Mood courses and joined our clinical team in 2023.
Clinical approach and special interests
Audrey specialises in hormone and reproductive health to investigate the underlying root cause of these imbalances often related to gut health, thyroid health, and autoimmune conditions.
Professional registration
Nutritional Therapists of Ireland
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Integrative Nutrition
Food for Wellbeing (Food for Mood)
Claire Cohen
Nutritional Therapist
Background
Claire is a registered Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist and graduated from the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Bristol, having previously completed a Diploma in Vegan Cooking from the renowned Demuth Cookery School. Recognising the challenge of supporting individuals to achieve sustained dietary and lifestyle changes, she studied further to become a qualified Health Coach with Zest for Life. Claire joined NCIM in 2023 to support delivery of our community Food for Mood courses and workshops, and since our move to Ham Green House, she has joined our clinical team to offer in-person Nutritional Therapy consultations.
Clinical approach and special interests
Claire’s passion for growing her own produce, adapting recipes, and connecting with people over meals, led to a fascination with how nutrition can influence so much of our physical and mental health and wellbeing. In clinical practise she aspires to create easy, achievable, and sustainable changes that fit each client’s unique circumstances and therefore become part of their everyday life. Claire works with a variety of conditions ranging from digestive issues, weight management, and low energy, to women’s hormonal health and the transition to menopause. Claire loves to share her joy for the variety of benefits found in wholefood and put into practise all she has learned to create food first, personalised nutrition plans to empower clients to feel their absolute best.
Professional registration
British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council
Read more about
Integrative Nutrition
Food for Wellbeing (Food for Mood)
Lillian Klein
Nutritional Therapist
Background
Lillian graduated from Middlesex University with a first-class honours degree in Nutritional Science and postgraduate training in Nutritional Therapy. She has additional training in Functional and Integrative Approaches to Cancer and completed training with the cancer charity, Penny Brohn UK, in their Whole Body Approach to Cancer. She is also a certified Nutrigenomics practitioner. Lillian has worked as a Lead Nutritionist for Nuffield Health for 6 years, running programmes to support women’s health. Currently, Lillian is a clinical supervisor for the Centre for Nutrition Education & Lifestyle Management (CNELM) and practises as a Nutritional Therapist for the cancer charity, Victoria’s Promise. Lillian joined our clinical team in 2024 to support our delivery of integrative cancer care services.
Clinical approach and special interests
Lillian specialises in breast cancer. Her aim is to support a patient’s health and wellbeing by providing an integrative model of breast cancer care where, alongside the medical team, patients have all the tools needed to improve outcomes, enhance recovery and reduce future risk of disease. For patients looking for breast cancer prevention support, who are currently undergoing treatment or no longer have breast cancer, Lillian can meet you wherever you are on your health journey. Lillian is also able to support patients with non-cancer conditions and has worked with everything from thyroid issues, skin problems, digestive disorders, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, and much more!
Professional registration
British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council
Read more about
Integrative Nutrition
Bárbara Pereira
Therapeutic Coach
Background
Bárbara initially qualified as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist and has clinical experience in the NHS and neuroimaging research settings. She since retrained in Hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Life Coaching and holds a master’s level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare from NCIM. As well as providing 1:1 support for clients, Bárbara is also interested in health promotion in local communities. In 2022 she was part of a charity funded project to support low-cost access to complementary therapies to the Grenfell community in London. Barbara joined our clinical team in 2023.
Clinical approach and special interests
Bárbara’s approach is to empower her clients to deal with their health conditions, and she focuses on the role and impact of their emotional landscape on their general health. The therapeutic time with her clients is dedicated to understanding their internal ‘world map’, preferences, values, and priorities towards their health, using that to define sustainable goals to work towards together as a team. With this collaborative approach, Bárbara has helped people dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome. She has a special interest in somatic approaches for emotional regulation, such as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – also known as tapping.
Read more about
Therapeutic Coaching
Education Team
Dr Vivien Rolfe
Academic Co-Director
Viv is part of our Education team, working as Academic Co-Director on NCIM’s accredited master’s Level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare, as well as being Co-Project Lead for the Integrative Healthcare eLearning platform, run in partnership with the Health and Wellbeing Trust.
She is an experienced educator having taught science and healthcare in several UK universities; she is a National Teaching Fellow and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, awards that recognise her teaching skill and leadership.
Viv’s research interests include how herbal medicines can benefit health and wellbeing. She has a background from working in industry in between her time at university. Her last role was Head of Research at Pukka Herbs Ltd, manufacturers of herbal teas and supplements, and before that, she worked in animal nutrition at Pedigree Petfoods. At Pukka she created university partnerships to explore how herbs such as Turmeric, Shatavari, Mushrooms and herbal teas can benefit human health. She has over 50 scientific publications and delivers talks and podcasts on the subject.
In 2023 she graduated with an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Edinburgh Napier University. She supports the NCIM Diploma business modules to help our learners grow their practices and understand the commercial landscape.
Alongside her NCIM work, Viv runs her company “Curiosity Research” [CuriosityResearch.uk] where she provides herbal, health and wellbeing research services, and helps individuals and small companies grow their entrepreneurial skills.
She lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and plays the saxophone in the Sisters of Swing Big Band in Bristol, and bands in her home town.
Find out about NCIM’s Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Dr Alastair Gray
Director of Online Learning & Modular Lead – Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
In addition to his role at NCIM, Alastair teaches at and heads up the academic, operations, course development, compliance research and learning technologies departments at the Academy of Homeopathy Education NYC | World.
He holds various consulting roles: academic (Endeavour College, Australia and College of Health and Homeopathy, NZ) as well as consulting to many organizations on homeopathic provings and e-learning world-wide. Prior, at Endeavour in Australia he was the National Academic e-learning Manager as well as heading up the homeopathy department, later the bioscience department. Other operational roles included the Campus Manager at the Sydney and Gold Coast campuses.
Alastair has lectured under and post-graduate Integrative Medicine, CAM, homeopathy and naturopathy for 22 years, including theory and philosophy, case taking and management, ethics, business practices and scope of practice. A regular forum and conference presenter worldwide he is the author of 23 books and numerous articles on primary research in natural medicine. Originally educated as an historian, he teaches the history of health, healing and medicine at schools, colleges and universities in multiple countries.
He is passionate about e-learning and educational technology in his academic and teaching work. He has completed a PhD at the University of Technology Sydney exploring the intersection of Education, CM and learning technologies. Clinical practice (30 years) remains a significant focus of his work with a practice that specializes in Anxiety, Drug and Alcohol compulsion and working with men. Alastair lives in Philadelphia with his wife Denise Straiges.
Find out about NCIM’s Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Megan Odell
Modular Lead – Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Serving for nearly a decade at the renowned Penny George Institute for Health & Healing, the largest hospital-based integrative medicine clinic in the USA, Megan has collaborated in the care of thousands of patients with diverse needs, working with GPs, Neurologists, Internal Medicine Physicians, Cardiologists, Pediatricians, Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Nutritionists, Chiropractors, and Massage Therapists.
Megan has a naturally gentle needling style that is especially helpful for people who might feel vulnerable or have a fear of needles. She meets each individual where they are, utilising whichever approaches and techniques will help most on their healing journey. This could include acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, tui na (Chinese bodyworking), dietary therapy, and/or Chinese herbs.
Megan also studied Integrative Oncology with Memorial Sloan Kettering (USA), Foundations in Integrative Health with the National Center for Integrative Primary Healthcare (USA), and paediatric acupuncture with the renowned master, Julian Scott (UK).
Find out about NCIM’s Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Dr Sally Moorcroft
Modular Lead – Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Sally has 20 years of clinical experience in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is co-founder and clinical director of the Northern Centre of Integrative and Functional Medicine (NCIFM) in Lincolnshire. She runs a busy integrative medicine clinic and leads the team, and has a special interest in women’s health, menopause, gut health and psychology.
A GMC registered doctor, she has a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine, Medical Homeopathy (MFHom) and has training in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Aromatherapy, Medical Acupuncture, Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy and Natural Dessicated Thyroid therapy. She is a graduate of the IFM AFMCP (Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice), has completed all IFM Advanced Practice Modules in Hormone Health, Cardiometabolic, Environmental Health, Bioenergetics, Immune and GI; and is currently working on IFM certification.
Sally is passionate about how effective the integrative medicine approach can be and has featured in Woman and Home, Natural Health, Health and Wellbeing, Channel 4, Health Radio UK and many online national magazines, blogs and podcasts. Lecturing nationally on women’s health and integrative medicine she loves to share her decades of clinical experience and knowledge.
She is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine, College of Phytotherapy, College of Medicine, British Menopause Society and Faculty of Homeopathy; and co-founder of Dr Sally’s Botanicals range of organic herbal teas and wellness tonics and Chapel Yard Organics, Holt in Norfolk.
Find out about NCIM’s Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Dr Samantha Jugdev
Education Lead (Dentist) – PHCE / MFHom (Homeopathy)
Samantha qualified from the University of Bristol in 2001. She served her time in the army before taking some time off to have her first child and since then has worked as a dentist in private practice. She has interests in periodontics (gum disease) and how this affects our general health and how alternative therapies can help in general dental care.
Samantha gained her Membership to the Faculty of Homeopathy after extensive training and examinations in Dental Homeopathy. She is also trained to use hypnotherapy in the dental setting as well as acupuncture to help with gagging, relaxation and headaches.
Samantha spends some of her time teaching homeopathy to healthcare professionals and is also on the Faculty of Homeopathy Members’ Committee and Chairperson for the British Homeopathic Dental Association.
GDC no. 79132
Find out about NCIM’s Foundation and Advanced Homeopathy Training
Other members of the Education Team
profiled above in our Integrative Clinical Team
Dr Elizabeth Thompson
Adademic Director
Dr Duncan Still
Modular Lead – Diploma in Integrative Healthcare
Dr Nikki Chatfield
Modular Lead – Diploma in Integrative Healthcare