Consultation Information
All consultations are offered either in-person (in Raglan, Waikato, NZ) or online (NZ-wide, international clients accepted case-by-case).
Raglan is a gorgeous little seaside town in the Waikato, just a 40-minute drive from central Hamilton, or less than 2 hours from Auckland. Make a day of it by visiting for your consultation, followed by some nature therapy at the beach (or retail therapy in town, I don’t judge!).
Alternatively, online consultations offer all the same benefits as in-person sessions, with the added benefit of you not having to leave the house (feel free to wear your PJs—again, no judgement here). Nowadays the majority of my clients are online as it’s so convenient.
Whether your session is online or in-person, you’ll have access to your own secure client portal where your health plans and session notes will be uploaded, you can private message me, access your food & symptom journals, and more! I’ll also set you up to order any supplements or herbal medicines that I prescribe, which will be conveniently posted out to your address.
This is also where our online sessions are held. It’s easy to sign up and navigate your portal, however, I’m also happy to work via Zoom and send your notes via email if this is easiest for you.
Update
To ensure I have enough time to support my existing clients, I have currently closed my books to new clients.
You are welcome to complete this form if you would like to join the waitlist for any upcoming consultation availability.
Consultation Options
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Do you have questions before booking a session? Are you wanting to know more about my approach, or natural medicine in relation to your health concerns? Feel free to book a complimentary introductory call for us to have a brief (10-min) chat to get to know each other.
There's no pressure or obligation to book in for a consultation afterwards either—I'll leave that up to you! We'll know if working together feels like a great fit.
10-minute phone call*.
*Note, this is not a consultation, therefore no health advice is able to be given during this call. For supplement recommendations, please book a Supplement Review & Prescribing Session instead.
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The fun begins even before our consultation! Once booked in you’ll receive your health review questionnaire. This explores your past & present health and the many factors that may be influencing your wellbeing. It’s also an opportunity to note down your goals and what you’d like to get out of us working together. I’ll review this prior to our session, which means when we sit down for our consultation we can really make best use of our time together! During our 60-minute session we’ll dive deeper into your goals, health concerns, and health history, as well as diet and lifestyle.
Following our initial consultation I will put together a natural health plan for you, including supplement, nutrition, and lifestyle recommendations, as applicable. In some cases I will recommend further testing if we need more information. Your plan will always be tailored to you and we will discuss what feels like achievable first steps during our session, to ensure that the recommendations feel both doable and enjoyable!
Includes 60-minute appointment, access to your own client portal & journals, pre-consultation review & your tailored natural health plan.
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An initial consultation for couples attending together seeking support with fertility and preconception. Whether you’re wanting to start trying to conceive in the coming months/year or have struggled with fertility challenges, preconception care can help to improve fertility & pregnancy outcomes, and optimise the health of you & your baby.
Once booked in you’ll receive your health review questionnaires. This explores your past & present health and the many factors that may be influencing your wellbeing. It’s also an opportunity to note down your goals and what you’d like to get out of us working together. I’ll review this prior to our session, which means when we sit down for our consultation we can really make best use of our time together! During our 90-minute session we’ll dive deeper into your current health status, health concerns, and health history, as well as diet and lifestyle—all related to your fertility goals.
Following our initial consultation I will put together a natural health & fertility plan for the two of you, including supplement, nutrition, and lifestyle recommendations, as applicable. In some cases I will recommend further testing if we need more information. Your plan will always be tailored to you and we will discuss what feels like achievable first steps during our session, to ensure that the recommendations feel both doable and enjoyable!
Includes 90-minute appointment, access to your own client portal & journals, pre-consultation review & your tailored natural health & fertility plan.
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Follow-up sessions are important to review your progress and adjust your natural health plan as required to ensure you keep progressing forward. We’ll go over any new information, such as blood tests or food/symptom diaries. This also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
Initially, follow-up appointments may be recommended every 2-4 weeks to ensure you are seeing results and are able to make the changes we’ve discussed. After sustained progress is made this may be extended to every 1-2 months or as required.
After your follow-up session you’ll receive a session summary and updated natural health plan.
Includes a 45- or 60-minute appointment and your adjusted natural health plan & consultation summary.
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For existing clients, a 20-minute phone consultation to check-in with progress, answer questions, and make any required tweaks to what you’re doing.
Can be used to check-in between appointments, not a replacement for a follow-up appointment. This session doesn’t include a new natural health plan, so it is recommended that you take your own notes. Depending on the situation, minor adjustments to prescriptions can also be made.
Includes a 20-minute phone appointment and supplement prescriptions if applicable.
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For new or existing clients, a 20-minute phone consultation focused on prescribing or adjusting supplements for acute presentations, e.g. cold or flu, stomach upset, or short-term stress/anxiety. Can also be used as a supplement review to assess whether your current supplements are suitable for your health goals or to recommend high-quality, practitioner-only options. May also be used as a quick check-in regarding supplement changes for existing clients that don't require a full follow-up appointment.
Includes a 20-minute phone appointment and supplement prescriptions if applicable.
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Used for reviewing the results of a functional test (e.g. DUTCH, SIBO, GI360, Dietary Antigen) or other in-depth test results that I have recommended in a previous session. As part of this session we will also have a follow-up to review how things have changed since our last appointment.
I will analyse your test results prior to the consultation and create a summary for you that we will discuss during the session. We’ll also discuss the next steps based upon your test results. After the session you’ll receive a new natural health plan.
This consultation is for existing clients only, for testing that I have recommended. If you have test results that you would like me to review and you are not a current client, you will need to book an initial consultation so I have a full understanding of your health history before commenting on your results.
Includes a 60-minute appointment, test review & summary, and your new natural health plan guided by your test results.
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• Your appointment face-to-face time (in-person or online).
• Time spent beforehand reviewing your case, food journals, forms, and any other information you’ve given me.
• Time spent afterwards researching your case, formulating and adjusting your tailored natural health plan, prescribing, correspondence with your other healthcare practitioners, writing referrals or test requests, and more. (As required).
• Access to practitioner-only prescriptions. (As required).
• Access to your own online client portal and journals.
• Email or private message support & encouragement (to answer specific questions or provide encouragement—follow-ups are required for changes to our approach or complex questions).
• And most importantly, the support of having a partner in your health journey, helping you navigate the world of health out there to choose the right options, for you!
*excludes Introductory Call, Check-In or Supplement Review & Prescribing Sessions.
“The attention, care and personalised design that Alena put into my healing plan was incredible - I didn’t realise this experience of achieving optimal health through such clear, effective and educational support was out there.”
Funding Options
Our current healthcare system in NZ subsidises GPs and prescribed medications heavily, making them seem more affordable than natural health. Alena Winter Natural Health is a private health clinic and receives no funding or subsidies.
Although the initial investment is more than a GP visit, it’s well worth it!
I’ve heard from many clients that they wish they came to see me sooner, saving them time and money in the long run.
A core value of mine is to improve the awareness and accessibility of natural medicine, so depending on your circumstances, the following options may be helpful:
Insurance Cover
I am registered with both NZAMH (New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists) and NMHNZ (Naturopaths & Medical Herbalists of New Zealand), therefore certain health insurance policies offer coverage for consultations with me. I recommend you contact your insurance company for more information.
Payment Plans
Following your initial consultation, for ongoing continuity of care, payment plans are also available and can be tailored to your situation.
Alena Winter Natural Health Equity Programme
It’s important to me that all people are able to access and experience the benefits of natural healthcare.
If you are from a low-income household and the consultation fees are completely out of reach, please get in touch regarding consideration for the AWNH Equity Programme. Spaces are limited and subject to review.