Celebrating Excellence in Natural Medicine: 2025 Award Winners Announced

Darling Health is founded and owned by Naturopath Amanda Haberecht and has been operating in Sydney’s Inner West for 20 years. It is a collective of esteemed and experienced clinicians who pride themselves on practising evidence based, complementary medicine, utilising nutrition, naturopathy, acupuncture and psychology.  Their aim is to help people exist beyond survival and ensure they shine and flourish.

Driven by core values, personalised medicine and a patient-centred approach, their passionate clinicians treat people through all walks and phases of life, with a strong focus on reproductive and hormonal health.

SynerQi Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine is dedicated to helping people restore balance and wellbeing through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Founded by Jeffrey Fricot, SynerQi provides personalised treatments using acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, and auricular therapy to mainly address pain management, fatigue, neurological conditions, digestive issues and women’s health. SynerQi is recognised for its compassionate, results-driven care, helping clients achieve their health goals 

With over 20 years of experience, Jeff has also served as a Clinical Supervisor at the University of Western Sydney and has accepted and mentored students completing their clinical hours at his clinic. Through both in-clinic treatments and educational outreach, SynerQi continues to inspire a growing community of people seeking a balanced and integrative approach to health. 

Harmonie Henderson-Brown is a passionate advocate for inclusive education, committed to creating learning environments that support and empower every student.  

She works as a lecturer and clinic supervisor across multiple TAFE campus’ teaching the Diploma of Remedial Massage. She is also a disability support tutor, providing personalised academic assistance to students with diverse learning needs.  

Harmonie has owned and operated her Remedial Massage clinic in Marrickville since 2012 and is currently completing her Diploma of Counselling.   

Harmonie has developed curriculum across multiple units within the Diploma of Remedial Massage. In 2025, she served as a Subject Matter Expert on TAFE NSW’s academic audit and validation panel. Harmonie’s commitment to academia and industry engagement strengthens future teaching practices and educational outcomes within Australia’s natural therapies community. 

“I’m constantly learning from my students. Their curiosity, dedication, and desire to understand and heal the human body drives me to be a better educator. I love witnessing the individuality of each student’s journey – how they connect with the practice, how they grow, and how they begin to see themselves as capable, compassionate therapists”.  

Tania O’Neill McGowan is a highly respected leader in the field of kinesiology. A passionate educator with over two decades of clinical and teaching experience, she is the Director of O’Neill Kinesiology College, one of Australia’s premier kinesiology training institutions. In her dual role as director and senior lecturer, Tania plays an integral part in curriculum development, student mentoring, and upholding the highest standards of professional education. Committed to creating learning environments that support and empower every student, she is also the co-author of the acclaimed textbook Energetic Kinesiology – Principles and Practice, a foundational resource used by practitioners and students worldwide. Tania’s deep commitment to holistic health, combined with her leadership in both academic and clinical practice, has made her a driving force in the evolution of kinesiology as a respected complementary health modality.

Following a medical retirement from the Australian Army after twelve years of service due to various mental and physical injuries Brett thought his capacity to assist others was gone. Now practicing at Torrens University with aspirations of being a clinical nutritionist. Brett has a passion for assisting women with hormonal and reproductive issues and is now the vast majority of Brett’s clientele. Not forgetting where he’s come from Brett is highly motivated to study Nutritional Psychiatry and would like to bridge the gap between holistic and traditional healthcare for people with mental health conditions. Over the course of his rehabilitation and studies, Brett’s core belief is that no matter how difficult things are, we always have the capacity to assist others. 

Paris McMahon is a dedicated BHSc Naturopathy student, Registered Nurse, mother and business owner.  She is in her third year of study at Endeavour College of Natural Health and travels regularly to Sydney to attend classes. She is also training as a Vega Practitioner at The Allergy Centre in Canberra. With an extensive nursing background across Neurosurgery, Emergency, NICU, and most recently as a Nurse Educator, Paris integrates evidence-based medicine with the holistic principles of Naturopathy. 

Paris is the founder of Studious Naturopath, created during her maternity leave. What began with the development of the first herbal reference cards for students has grown into a thriving educational hub. Studious Naturopath offers affordable, tailored study resources and expert-led webinars designed to support the growth and confidence of students in natural health.