Testimonials

"I've been a practising vet for 30 years, throughout this time I have always felt that I could offer the animals I treated more than just conventional medicine; especially in cases that were non-responsive. I've always had an interest in complementary medicine and incorporated very basic remedies into my treatment protocols throughout my career.

In the last few years I was very fortunate to learn about CIVT and undertake the Essentials course initially, followed by my Diploma of Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine. The learning journey has completely transformed the way I practice. The ability to help animals at this deeper level utilising herbal medicine has provided a significantly greater level of job and patient satisfaction. 

The quality and high standard of learning, utilising evidence based medicine when available gave me the confidence to support the complementary therapies utilised in practice; particularly when discussing cases with colleagues.

Seeing animals respond to natural treatments brings me immense joy and a desire to keep learning. This Diploma has provided the impetus to allow me to fulfil my passion in bringing a different model to Veterinary Science. I have started a new veterinary business based on providing holistic support for animals, working alongside the clients conventional veterinarian. This is an exciting new chapter in my journey in promoting animal health through holistic modalities."

Dr Jacqui Snell

BVSc, GDVWHM

New Zealand

"The CIVT Neuroacupuncture course has been one of the best courses in my life, providing a deep update on both neurology and acupuncture. I feel more confident on neurologic examination, diagnosis and differentials. Acupuncture deals with the origin of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders, being a terrific medicine to treat both. This course is one you really should consider if you practice acupuncture....highly recommended!" 

Dr Maricarmen Barba

MV, CVA, DHom, ACVN

Chile

"I am a perpetual studier, a few years after graduating as veterinarian I completed a Masters of Veterinary Studies, then a few short courses in various topics. The more I studied in conventional medicine the more frustrated I became with the hypocrisy of belittling herbal medicine with claims of insufficient evidence when a large proportion of conventional treatments have very limited or low-grade evidence behind them. I have always had an open mind and niggling curiosity about herbal medicine, so I started with just the 6 week essentials of veterinary WHM course and immediately loved everything about it - Dr Fougere's tutorial style, the immense amount of research that has clearly gone into each and every topic and how clearly presented and easy to use the information was. From there I continued on to do the certificate and then the graduate diploma which was similarly a lot of information, clearly presented with really helpful and supportive tutors. 

I still practice conventional medicine and offer western herbal medicine to interested clients. Studying the graduate diploma has helped me become a much more thorough veterinarian generally but it has really sparked a passion in herbal medicine. I am trying to make myself take a year off studying before I start browsing the CIVT course list to see what I will enroll in next."

Dr Emily Warfield

BVSc, MVSc, GDVWHM

Australia

"The knowledge I have gained through my studies is invaluable and provides me with skills I can apply to all my patients. I am grateful and happy that I can use this new knowledge to the further benefit of companion animals. I graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) from the University of Sydney in 2007 and began practicing in Singapore, where I curently own three clinics. I completed my Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Chinese Herbal Medicine in 2014 and was the first Singaporean veterinarian to obtain this qualification. Obtaining both Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine enhances my competitive advantage over my veterinary colleagues. My particular areas of interests are small animal internal medicine, veterinary Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, orthopedic surgery and emergency medicine. I have been involved with the Singapore Veterinary Association, serving as President in 2014. I have always adhered to the philosophy that all animals – whether beloved pets or strays – that come to me are treated exactly the same way, I always seek to provide the best level of veterinary care for all animals no matter how advantaged or unfortunate they might be. My top three tips for my colleagues are:

1.Stretch your mind and heart to save more animals and relieve them from discomfort whereby western medicines have shown limited progress in doing so

2. Pursue your interest in this field with constant learning and upgrading

3. Excel and do your best always in life and never give up. Preserve, embrace all challenges in life and be determined, focus to reach to your ultimate goals in life."

Dr See Yang Lee

BVSc (Hons), GDVCM, GDVA, DMBT, BBBA

Singapore

"I'd like to express my gratitude to the CIVT team, especially Dr Jodi Van Tine, for coaxing me through the course. I have been fascinated by different approaches to medicine and therapeutics for a long time, particularly for conditions that western medicine does not always seem to address as thoroughly as I would like as a practitoner. I love the bond I build with my TCVM patients and clients."

Dr Katherine Beaton

BVSc (Hons), GDVA

Australia

"I had been searching for solutions to ill health that did not require heavy medication and adulterated diets. When I came upon Chinese medicine in 2004 I knew I had found my Veterinary “soul mate”! I finally began to see my patients regain better health and vitality with acupuncture. The herbal aspect continued to allude me however, but I knew it was the next step and in 2018 I started my two-year journey into the Graduate Diploma in Chinese Herbal Medicine. I now have a solid base on which to grow and help patients in so many areas where traditional medicine cannot. Chinese herbal medicine can thwart endocrine disease, autoimmune disease, and even cancer! I have now had several hemangiosarcoma patients make it past 1 year remission! I am so grateful for my Chinese herbal pharmacy every day and so excited to tweak and learn with each new case. I see Chinese herbal medicine as more accessible, more affordable, and more acceptable to people and their pets. Pets also tolerate herbs better than traditional medication. It has become my go-to tool daily in practice! Thank you once again CIVT for offering these fantastic courses!" 

Dr Corinne Chapman

BSc, DVM, CVA, GDVCHM

Canada

"My interest in natural therapies started shortly after graduating from vet school when my dog, Spaz, who had IBD, taught me the power of minimally processed food. If it weren't for her, I might never have opened my mind to raw or minimally processed food, and then the other holistic modalities that followed. I am particularly interested in Western Herbs because the wild plants talk to me! I go for a walk in the woods nearby and it is truly incredible how much medicine surrounds me. The local plants that I can see, touch, smell and watch as they change through the seasons are the best medicine of all! Western herbs are the focus of my practice, I am also acupuncture certified and have acquired some knowledge of TCM herbs via osmosis. I’ve found herbs have made such a positive difference in the lives of so many animals, but most important to me now is my own dog, Kismet, who has osteosarcoma and is enjoying the best days of her life thanks in large part to herbal medicine. The Grad Dip VWHM has taught me to make more effective herbal formulas that are tailored to the individual animal, paying particular attention to the energetics of the herbs and the animal. I was using herbs before, but not in such an individualized manner. It makes me feel good to make a difference in the lives of the animals around me! I highly recommend the Grad Dip VWHM course - the breadth and depth of topics covered provide the necessary knowledge to make a powerful difference in the lives of the animals that cross our paths. I’m looking forward to next learning more about TCM herbs and homeopathy."

Dr Tonya Khan

Canada

"When I graduated in 1980 there was no mention of acupuncture as an alternative or an adjunct. I visited a friend of my parents in Switzerland in 1993, who was a healer. In the couple of months I spent there I met clients and other practitioners in various modalities and started to open my mind a little. In 1995 I worked in a practice in the Hunter Valley, where the owner used to use an iodine compound liquid to do "acupuncture" on sore muscles (by "ringing the dragon" ) and saw some effects. I then bought a "cookbook" for acupuncture in the horse, which I rarely used in the future years, but I did read it. In 2013 I had a vet working for me who was in the middle of her IVAS qualification. I saw some of the results she got and became intrigued, so I enrolled in the "Introduction to Acupuncture" short course at CIVT. Using that opened my eyes more and I looked at several courses before settling on the CIVT course. I don't regret it! But it took a quantum shift in my western scientific brain to get my head around the theory!! What I find most useful is the broadening of my vision so I look at cases with stereo vision now, and the chance to do other things besides drugs to affect a treatment. The downside is my consults now take longer!!"

Dr David Bartholomeusz

BVMS, MANZCVS, BSc, CF, GDVA

Australia

"I have a small integrative veterinary practice in the mountains of Colorado. My practice is cozy, very personal and quaint and I focus on providing personal and individualized care to all my patients. My fundamental goal is to assist animals into a state of balanced health using acupuncture, laser and other body work, herbal medicines, nutritional counseling and individualized preventative care strategies tailored to the unique needs of each patient and family. In addition to my deeply rooted passion around TCVM, I have a love for and resonance with all plant medicines. I am thrilled to have just completed the Graduate Diploma Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine course and I hope and plan to use these skills and increased knowledge to help more patients with expanded and more effective herbal medicine offerings." 

Dr Kelly Keeney

DVM, AVMA, CVA, GDVWHM

United States of America

"When I graduated from University of Queensland in 1997 as a newly minted vet I was excited to apply everything I had learnt. For my final year thesis, I chose the subject of acupuncture. To this day, I don’t exactly know why I did that. It seemed randomly interesting at the time and it introduced me to the work of a senior Practitioner using acupuncture and attaining great results using this modality.  It sparked a small but enduring flame. As a small animal vet, I dived into the conventional western medicine camp. It sufficed for a while. I worked in practices throughout Queensland and Victoria. In 2000 I arrived in the UK in time for the Foot and Mouth outbreak. This plunged me into the large animal sphere and it was a challenging time for vets. I stayed working in the UK in mainly small animal and emergency medicine until 2004.

During my time in the UK, I started a family and finally I wanted to come back to Australia to live and work. I bought a quiet small animal practice in the outskirts of Melbourne in 2008. I was on a mission to build the practice, and I learnt a lot. However, I was frustrated with some cases that no matter what I did, conventional medicine could not resolve the issues that were presented. Most annoying of all was that I could not resolve the skin problems that presented with my newly adopted 12-month-old Golden Retriever.  

I sought other avenues and the door opened to complimentary therapies, which I found to work very well. Change was on the horizon. I decided to get formal training within the integrative therapies field and enrolled to complete the diploma in Western herbal Medicine with CIVT. I also decided to sell my successful practice in 2019 and arrived at the American Holistic Veterinary Conference in Tennessee that same year. To say, my eyes were opened wide, is an understatement. I met outstanding vets in their field all using complimentary/alternative medicine with great success. It was mind-blowing. There was no turning back from then on – the path was clear. I continued to study and then complete my Graduate Diploma of Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine at the end of 2020. It has been a rewarding and challenging journey, as I had to confront old paradigms and make way for new shifts. The information I have learnt about nutrition and plant-based medicine was very in-depth and was much more than I had ever learnt while at university. Studying the course at CIVT has given me more tools in the toolkit to assist in treating diseases using herbal medications. This modality provides impressive health outcomes.

Complementary and alternative veterinary medicine is now integrated into how I practice veterinary medicine. I continue to see great results with my patients. As I write this, I am planning to open a new purpose built Holistic Veterinary Hospital in the Surf Coast Region of Victoria in 2022. In the meantime, my patient list is growing. Currently I am offering a mobile veterinary service which the community has warmly embraced. 

I am so happy to be able to offer this approach to patients and I am deeply respectful and grateful for the work of Barbara Fougere, my tutor Colin Daly and all at CIVT."

Dr Ivor Javen

BSc (Hons-1), BVS, GDVWHM

Australia

“Defining how I came to be inspired by integrative medicine and what this diploma means to me feels too complex to sum up - like our clients, patients and our relationships to our art! CIVT’s VCHM diploma has been an incredibly fulfilling and deep learning journey, in a very lengthy larger learning journey. I started my vet journey pursuing a career in conservation genetics research, always maintaining a tie to clinical and surgical work. A strong environmental and political activism streak through my chaotic childhood into adulthood, led me quickly to philosophy, permaculture, chaos theory, taoism and healing the emotional/physical/mental body in trauma. Much later all of the above pieces were brought together by VCHM. Currently, practicing integrative veterinary medicine out of my beloved xtra cab Hilux in Tasmania, this diploma gave me, my patients and my clients the access I needed to integrate my ability to continue pursuing being a great veterinary clinician sustainably. Having the depth of knowledge and confidence to use the deep wisdom in VCHM is what this course has opened up for me and I will be eternally grateful. It has brought immeasurable healing and growth to me, my patients and clients, on so many levels, it has completely reinvigorated my passion for the healing arts“.

Dr Wei-Yeen Yap

BSc(hons), BVMS, GVCHM

Australia

"I am absolutely delighted to have completed my graduate diploma. I can highly recommend this course to anyone who is considering it - the course content is thorough, well-structured, engaging and the staff are all exceptionally encouraging and supportive.

I co-own a small referral holistic veterinary practice in Glasgow’s Southside, with my twin sister Reagan. We opened the door to our premises in January 2020 - what a year to open our own practice! Despite the challenges of 2020, we have been shown so much love and support it has been incredible!

We have wonderful, dedicated clients and it is a privilege to help empower them to make the best health care choices for their animals. We are also very lucky to have a human herbalist working within the practice, helping us truly work in a holistic way with our clients and their animals.

I love gardening and grow many medicinal herbs, this has been a lovely way to really get to know the incredible plants on a deeper level. I also grow veggies in the garden, which I share with my partner, 3 dogs, 2 chickens and all the wonderful wildlife that regularly visit us. If anyone is ever in Glasgow, please be sure to get in touch and stop by for a cup of herbal tea!"

Dr Jordan Carnwath

BVMS, CVA, MRCVS, GDVWHM

United Kingdom