Meet the Team: Bobby Qureshi

CNM’s Education Director has a passion for helping people. From volunteering excursions around the world, going the extra mile for his students and colleagues, overseeing all courses at CNM, teaching, running his own practice all whilst being a new father – there’s not much he can’t do.

What do you do at CNM?

I’m the Education Director at CNM. I love that our college has this naturopathic focus to its courses. It’s unique, and in doing so, it allows one to explore areas in natural healing that other colleges don’t teach. There’s also an open atmosphere for students to talk without being judged, and in this environment, passionate people blossom.

What were you doing before joining CNM?

I was on route to studying medicine, but at the same time involved in family health issues. Rather than investigating the root causes of their problems (such as my mother’s back pain), the health service prescribed medications which only masked their problems. I wanted to understand why they got sick, and that’s when I knew conventional medicine was just not going to satisfy me nor was it the approach I wanted to take.

Then my mother’s back pain got relieved by an osteopath. So, I took the plunge to embark upon a career in natural therapies. But it was naturopathy that really revealed to me the power of natural medicine. For the first time, I could understand the underlying causes of ill health.

What sparked your interest in naturopathy?

Conventional medicine doesn’t give people answers. There is an importance for mainstream medicine but it’s a reductionist approach (especially with chronic disease). By treating an individual’s symptoms as separate issues, one misses the real picture of a presenting problem. Naturopaths treat people as whole beings interconnected by their systems and this is part of what we teach at CNM.

How do you think a healthy lifestyle affects people’s lives?

I have seen all too often in my private clinic just how much lifestyle choices impact health and disease risk. We have learnt from research that the large majority of reasons for chronic illnesses we see today are related to a poor diet and lifestyle, and this is probably no surprise to anyone reading this.

So when making healthy lifestyle choices, we are drastically reducing our risk of chronic illness and therefore, improving our quality of life. As a CNM trained health coach will tell you – following a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about avoiding illness and “getting by”, but rather thriving and getting fulfilment from life on a daily basis.
So when I think of the impact of a healthy lifestyle, I think about enjoying those small moments every day, having the energy and determination to do things you enjoy, and to be able to enjoy time with friend and family.

How do you see the Health Coaching industry in the next 3 years?

Health coaching is rapidly evolving as a profession, and since I began working in the industry just a few years ago, the demand for health coaching services has truly skyrocketed. The industry is being given a lot of attention, and quite rightly so. The likes of the NHS in the UK have recognised the importance of health coaching as a means of supporting health and motivating people to make positive health related changes.

I feel confidently that in 3 years’ time, we will see the industry being even more integrated into conventional medical setups, and truly booming. Its very much a watch this space! There is no doubt though that this is a great time to enter the profession.

What advice do you have for anyone thinking of becoming a Health Coach?

The most important thing for you to ask yourself is whether this will give you the satisfaction and sense of fulfilment you might desire. There is a good chance you are doing something that doesn’t make you want to get out of bed every morning with a smile on your face. And if that’s the case, life is too short not to take advantage of such an amazing opportunity. I was fortunate enough to find my feet quickly when it came to my real passion (in natural medicine), but I am all too aware how lucky I am to be doing something that truly changes peoples’ lives for the better. There is no better job, and I would love to welcome you to the field.