Herbalists & Nutritionists: In the Clinic with Camille

Camille Freeman, RH, DCN | Clinical Herbalist
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Biweekly

This show is for clinical herbalists and nutritionists in private practice. We discuss tips and strategies for building a private integrative practice, working with herbs and supplements, issues affecting the fields of herbalism and nutrition, and more. My goal is to help herbalists and nutritionists run sustainable clinical practices.  Most episodes are bite-sized. Topics include common questions and dilemmas faced by clinicians: practice management, clinical decision-making, how to make a sustainable living, ethical marketing and promotion, providing excellent clinical care without burning out, approaching clinical situations thoughtfully, safety concerns and fads in clinical practice, supplement safety, professional development, the practice of herbal medicine, how to run an evidence-informed practice, and more.  New episodes weekly. Show notes at intheclinic.com.

  1. 2d ago

    127 | Talking to Zero People: A presentation that flopped

    What happens when you give a presentation and the audience... leaves? One by one, until you're speaking to absolutely nobody? In this episode, I share a presentation horror story - very October-themed! -  that ends with me and a colleague presenting to an empty classroom, mid-sentence.  If you've ever had a presentation bomb or if you're scared to present because of the possibility, I hope this helps a bit.  IN THIS EPISODE The full story of a workshop that went from "the start of something big" to zero attendees Why even great speakers have classes that flop Hits and misses are part of the learning process - gotta keep going KEY TAKEAWAY If you speak or teach enough, some talks just won't land for reasons that may have nothing to do with you. It's part of the learning curve, and it happens to everyone eventually :) RESOURCES & LINKS Sign up for Camille's practitioner newsletter (out every Thursday): https://www.camillefreeman.com  Have feedback or a topic request? https://intheclinic.com

    127 | Talking to Zero People: A presentation that flopped

  2. Sep 29

    126 | Pink urine, beets, and iron deficiency

    While prepping a class on iron deficiency for the Menstrual Health Intensive that Liane Moccia and I are currently teaching, I stumbled into a rabbit hole: a 1963 BMJ paper linking beeturia - pink or red urine after eating beets - to iron deficiency. Physiology nerds, check out this episode for a quick overview of why iron deficiency might cause red or pink urine in some cases, and why it's more of a clue and less of a clear diagnostic sign.  What I Cover Beeturia basics A 1963 study in BMJ that identified the relationship between beeturia and iron deficiency The working theory about why iron deficiency might cause red or pink urine Why beeturia isn't diagnostic on its own, but might be worth noticing alongside other signs and symptoms Key Takeaways Red or pink urine after eating beets does not mean you (or your client) have iron deficiency - it shows up in roughly 2-15% of "normal" people without ID/IDA Beeturia is more common in iron deficiency, especially when untreated The likely mechanism is an "iron hunger": the gut absorbs iron faster, so less is left in the lumen to oxidize and decolorize betanin before it's absorbed Links and Resources Mentioned Oski, F. A. (1993). Iron deficiency in infancy and childhood. New England Journal of Medicine, 329(3), 190–193. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199307153290308 Wang, Y., Adekolurejo, O. O., Wang, B., McDermott, K., Do, T., Marshall, L. J., & Boesch, C. (2024). Bioavailability and excretion profile of betacyanins - Variability and correlations between different excretion routes. Food Chemistry, 437(Pt 1), 137663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.137663 Watson, W. C., Luke, R. G., & Inall, J. A. (1963). Beeturia: Its incidence and a clue to its mechanism. British Medical Journal, 2(5363), 971–973. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.2.5363.971 Wiczkowski, W., Romaszko, E., Szawara-Nowak, D., & Piskula, M. K. (2018). The impact of the matrix of red beet products and interindividual variability on betacyanins bioavailability in humans. Food Research International, 108, 530–538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2018.04.004 Menstrual Health Intensive - my class with Liane Moccia, in case you're interested! The 1963 paper is open access; the others may take some scouting to find full text. Stay in Touch If you're not already on my Practitioner Notes newsletter, I send it out every Thursday with things we don't cover here on the podcast. You can sign up at camillefreeman.com or intheclinic.com. Thanks so much for the work that you do!

    126 | Pink urine, beets, and iron deficiency

  3. Sep 22

    125 | Reconnecting with Herbs with Kimberly Gallagher

    Today I'm bringing you an interview with Kimberly Gallagher, co-founder of LearningHerbs.com and author of Aphrodisiac: The Herbal Path to Healthy Sexual Fulfillment and Vital Living. If you've been around me for a while, you've probably heard me recommend Learning Herbs. It's an incredibly affordable, rich resource for anybody learning about herbs, whether you're brand new or have years of experience. What we talk about: Kimberly's new course with Lauren Morgan, Rhythms and Relationships: A Feminine Way into Herbalism, and how it came to be Why embodied, relational plant knowledge matters just as much as book learning How the course uses plant sits, dreaming with plants, and ceremony to reconnect you with herbs in a visceral way Why this type of learning helps whether you're an experienced herbalist who's lost your beginner's mind or a nutritionist just starting to bring herbs into your practice The kitchen herbalism component: nourishing infusions, herbal vinegars, pestos, and shrubs Who can join - the course is open to all genders and focuses on lifting up the feminine, intuitive, nurturing aspects of herbalism that our culture often pushes down

    125 | Reconnecting with Herbs with Kimberly Gallagher

  4. Sep 15

    124 | Pricing by the Client's Hourly Rate: A Sliding-Scale Variant

    I'm sharing a pricing concept I picked up from the Death, Sex, and Money podcast that struck me as interesting/useful. Here's what I cover: Pricing by your client's hourly rate. Instead of a traditional sliding scale, what about pricing consults as a multiple of what your client earns per hour (e.g., one hour or two hours of their pay)? For many people, this feels more intuitive and equitable than a fixed dollar amount, and it reframes the exchange as commerce rather than capitalism. The right message at the right time. Sometimes you've heard a concept before, but it doesn't land until the moment is right. (That's how this pricing idea landed for me this week.) The same is true for your clients. Don't underestimate the power of timing when you're sharing clinical recommendations; you may be the person who finally makes it click for them. Revisiting pricing models. If you've been experimenting with accessibility but haven't found a model that fits, this "unit of time" approach might be worth testing. Referenced: Death, Sex, and Money podcast episode on pay-what-you-want pricing Previous In the Clinic with Camille episodes on pricing: pay from the heart (ep 53) and putting prices on your website (ep 118) I'm heading out to teach my Deep Dive class on omega-3 fatty acids right after recording this, so it's a quick one. Have an amazing week!

    124 | Pricing by the Client's Hourly Rate: A Sliding-Scale Variant

  5. Sep 8

    123 | Why Ovulation Matters with Liane Moccia

    I'm joined in this episode by my colleague and co-teacher, registered herbalist and fertility specialist Liane Moccia, to talk more about the responses to the question, "Are you ovulating?"  We cover what signs to look for, how to interpret tracking data (cervical fluid, LH strips, temperature), and why ovulation is a vital marker of hormonal and overall health even when someone isn’t trying to conceive. We also discuss practical intake phrasing, common misunderstandings, and introduce our Menstrual Health Intensive: a physiology-focused course with live teaching and case observation groups for clinicians who want to support clients experiencing menstrual health concerns. Key Takeaways Many clients have never been taught to recognize ovulatory signs/symptoms Cervical fluid is a reliable, free marker of rising estradiol, though some clients may mistake it for infection Having a baseline understanding of ovulation before perimenopause makes later changes easier to interpret and may reduce the need for expensive testing Clear, specific wording on intake forms prevents misinterpretation The luteal phase length and confirmed ovulation timing help us place premenstrual symptoms accurately on the timeline Links referenced in this episode: Liane's website: https://lianemoccia.com/  Liane's book, The Herbal Fertility Handbook: https://lianemoccia.com/book/  Menstrual Health Intensive: https://www.camillefreeman.com/menstrualhealth/

    123 | Why Ovulation Matters with Liane Moccia

  6. Sep 1

    122 | The "Normal" Menstrual Cycle: When to Refer and When to Support

    Let's talk about a "normal" menstrual cycle. What counts as "normal," how can we spot concerning signs, and when does it make sense to consider medical referral or further testing? We'll dive into this and more in this brief episode. For more information and clinical strategies to support clients around menstrual health, join the upcoming Menstrual Health Intensive.  Key Takeaways Bleeding longer than 8 days warrants referral for possible clotting issues, fibroids, or other concerns Heavy menstrual flow is often subjective, but if it interferes with daily life or causes soaking through protection, refer for assessment A stable luteal phase is a good sign; significant variation may indicate something else is going on Many clients were never taught basic cervical fluid physiology - this is valuable clinical information to share Reference Bahamondes, L., & Ali, M. (2015). Recent advances in managing and understanding menstrual disorders. F1000Prime Reports, 7, 33. https://doi.org/10.12703/P7-33 Upcoming Liane Moccia and I are launching an 8-week Menstrual Health Intensive for Practitioners starting September 15, 2026 (you can join later!). Review the sales page and join us if you're interested in more education on this topic. 20 NPCE available.

    122 | The "Normal" Menstrual Cycle: When to Refer and When to Support

  7. Aug 25

    121 | Is your business "hungry" for that course?

    A Mindful Eating Metaphor It might help to think about this in terms of mindful eating. When you feel the urge to sign up for something, stop and ask: is my practice actually hungry for this? If you've decided newsletters are your main marketing focus and you're specifically hunting for newsletter training - amazing. Dive in. If you're just responding to a sale email, a fear of missing out, or a vague sense that you "should" know more? Take a step back. You might find the urge is actually about avoiding visibility work, not about needing to know this information right now. The "Someday" List When I'm tempted by a program but my business isn't actually hungry for it right now, I keep a running document with the link, price, and details. About 80% of the time, I realize that I don't need or want to do the program right now. It's a "nice to have eventually" versus a "I need to implement this right away and I think this course will help." Programs and classes are almost always offered again later. A Suggestion Before you sign up for anything this fall, ask yourself: Is this a hunger in my business right now? Am I going to implement what I learn, or just collect more information? Am I using learning as a way to avoid the harder work of being seen? We want synergy between what we're taking in and what we're putting out. Make sure there's a balance between the two. Links and Resources Submit a question for a future episode at intheclinic.com Sign up for my weekly Practitioner Notes newsletter at intheclinic.com or camillefreeman.com Find all episodes and show notes at intheclinic.com About Me I'm Camille Freeman, DCN, RH, and I host In the Clinic with Camille, a podcast for herbalists and nutritionists building and growing their private practices. I've been in clinical practice since 2003 with a focus on fertility, pregnancy, and menstrual health.

    121 | Is your business "hungry" for that course?

  8. Aug 18

    120 | Substack for Clinicians: Why I don't recommend it

    I've gotten several questions lately about whether or not I recommend Substack to clinicians who want to start a newsletter to help promote their clinical practices. TLDR: it's  not the best tool for the job.  In this episode, I spell out why I don't think herbalists and nutritionists are well-served by using Substack as a way to promote a private practice.  Essentially, it all boils down to:  It's not designed for promoting services, classes, workshops, etc. and it shows.  It's free, which is great, but you do pay in other ways - for example, in control over you readers' experience.  Support is basically nonexistent.  I go into a few other reasons in the show, but these are the big ones. Go ahead and use an email service provider that's designed for the type of promotion we do when we write a newsletter. I use MailerLite, but there are tons of great options with similar features.  For more on writing newsletters, check out my book: Write Better Newsletters: Grow your 1:1 practice with newsletters people actually want to read.  And/or join my newsletter for practitioners to get a new note from me every Thursday.  Thanks for being here! - Camille

    120 | Substack for Clinicians: Why I don't recommend it
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About

This show is for clinical herbalists and nutritionists in private practice. We discuss tips and strategies for building a private integrative practice, working with herbs and supplements, issues affecting the fields of herbalism and nutrition, and more. My goal is to help herbalists and nutritionists run sustainable clinical practices.  Most episodes are bite-sized. Topics include common questions and dilemmas faced by clinicians: practice management, clinical decision-making, how to make a sustainable living, ethical marketing and promotion, providing excellent clinical care without burning out, approaching clinical situations thoughtfully, safety concerns and fads in clinical practice, supplement safety, professional development, the practice of herbal medicine, how to run an evidence-informed practice, and more.  New episodes weekly. Show notes at intheclinic.com.

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