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Functional medicine is a leading-edge approach to healthcare that addresses chronic health conditions by identifying and treating their root causes. Research shows that issues such as autoimmune disease, digestive disorders, thyroid imbalances, women’s health concerns, skin conditions, and cardiometabolic issues are often influenced by factors like diet, lifestyle, and environment. Rather than just managing symptoms, functional medicine takes a personalised, whole-body approach to restoring health.

Our practitioners take the time to understand your full health picture - including your medical history, diet, lifestyle, and environment - so we can uncover what’s driving your symptoms. This process often involves functional pathology testing to provide deeper insights into areas such as inflammation, gut health, hormone balance, and metabolic function.

With this comprehensive understanding, we develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your unique needs, helping to address the underlying causes of your health concerns. The goal is not just short-term relief, but long-term, sustainable health and wellbeing.

Working with Melbourne Functional Medicine could be the right fit if you’re motivated, curious, and ready to make lasting changes to your health. If you’re facing ongoing health challenges and want a personalised, root-cause approach – you’ll find the support and expertise you need. Our team will work with you to uncover the underlying causes of your health concerns, creating a comprehensive plan that goes beyond just managing symptoms.

If you’re eager to invest time and energy, learn new habits, and take an active role in your healing, we’re here to guide you through a transformative process toward long-term health improvements. It’s important to note that our practitioners are naturopaths, not medical doctors. If your main goal is simply to obtain a prescription, we may not be the right fit. However, we do collaborate with medical practitioners and can support your care as part of a broader health team.

Simply book an initial appointment and we can support you from there.

After your initial appointment, continue working with us appointment-to-appointment at your pace, or choose to start in our award winning healthcare program.  The choice is yours.

Book a call with us, or call us on 1300 614 814 to explore your options.

No, you do not need a formal diagnosis or a referral before booking an appointment with our practitioners. Many patients come to us with symptoms but without a clear label. Our role is to assess patterns, review your history, and determine appropriate next steps.

No, our functional medicine practitioners are not doctors so they don't prescribe pharmaceutical medication or hormones like MRT. Rather, they use evidence based lifestyle protocols and prescribe practitioner grade supplements, therapeutics and herbs.

The functional medicine practitioners at MFM are qualified and highly experienced naturopaths and clinical nutritionists.  Read more about their qualifications and experience here.

Healthcare is deeply personal, and what works for one person may not work the same for another. We provide a deeply investigative, personalised approach, thoughtfully tailored to best suit your health picture and health goals, and as such, it is difficult to reduce our success rates to a single statistic. To learn more about the kinds of results we help patients achieve, you can check out our patient success stories, and Google reviews.

Yes. Phone or video consultations are available for those unable to make it to the clinic due to location, time or illness. Simply let us know when you’re booking in, and we’ll organise that for you.

Yes, we work with patients worldwide via telehealth. Please note that managing international logistics - such as lab testing and supplement delivery - can sometimes result in delays. We do our best to minimise these where possible.

At our functional medicine clinic in Melbourne, we work with people experiencing a wide range of chronic conditions - from thyroid dysfunction and gut health issues to autoimmunity, skin problems, hormonal imbalances, and more. Our investigative, whole-person approach is ideal for complex or unresolved health concerns that haven’t improved with conventional care.

Common concerns we support include:

• Thyroid and hormonal imbalances
• Digestive issues like IBS, SIBO, and food intolerances
• Autoimmune diseases
• Acne, eczema, and other skin conditions
• Fatigue, sleep issues, and mood changes
• Cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction
• Children’s health conditions

Whether your symptoms are new or long-standing, Melbourne Functional Medicine offers the expertise, time, and personalised care to help you work toward lasting improvements.

Yes, our functional medicine practitioners Rebecca Hughes and Nina Crawford work with children and adolescents. We’ve had the privilege of supporting many children and their families through health journeys, witnessing incredible transformations. From resolving chronic issues to improving overall well-being, we’ve seen children go from struggling to thriving, laying the foundation for a brighter and healthier future.

Every success story is a testament to the power of personalised care, and a reminder of the lasting impact of good health in the early stages of life.

Our clinic hours are:

9:00am – 5:00pm Monday to Thursday

However, you can reach us outside of those hours via phone or email.

186 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Telehealth appointments are also available for those who can't make it to our clinic.

A functional medicine practitioner is trained in the functional medicine approach, which looks at the root causes of health concerns and uses personalised strategies to support long-term wellbeing. People from many professional backgrounds may choose to study functional medicine, from naturopaths and nutritionists to medical practitioners like doctors, nurses, and chiropractors. Here at our clinic, our functional medicine practitioners are qualified naturopaths or clinical nutritionists, with additional training in the functional medicine approach, they are not medical doctors.

In Australia, naturopaths and functional medicine practitioners are not the same, although there can be some overlap.

• Naturopaths focus on using natural therapies such as herbal medicine, nutrients, and lifestyle advice. Training can vary, from Diplomas through to Bachelor of Science degrees
• Clinical nutritionists have the same training as Naturopathy up until the last year.  Naturopathy branches off into herbs but nutrition branches off to food, you might find clinical nutritionists focus more on food before herbs. Both clinicians focus on integrated body systems and nutritional biochemistry.
• Functional medicine practitioners (which can include naturopaths or clinical nutritionists with additional training) use a systems-based approach, looking for root causes of illness and often using advanced tools such as functional pathology testing to guide care
• Functional medicine doctors are usually medical doctors who have completed further training in functional medicine. Unlike naturopaths, they can prescribe medications and order routine pathology tests, though their use of natural or conventional treatments depends on their training and approach

At Melbourne Functional Medicine, our practitioners are trained in the functional medicine model. This means we combine evidence-based natural therapies with advanced functional testing and, importantly, pair every client with both a practitioner and a health coach. This collaborative model gives you both the clinical insight and the step-by-step support to make lasting, meaningful changes to your health.

If you’re a GP or naturopath and want to be a functional medicine practitioner, find out how to become a functional medicine practitioner.

While our practitioners are not general practitioners (GPs) and cannot prescribe medication, they offer a complementary approach to conventional care.

GPs typically focus on diagnosis and prescribing, often within short appointments. In contrast, our practitioners take a functional medicine approach – spending more time with patients to understand the root causes of health issues, rather than just treating symptoms. Our practitioners use a combination of advanced testing (when needed), targeted dietary and lifestyle interventions, and natural therapies like nutritional and herbal supplements. Their focus is on supporting the body’s systems, such as digestive, hormonal, and immune health, to promote longterm healing. They also consider factors like stress, sleep, and environmental influences that may be affecting your health. Importantly, they often work in collaboration with GPs to ensure your care is safe, coordinated, and combines the best of both conventional and integrative medicine.

We understand that finding the right practitioner is key to your healthcare journey. Our approach is personalised, and our team consists of highly skilled practitioners with broad experience across a range of health conditions, along with key special areas of interest.

Take a look at each practitioner profile to get a sense of who’d be the right fit for you. If you’re managing unexplained symptoms or a condition that’s not listed, we still may be able to help.

To get help deciding, please call us on 1300 614 814 or book a discovery call, you’ll either speak with our friendly reception team or one of our health coaches. We’ll ask you a series of questions to understand your health goals and challenges. Based on this information, we’ll recommend a practitioner who has the most relevant experience in the areas you’re looking to address, to help you get you the best possible results.

Our practitioners are highly qualified functional medicine-trained naturopaths with a strong academic and clinical background. They have:

• A minimum of 10 years’ clinical experience, with most having worked in healthcare for over 20–30 years
• A Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) or equivalent
• Formal training in functional medicine, a systems-based approach to addressing root causes of illness
• Experience in teaching at tertiary level, including institutions like Endeavour College and Torrens University

This depth of knowledge and experience allows them to confidently manage chronic health conditions with evidence-based natural therapies.

Our practitioners follow a functional medicine approach – meaning they take time to understand the whole picture, not just your symptoms. This includes:

• Exploration of your health history, lifestyle, diet, environment, and more
• Use of advanced testing (where needed) to help uncover the root causes of your health concerns
• A personalised plan involving dietary changes, nutritional and herbal supplements, and lifestyle strategies
• Ongoing guidance and refinement of your treatment plan over time.

They work with patients over the long term – not only to address the issue that brought you in, but to support your overall health and wellbeing as your needs evolve. This long-term, partnership-based care is central to how they practise.

While they aren’t medical doctors, our practitioners often collaborate with GPs to ensure your care is safe, coordinated, and combines the best of both conventional and integrative approaches.

You can book directly through our website, no referral or existing patient status required. Simply choose a time that suits you on our booking page.

Most people already know what to do for their health. The harder part is doing it consistently, especially with habits around food, sleep and stress that run on autopilot. Health coaches specialise in behaviour change and help close that gap between knowing and doing.

Coaching can stand on its own or work alongside a treatment plan. If you're already working with a practitioner, they set the clinical direction: what to test for, what to change, and why, while your coach helps you put that plan into practice at a realistic pace. If you're not yet a patient, you can start with a coach directly to begin making practical health changes without waiting to begin clinical care. 

We include coaching because patients who have this support tend to stay on track for longer and get more out of their treatment.

A good sign is your track record with past change. If you've worked with practitioners before, started strong with lifestyle changes and supplements, and then adherence dropped off, coaching is likely to help. 

It's one thing to introduce a change, and quite another to stick with it. This is exactly the gap coaching is designed to close.

Our coaches work with people who:

• Are not yet patients at Melbourne Functional Medicine, but want to get started with practical change
• Are existing patients working with a practitioner, whether they are just starting care or navigating a tricky aspect of their current treatment plan
• Have completed our healthcare program and want continued guidance to stay on track

Your practitioner sets the clinical direction: diagnosis, testing, treatment plan.

Your health coach helps you live it, turning that plan into daily habits and helping you through the practical and emotional side of change.

Not like a coach. Your practitioner will guide you towards your best clinical treatment plan. In reality, they seldom have enough time to explore how you might implement your plan. Practitioners haven't had the same training as a coach. While they are well suited to that clinical role, a coach is your best fit for change.

Yes. We hear this a lot and for some people, it's correct. For many people who do change well, coaching still adds value, just in a different way, through extra support with resources, continuity of care and advocacy. 

No. Your practitioner will establish your treatment plan. Your coach is there to make sure you have the resources, understand the plan, and can see what habits might get in the way.. Coaching is more listening than telling because there is nothing more powerful than you coming up with your own answer. What's often missing isn't advice, it's the right questions to get you there.

Our health coaches meet the training requirements of HCANZA (Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association).

All our coaches are highly experienced working in a healthcare setting, and in addition have firsthand experience navigating their own health challenges. This gives them a deep sense of empathy and understanding for what it’s like to make real changes to diet, lifestyle, and habits.

They bring both clinical experience and personal insight to every coaching relationship.

Health coaching isn't covered by Medicare, as it sits outside the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Some private health funds may offer rebates for health coaching under extras/allied health cover, so it's worth checking your policy directly. Some employers may offer reimbursement for health coaching under continuous improvement policies and staff benefits, check with your employer directly

No referral is needed, you can book a health coaching session directly, whether or not you're already a patient at Melbourne Functional Medicine. 

Additional costs may include laboratory testing or supplements, depending on your needs. 

Your practitioner will discuss the costs for any tests or supplements they recommend in your sessions.

You also have the option to work with a health coach, of which sessions are charged separately to appointments with your practitioner.

The cost of your care will depend on the number of appointments with your practitioner, if you choose to add a health coach and the cost of testing and supplementation.

Every care journey is bespoke based on your case and your needs.  At your initial appointment your practitioner can provide an indication of likely timeframes and next steps.

Many patients find that covering care within set amounts of time within the program provides the freedom of accessing appointments as and when needed with both their coach and practitioner.

Functional medicine is not yet covered, however naturopathy is eligible for private health insurance rebates in Australia following recent legislative changes. Inclusion, benefit levels, and availability are determined by individual insurers. Not all policies will automatically include naturopathy, and rebate amounts may vary. We recommend reviewing your insurer’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or contacting your health fund directly to confirm your level of cover and eligibility

Appointment fees for new patients are paid at the time of booking.

Any supplements or lab testing will be charged separately and paid once you have approved your invoice.

Optional healthcare program

The program fee is payable upon signing up to our program, with a payment plan option to split the payment into monthly instalments. 

Most of the functional testing we initiate, seeks to understand how pathways or systems in the body function. These tests are typically more in-depth and comprehensive than you would’ve encountered before.

We sometimes request standard blood chemistry from your GP for more basic tests, and if we need to go more in-depth, such as looking at microbiome health or food sensitivities, we use the world’s leading labs:

Precision Analytical
Genova Diagnostics
KBMO
NutriPath
Microba Labs
Mosaic Diagnostics

Many of these labs are overseas, so test results can take a few weeks to come back.

Read our article on functional testing here.

Unfortunately, Medicare pays for conventional medical tests, many of which we find don’t give a clear enough window into your health. The tests we order are different from conventional tests you’ve likely experienced and found to be unhelpful before finding us. GPs, unless they’re functional medicine trained, are only trained in interpreting standard tests that look for pathologies (disease) rather than looking purely at assessing the function of pathways or systems.

The functional pathology tests that we use can identify predisease states and look at other determining factors that contribute to health symptoms and diseases. Learning about and interpreting the latest functional pathology tests takes years of functional medicine training and involves continued education as new scientific insights arise.

Since these labs are privately billed, we aim to strike a balance between getting a clear picture of your health and keeping costs reasonable for you. So the number of tests we run will vary from person to person.

Functional testing is practitioner order only and carefully selected based on your health presentation. If you are unsure, we recommend starting with an initial appointment.

To see some of the popular functional tests, see this web page about advanced health testing. 

No. The healthcare program is an optional upgrade.

The program works best for people who are ready to commit to a sustained period of intentional care. It is a comprehensive, supported process that requires your engagement alongside ours. It tends to be the right choice if:

•  You have not got results previously and your symptoms are continuing to impact your life
• You have a diagnosis or complex health picture that deserves more than episodic appointmentsYou know what you need to change but find it difficult to stay the course without structure and accountability
• You want to go deeper than you have gone before, with a team that has the time and expertise to match
• You want the best level of care available, and a team that is genuinely invested in your outcomesYou are ready to take a more active role in your health and do what it takes to change

No, but it’s up to you. Some patients find the investigative phase when functional lab testing is being completed to be quite intense and highly value the support of their health coach in alignment with their practitioner. There can also be cases where more time is required with your practitioner early on in your journey - some patients appreciate that being bundled into the program investment. 

Other patients prefer to wait until their testing is back before getting a more complete lay of the land when it comes to their health picture before entering the program.

If you are not completing testing but feel aligned with any of the points on the FAQ above, it could be worth considering the program or at least having a discussion with us about how it could benefit you.

Whilst we can offer a program pause, it may be wise to discuss timing with us if you’re:

•       about to have any major surgery
•       about to travel for any extended period of time
•       needing to take some time to feel like financially you are in the right place
•       undergoing a treatment that may in some way prevent us from being able to support you

When accessing coaching outside of the program, your coach will be focussed on helping you move forward with behaviour and habit change as you direct and identify. Coaching is patient-led.

Coaching during the program is far more integrated with your practitioner. When in program:

•       Your coach and practitioner meet regularly behind the scenes to keep your case moving forward
•       Your coach will keep you accountable specifically in alignment with your treatment plan
•       Coaching is practitioner and patient-led. The difference is the highly integrated approach

Of course, in addition, your program is inclusive of as many appointments needed with your practitioner. Both your coach and your practitioner work on your case in between appointments – this is the invisible work you don’t see but you benefit from.

Healing isn’t linear and all humans are different from each other. We rely heavily on our practitioner team’s experience here, knowing that there will be outliers from time to time.

We aim to manage healing timelines proactively to ensure that your health goals are achievable within the program. Our practitioners assess your progress from the outset, and if tests reveal greater complexity or if challenges arise in implementing your plan, we’ll discuss whether additional support is needed early on.

We also like to be clear that a timeframe program isn’t a magic solution - many times we continue to support patients beyond their program timeline, but by that stage:

•       The complex investigations are done
•       The difficult change has been made
•       The main concerns are somewhat/mostly resolved or we are underway with addressing the root cause/s

The program is about being able to support you while we do the ‘heavy lifting’ - making the tricky change while you’ve got plenty of support.