A little bit about Dr Khush Mark PhD, founder and principal of the New School of Nutritional Medicine.
Hey I am Khush (in punjabi and hindi Khush means happy)
So when people say Dr Khush, I say 'Just call me Happy ;) All joking aside...let's start again. Hi, I am Khush and I am a mother to two boys, who are now ages 16yr and 19yr. I am married to D.J Mark who is psychotherapist and a life coach amongst being a dad, husband and other many wonderful things. But this is about me, so let's not get side tracked. ;) I do want to add we also have an adorable miniature labradoodle named Ravi who sometimes decides to join me on my zoom sessions.
My Educational Background
I have a BSc, MSc, MS and a PhD and because that was not enough I then gained a Licentiate in Homeopathy. It is quite a list but there is a reason to the academic madness, which led to the birth of The New School of Nutritional Medicine.
BSc in Pharmacology and Biochemistry
My very first degree was in the study of the body (anatomy and physiology) and the study of how drugs interact in the body, their toxicity, their half-life, their pharmacology, and the science called biochemistry. There was also pathology, as it would not make sense to learn about drugs not know about the dis-ease right?
During my 4 year BSc, I worked for a pharmaceutical company in France and this is where I decided I want to ‘grow up to be a cancer research scientist'. Well, that was what I thought.
Masters in Toxicology and Pathology
This first degree led me down the road of toxicology and pathology. WHY? Because I learned in my first degree about the toxic effects of medications, and how the body detoxifies/metabolises these 'toxins'. If we go over a certain limit with medications, then we start to see the drug side effects which can lead to a poor quality of life, leading to more medications for the side effects of the previous medication, and in some cases developing dis-eases such as asthma, eczema, auto-immune conditions, cancer, chronic fatigue etc.
Most conditions usually start with an acute or acutes being mis-handled.
PhD in Oncology/Cancer at Kings College, London
Then this Masters led me into a field that I was convinced was not only my last stint at being a student but also the end result of a high toxic burden called cancer…a pathology of sorts due to medications, environment, life style etc…So I began my PhD in cancer research. I was ‘overworked’ spent 4 years in a laboratory growing cells, experimenting, analyzing DNA samples for specific genetic mutations, monitoring the growth of tumours, testing various drugs. There was plenty of blood, sweat and tears, ...which were all mine BTW. Whilst writing up my PhD thesis I discovered Dr. Nicholas Gonzales, who was working on exactly the same subtype of cancer but he was using naturopathic approaches with his patients and the results were much more impressive than the 'remove and chemotherapy' approach.. From then on my interest into 'alternative medicine' was sparked.
Post Doctoral at the Royal Free, London
On completing my PhD, I worked as a research scientist in the field of leukemia. It was not easy, as my heart was already in preventative medicine and HEALING. As 'luck would have it' I had been 'eyeing up' a course in the USA at the University of Bridgeport School of Naturopathic Medicine and my husband was offered a work position in New York and we jumped at the chance. Opportunities like this do not come along everyday right? Well so I thought then, but actually they do come along.
University of Bridgeport School of Naturopathic Medicine
In the USA, I completed my studies at the University of Bridgeport. I have to add here, I loved every single moment, I think I spent most of my lectures with my jaw on the floor. How did I not learn about the Kreb's cycle in relation to B vitamins during my previous studies in the UK? I must have covered the Kreb's cycle so many times in each degree. How did I not learn about the toxic elements in some of the medications and our food that impact the mitochondria? How on earth can one go through all this education and miss all this? But no time to look back, better late than never.
I started my first practice in Manhattan, Upper West side in 2001 and then eventually moved back to London, pregnant with my first child. In 2002, I set up my practice in Harley St, London and Notting Hill, London with a psychotherapist. Along side running my practices, I was approached to teach at various Nutrition Colleges. I soon realised that I loved teaching and and the students were just like me, 'hungry for knowledge and I would catch some of them with that look, as if their jaws were on the floor'. it is contagious, be warned.
Licentiate in Homeopathy, London.
My firstborn, who arrived earth-side in 2003 introduced me to homeopathy. I qualified as a homeopath in 2009. This was my last serious 'sit down', assignment-based formal education, no really! Whilst studying homeopathy, my second born arrived in 2006. I juggled motherhood, clinic, studying and teaching and continue to love the life-long on-going informal learning.
The New School of Nutritional Medicine
Nope, this is not another school I went to study at, but a school that others come to learn set up by Dr. Happy (aka Khush). Having been in practice for 22 years, including teaching through 20 of those years and supervising students, 9spot the greys on the left). I was seeing some 'missing gaps' in the education and training of practitioners in the naturopathic disciplines. 'What would I do differently now, if I was to study again to qualify in nutritional medicine?' Well I would definitely sort my self out as much as is possible. A good practitioner I believe has to do their own 'inner work', otherwise there is lots of 'weird-ness, burnout, 'not good enough' and 'comparison-itis' that goes on in this industry, and in some circles there is the 'Guru' mentality. Believe you me, I am Indian, we love a Guru. So we have a 'hands-on', compassionate, fun and relevant coaching curriculum of which the first year is all about the 'inner coaching'.
I could/can see students studying hard, paying fees, and then 'dropping out' just as the studies got a bit 'tough' and/or their 'own stuff' starts to surface. I saw and still see graduates closing their practices after a few years having tried to build one. Why was this happening and why is it still happening? I believe this is partly happening due to:
- lack of 'self belief'
- schools not teaching on how to build a 'authentic' practice ..be yourself everyone else is taken (ok, I took that from somewhere and I can't remember where)
- un-inspiring teaching
- an out-dated curriculum
- a boring curriculum
- lack of 'inner work', our own 'inner coaching' as I like to call it
- schools running like businesses, we are in the healing arts, this means compassion, nurture, self love too...so let's focus on the vision.
The vision of the School is to raise 21st practitioners with the most relevant, key skills in nutritional medicine (that is naturopathic at it's core), in coaching and in Rapid Relief Homeopathy. AND AND...we want to see these practitioners on every street corner seeing people heal, educating people about true healing, giving a space for people to be heard, to inspire people to take control of their own healing.
And those who choose to study for their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of their family and friends, I want 'their people' healing and empowered.
Can you imagine, healed people that are medication free and vibrant? I can.
I leaned the above the hard way, I do not want a school that is a business, I want a place where students come and learn about themselves as they learn about the wonders of nutritional medicine, the wonders of Rapid Relief Homeopathy, the wonders of connecting with a like-minded community and making some life-long friends that are 'get you'.
If we cannot look after ourselves, how can we be in the healing profession? How can we coach/support/inspire others to look after themselves? 'Burnout' is common in the 'alternative' healing profession, loneliness is common in the 'alternative' healing profession, 'not good-enough' is common in the 'healing profession', 'I will never know enough' is common in the 'alternative' healing profession. Seeing and experiencing all this, I wanted something different, a school that ensures the students are invested in their own wellbeing and healing whilst they are also training to be 'healers'. And the New School of Nutritional Medicine was birthed.
With a great team by my side, we have put together a 21st century 'savvy' integrated nutrition medicine diploma course (Nutritional Medicine, Life coaching and Rapid Relief Homeopathy). I am excited, I can already see the difference in the energy and vibe of the students. This is the first school of it's type.
For more information about the New School, feel free to read our blogs, and/or download the syllabus to get a sense of the School.
This 21st century is a new vibe, a different energy..education has and continues to change.
In a world where you can learn more from a 15 minute YouTube video than an hour lesson on anatomy and physiology, in a world, where people now have more than one skill, in a world where education has changed, why not a new school that takes this into consideration? Why spend 3 years or even 4 years when you can do it in 2 years in the 21st century? Why pay more? Why not use 21st century tools? Yes, it is hard works, yes it is fun, yes it requires some passion and 'gusto' but it is possible. The real learning happens once you the student clinics and in that consultation room.
But let's keep this real
This two year part time integrated nutrition medicine course is not a part time 3 year nutrition course, a part time 4 year homeopathy course or a 1 year coaching course combined into two years. This part time 2 year diploma course has combined the most vital, fundamental core aspects of health and wellbeing focusing on 21st century issues, such as auto-immune conditions, metabolic conditions such as diabetes, cardio-vascular dis-ease, mitochondrial dis-ease, toxicity issues like mould and medications, stress, anxiety, overwhelm and dis-connection (to name a few of the topics).
Keeping it naturopathic
I believe there are not enough INTEGRATED naturopathic nutrition schools. True naturopathy is an art and science that is dying as the 'natural medicine world' seems to be focusing on supplements and 'quick fixes', tests that are interpreted from a reductionist viewpoint of the body. I wanted a school that is more naturopathic, this means teaching naturopathic methods along side the nutrition science, along side the life-coaching along side the Rapid Relief Homeopathy. I know it works, I have seen this working in practice for the last two decades. I am excited and so is the team. I want to see integrated naturopathic practitioners on every street corner who will see people heal, learn, be heard, be inspired to take control of their own healing. This is not just about a diet, some pills, some homeopathic remedies, this is about the WHOLE person, the client-practitioner exchange plays a VITAL role.
Want to join us? ...Then have a read of some of the blogs to get more of the 'vibe and energy' of the School. We also have open days from March onwards where you can come and sit in for yourself and decide.
Check out some of our blogs below:
If you have any questions about the diploma course drop us an email we look forward to hearing from you.
TO WHOLE-ness
From Happy and the Team!