Nourish the Mind
Nutrition for Mental Health Event

With Patrick Holford & Expert Panel

Join us for an inspiring half-day live and online event, exploring the powerful intersection of nutrition and mental health from a naturopathic perspective. We’re honoured to welcome the UK’s best-known nutritionist, Patrick Holford (author of 45+ books), as our keynote speaker.

Booking
Price: £59.00 - early bird £49.00 (book before 13/01/26)
Date: 9 March
Time: 1pm – 6pm GMT
Booking: Please click here to book 
Format: In-Person or Zoom
Recordings: Available to stream for 30 days
CPD: 4 Credits with certificate of attendance 

Keynote by Patrick Holford BSc, DipION, FBANT, NTCRP
Patrick Holford has been a pioneering force in nutritional therapy since the 1980s—founding the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, writing more than 45 books translated into over 30 languages, and co-founding the Food for the Brain Foundation. His work focuses strongly on nutrition’s role in brain health, mood and mental wellness. His session, titled “Alzheimer’s-Prevention is the Cure”, will bring cutting-edge insight into how nutritional approaches can support brain resilience and emotional wellbeing in the longer term.

Mary Sharma ND, DN Med, Dip Homotox (Hons), DIridol, MGNI
Mary is a leading naturopath with more than 30 years of clinical and teaching experience. She bridges traditional medicine with the latest research in nutrition, mind–body health and psychoneuroimmunology, offering a truly holistic approach to supporting emotional balance and wellbeing.

Karen Carman BSc (Hons), DNN, Dip C.Nut, Dip A.E.T, Dip CNM, S.A.C. Dip, MBCMA
Karen is an experienced clinician and educator specialising in hormonal health, metabolism and the nutritional foundations of emotional resilience. Her work empowers individuals to understand their biochemistry and make sustainable lifestyle changes that support mental and physical vitality.

Sarah Hanratty BSc.N.Med, MScPHN, mCMA
Sarah works at the forefront of the gut–brain connection, supporting both adults and children through personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes. Her approach focuses on rebuilding digestive health and regulating the nervous system to enhance mood, clarity and emotional wellbeing.

Our expert panel of nutritionists will share evidence-informed insights, case studies and actionable recommendations covering mood support, stress resilience, brain health, hormonal and metabolic influences, and more. With both in-person attendance (capacity 70) and full online streaming via Zoom, you can join us from wherever you are.

This event is open to nutritionists, students and the public. Designed for nutritionists and students who want to deepen their understanding of how diet and nutrient-based strategies can support mental health in practice, and for members of the public seeking practical dietary advice to improve their own emotional wellbeing or support loved ones.
 
Whether you are looking to expand your professional toolkit, or you simply want to learn how to harness nutrition for mental wellness in everyday life, this event offers rich content, engaging discussion, and practical take-aways. 
 
Timetable
13.00 - 13.15 Opening welcome
13.15 - 14.00 Sarah Hanratty - TBC
14.00 - 14.45 Karen Carman - TBC
14.45 - 15.15 Break (30 min social)
15.15 - 16.15 Mary Sharma - Naturopathic approaches to Mental Health
16.15 - 16.30 Break (15 min)
16.30 - 18.00 Patrick Holford - Alzheimer’s: Prevention is the Cure
18.00 - 18.05 Closing thank you
 
Venue
Held at Hawkwood (a beautiful 19th Century country house is set in 42 acres) in the main hall (capacity for 70), with a relaxed, collegiate atmosphere. It will also be simultaneously streamed live via Zoom for remote participants.

Who should attend?
Nutritionists and nutritional therapy students looking to enhance their practices with mental-health-focused content.
Members of the public wanting clear dietary and nutrient strategies to support mental and emotional wellbeing for themselves or loved ones.

Teachers biographies 

Patrick Holford BSc, DipION, FBANT, NTCRP
Patrick  is a leading figure in nutritional medicine, known for pioneering the field of optimum nutrition. After founding the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) in 1984, he helped establish nutritional therapy as a recognised profession. Patrick has written over 45 books, including the best-selling Optimum Nutrition Bible, and has long championed the role of nutrients in mental health, brain function and disease prevention. He founded the Food for the Brain Foundation and has collaborated with leading researchers on homocysteine and dementia. Passionate about empowering individuals to improve their health, Patrick continues to teach, research and inspire through his writing, talks and educational initiatives.

Mary Sharma ND, DN Med, Dip Homotox (Hons), DIridol, MGNI
Mary has explored natural medicine since her teens, training in Nutritional Therapy, Naturopathy, Allergy Therapy, Homotoxicology, Iridology, Ayurveda, Tibetan Medicine and Unani Medicine. She is particularly interested in the connections between the endocrine, immune and nervous systems. Mary runs a busy clinical practice in Stroud, teaches widely, and authored the School of Health’s Naturopathy Course. Passionate about enabling students to think holistically and confidently, she supports them in becoming reflective, capable practitioners. Mary loves the way traditional naturopathic wisdom aligns with modern research. At home she enjoys time with her three adult children, three grandchildren and her much-loved cats.

Karen Carman BSc (Hons), DNN, Dip C.Nut, Dip A.E.T, Dip CNM, S.A.C. Dip, MBCMA
Karen began her journey into natural health in her teens, training in Kinesiology, Reiki and Dowsing before moving into Speech and Language Therapy. Following her own diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and PCOS, she retrained as a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist, developing a special interest in women’s hormonal health. Karen now runs a busy clinic in Monmouth and has extensive experience supporting both adults and children, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She teaches and tutors Nutritional Therapy and Anatomy & Physiology for the School of Health, where she feels privileged to nurture students’ confidence and skill. Outside work, Karen enjoys family life, animals, the outdoors and scuba diving.

Sarah Hanratty BSc.N.Med, MScPHN, mCMA
Sarah is a Nutritional Therapist with a special interest in the relationship between gut health and mental wellbeing. She runs the Nutrition and Brain Food Clinic in Birmingham, supporting adults and children to improve health through tailored nutritional programmes. With a background in health research at the Institute of Psychiatry and King’s College London, Sarah combines scientific understanding with practical naturopathic principles. She is also an experienced GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) practitioner. She teaches and tutors Nutritional Therapy and Anatomy & Physiology for the School of Health. Sarah loves guiding students as they gain confidence and insight, especially when they experience those “lightbulb moments.” She lives in the West Midlands with her family and also helps raise guide dog puppies.