Dr Giselle Cooke
Dr Cooke trained in Medicine at the University of NSW, graduating in 1979. She followed her degree with overseas training as a general practitioner in paediatrics (UK) and plastic surgery (Canada). Returning to Australia she completed her general practice training in Brisbane (Qld), Launceston (Tas) and Gloucester and Toukley(NSW).
Whilst working on the Central Coast she found Mr Denis Stewart, considered by some to be the father of herbal medicine in Australia, and asked him to train her in herbal medicine. After completing four years’ part-time study with Mr Stewart, Dr Cooke sought further training in nutritional medicine and spiritual psychology at the Nature Care College of Natural Therapies, then in Artarmon, NSW.
She also lectured the students at this college for twelve years in a variety of medical subjects.
In 1989 she opened a wholistic medical centre, Pymble Grove Health Centre, on Sydney upper north shore, comprising a large team of medical and complementary medicine practitioners. At that time it was a unique concept in comprehensive health care delivery and has grown steadily in strength and reputation since then to be one of the busiest and most established wholistic medical centres in Australasia. Dr Cooke consulted at the Pymble Grove Health Centre with eight GP and specialist medical, dental and complementary medicine colleagues until August 2003.
During this period Dr Cooke also lectured at Macquarie University at the School of Chiropractic, for the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and to various medical, nursing and other colleges on alternative medicine. She delivered public lectures throughout Australia and in Malaysia, and has delivered papers at numerous complementary medicine conferences in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Amongst her political activities Dr Cooke served on the executive of the Australian Complementary Medicine Association, was convenor of Health Network Australia and spokesperson for the Complementary Health Care Council. She has recently been appointed by the Federal Department of Health And Ageing’s Therapeutic Goods Administration as an expert to advise on the new Australian and New Zealand Joint Expert Committee on Complementary Medicines.
Giselle belongs to the oldest medical association in the country, the National Herbalists Association of Australia. She is a strong proponent for alternative health care choices ,hoping to one day make natural medicines more accessible and affordable for all Australians.
In 1999 Dr Cooke published her first book, “Blooming: Healthy Living for Women Over 40” (Lansdowne - reprinted in 2000) and was commissioned to write the companion volume for women under 4o when she embarked upon her current project. She was also medical editor of “The Complete Guide to Health & Wellbeing” (Lansdowne). Dr Cooke has been a regular contributor to natural health magazines, newspapers, television and radio talk back programs over the past eighteen years.
The Modern Apothecary has become her new passion. With the support of her partner, Yvan, photographer & IT consultant, her children Anna and Declan, her naturopaths – Stephanie ,Sakia, Gerard,Lisa and Tania- she hopes to bring the tradition of the European apothecary out of the renaissance into the twenty-first century, delivering the wisdom of natural medicine.