Kim Smailes’ lifelong dedication to natural healing began in the 1970s, when she spent three years studying Chinese Philosophy and Martial Arts, followed by another three years of Traditional Acupuncture at the International College of Oriental Medicine. During this time, she worked at the London University Bookshop, managing the Africa, Oriental, and Anthropology Department and sourcing textbooks for SOAS (School of African & Oriental Studies). While preparing her thesis in the British Museum Library, Kim was inspired by the work of renowned scholar Joseph Needham, whose Science and Civilisation in China series explored the ancient “Laws of Nature.” This sparked her enduring fascination with the Five Branches of Healing: Heliotherapy, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Tai Ch’i, and Chinese Food Therapy, principles she has spent her career exploring and sharing with her clients.
After returning to Australia, Kim founded The Women’s Healing Centre in Balmain in 1979. Seeking a deeper understanding of nature’s laws, she took a transformative year in the bush, learning to ride horses, build her own tipi, live off the land, and grow her own food. In 1982, she established her Bellingen practice, and in 1988, undertook a further two years of study in Chinese Herbs at the Australian College of Oriental Medicine in Brisbane.
Over the past 45 years, Kim has practised in a variety of settings, specialising primarily in women’s health. Today, she is delighted to be working alongside other allied health professionals in Coffs Harbour. She describes the atmosphere at The Promenade, by the river, as reminiscent of a welcoming Italian village, something she is proud to be part of.
