Frequently Asked Questions
All you need to know about Wellness Vision
Naturopathy is a holistic system of healthcare that supports the body's own healing capacity using natural therapies such as nutrition, herbal medicine, and lifestyle medicine. It considers the whole person, physical, emotional and environmental factors, and works to address the underlying contributors to illness rather than simply managing symptoms.
Functional medicine shares this root cause philosophy but adds a more structured, systems based and evidence driven framework for understanding how imbalances develop over time. It leans heavily on physiology, biochemistry and personalised testing to identify what's actually driving a concern.
At Wellness Vision we bring both together, combining the holistic foundations of naturopathy with the structured rigour of functional medicine, to deliver deeply personalised, targeted care.
Functional medicine is a way of practising that asks why a health concern has developed, not only what to call it. Rather than looking at symptoms in isolation, it explores how your body systems, digestion, hormones, immune function, detoxification and metabolism, influence one another. We utilise functional testing to find where things may have shifted. It's particularly useful when standard tests come back normal but you still don't feel right. Wellness Vision is currently Newcastle and the Hunter's only functional medicine and naturopathy clinic and these principles shape how we investigate every case.
Wellness Vision currently has two practitioners.
Jasmin Polley is the clinic founder, a functional medicine practitioner, naturopath and nutritionist with more than 23 years of clinical experience.
Alyssa Wisniewski is a functional medicine-trained clinical naturopath, completing a Masters in Advanced Naturopathic Medicine, with a focus on hormonal and reproductive health, thyroid and skin conditions.
Alyssa and Jasmin collaborate closely and regularly discuss cases together, so whichever practitioner you book with, you're often getting the benefit of two clinical minds.
When you book, you can choose the practitioner best suited to your concern, and if you're not sure, book a free discovery call here and we'll point you in the right direction.
No referral needed! You can book directly with us. We work alongside your GP and specialists to provide coordinated, integrative care.
Initial consultations are typically 60-90 minutes. We take the time to understand your full health history and build a treatment plan that's tailored to you. In person initial appointments often include QuadScan body composition testing, which gives us a baseline picture of your metabolic health to track progress against.
At your first consult, your practitioner takes a thorough health history covering your current concerns, medical background, medications, diet, sleep, stress and family history, and reviews any pathology or previous testing you bring along. You'll leave with an initial plan and, where it's useful, recommendations for further testing. Most plans start with foundational changes before moving into more targeted work, so it's a considered process rather than everything at once.
This question is tricky to answer as recommendations are individually tailored to every client. Some clients will require very little in the way of prescriptions, further testing or consultations, whilst other clients require more in-depth support to investigate the root cause of their health concerns.
Every client also has a different budget. Our practitioners are committed to getting you the best result, so they will provide optimal recommendations without making assumptions about what could be out of budget. They will however discuss each recommendation with you, explain their rationale and offer alternatives based on finances, taste preferences and lifestyle restrictions etc.
Absolutely. We never ask you to stop taking prescribed medications. We work collaboratively with your medical team to support your overall wellbeing.
Both Jasmin and Alyssa are experienced in ensuring that they do not prescribe any supplements that will interact with prescription medications. Furthermore, many prescribed medications can cause nutrient deficiencies which they can identify and correct.
We offer in-person, online (Zoom), and phone consultations. If you live in the Newcastle/Hunter area, we may suggest an in-clinic appointment or request that you see your GP for a physical assessment.
Appointment timing depends on your health goals and how you're progressing. Most clients are seen around two to four weeks after their initial consultation, with follow ups scheduled to suit your individual needs, and timing sometimes depends on waiting for test results. Your care plan is always tailored to you.
Yes - we can request pathology tests as well as a wide range of functional medicine tests (if required, however we do take cost into consideration). Comprehensive functional testing may include hormone panels, gut microbiome analysis, food sensitivity testing, DNA testing, and nutritional assessments.
Since we are not medical doctors, we do not qualify for Medicare rebates. We are happy to work as a team with your GP or specialists to ensure you get the best care, if they are open to this.
Many private health funds cover naturopathy and/or nutrition consultations with appropriate extras cover.
Please be aware that not all private health funds accept naturopath and/or nutrition claims, so it is important to check with your individual fund, or contact us for more information about which funds are claimable.
We can provide itemised invoices of your consultations with the appropriate insurer codes, so please let us know if you plan to claim.
Not necessarily. We prioritise food and lifestyle first as part of a root-cause approach, then use targeted supplements only where needed. Quality over quantity, always. The goal is never to keep you on a long list of supplements long-term.
Not at all. We see clients across all ages and life stages. If a client is under 18, we ask that they're accompanied by an adult so everyone understands the recommendations. Similarly, if a client has any difficulty with memory, hearing, understanding or concentration, we recommend bringing a support person along. Young children's consultations are seen by Jasmin, who has particular experience in paediatric care.
Neither Jasmin or Alyssa are medical doctors or primary-care physicians and encourage you to continue seeing your regular GP.
Jasmin has a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Functional Medicine and is classified in Australia as a naturopath and nutritionist.
Alyssa has a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy), AFMCP certification through the Institute for Functional Medicine, and is currently undertaking her Masters in Advanced Naturopathic Medicine.
Both practitioners are very happy to work alongside your doctor or specialist to ensure your best level of care. If your doctor is NOT open to functional medicine approaches, we can provide you a list of doctors that have been recommended by our clients as being open and supportive to working with us and to supporting their patients’ proactive health choices.
Our practitioners are also happy to discuss their approaches directly with your physician if they are open to this.
Please see our About page for more information on each of our practitioners.
Still have questions?
Sometimes it’s easier to just talk it through.
Book a free discovery call here and we’ll help you work out whether we’re the right fit for your health concerns.