Hi, my name is Dr Jessica Nathan and I’m the founder of Kintsugi Holistic Health.

I completed my medical training in the Hunter New England area, before moving to Canberra in 2014 and undertaking specialty training in general practice. Throughout my career, and more so since achieving fellowship of the RACGP in 2017, I have nurtured special interests in mental health, and women’s and children’s health.

Since my first psychiatry rotation as a medical student, I remember a special affinity with mental health. I went on to complete two terms in inpatient adult mental health, and one in addiction medicine. As soon as I was able, I completed my mental health skills training with Black Dog Institute, and more recently received a scholarship to become a registered GP provider of focussed psychological strategies.

While working on the frontline of health in recent years, I witnessed the alarming rise in mental health issues, coupled with a system under pressure and in need of reform. In this time, I also noticed a shift towards volume-driven primary care, meaning more patients and less time. Given most mental health consults are long, this practice felt unsustainable. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Australians experience mental illness every year, and the majority of mental health services are delivered by GPs. In Canberra, the demand for all mental health services, is far exceeding access.

It is for these reasons that I made the decision to shift towards value-driven primary care and open Kintsugi Holistic Health, where my clinical role is exclusively in mental health. I aspire for Kintsugi to be a warm, safe space that fosters relief and hope. A space where every person gets the time they need and feels seen and heard. It represents a small piece in the bridge between mental health in the community, and in public and private services.

Because after all, sometimes in the process of repairing things that have broken, we can create something more unique, beautiful, and resilient.

Welcome to Kintsugi Holistic Health.