Dr Janine Kirby
Integrative medical practitioner
Holistic Healthcare Expertise
Rooted in Compassion and Connection
Integrative medical care informed by four decades of multidisciplinary healthcare training & experience
Compassionate understanding opens the door to healing
It’s easy to become entangled in the story of illness and distress. But I am curious about you—not only your symptoms. What do you need to feel strong, centred, and grounded, even in the midst of difficulty?Modern medicine often separates the body from thoughts, emotions, and deeper questions of meaning. Physical symptoms are treated by medical professionals. Emotional, psychological, and social needs are addressed—if at all—in other spaces. But you are not a collection of parts. You are a whole person. Every aspect of your life—body, mind, emotions, relationships, history, and beliefs—interacts and influences the others.In integrative care, we honour these connections. Together, we listen deeply to the story behind the symptoms. We make sense of what is emerging, and co-create a path of care that is aligned with your needs, values, and sense of purpose.
Integrative medicine complements, deepens, and broadens the scope of healing.
It’s not about choosing one path over another, but about widening the lens of care.
Dr Janine Kirby
Integrative Medical Practitioner
MBChB (UCT)
DCH (SA) DipObst (SA)
MFamMed (Medunsa)
DipHom (SA) MFHom (UK)
I am an Integrative Medical Practitioner and Mindfulness Teacher based in East London, South Africa.
My background and training weaves together insights from many disciplines.After qualifying as a medical doctor, I pursued postgraduate diplomas in Child Health and Obstetrics, followed by a Masters degree in Family Medicine. I spent many years working in the public health sector, where I deepened my understanding of the complex needs of individuals and communities.Over time, my interest in a more holistic, patient-centred approach led me to found my own integrative practice. Alongside conventional medicine, I have trained in Homeopathy and Mindfulness-Based Interventions. My work has also included several years in palliative care, a field that continues to shape my understanding of healing, presence, and compassion.Since 2010, I have been teaching the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course in East London and now offer an online mindfulness program supporting healthcare professionals facing stress and burnout.I currently serve as:
Chairperson of the Institute for Mindfulness South Africa (IMISA), maintaining close ties with international mindfulness networks.
Board member of St Bernard’s Hospice, where I oversee the home-based nursing program.
Executive committee (Exco) member of the South African Society of Integrative Medicine (SASIM)
Board member of eamba (Earth Alliance of Mindfulness-based Associations)
My path continues to be shaped by a commitment to integrated, compassionate care, supporting people not just as patients, but as whole human beings.
Professional member of
Contact
I offer both online and in-person consultations. I am based in East London, South Africa. Get in touch to make an appointment.
Dr Janine Kirby
Integrative medical practitioner
Family Medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty focused on providing comprehensive health care for people of all ages—from newborns to the elderly. It is centered around long-term, continuous care and emphasizes preventive care, health education, and holistic treatment.
Whole-Person Care: Treats the patient as a whole—mind, body, and emotions—not just specific diseases.
Continuity of Care: Builds long-term relationships with patients and often entire families.
All Ages and Genders: Provides care to individuals across all stages of life.
Preventive Care: Focuses on preventing illness and promoting wellness.
Chronic and Acute Conditions: Manages a wide range of conditions—from colds and infections to diabetes and heart disease
Coordination: Coordinates care with other specialists when needed.
An essential aspect of the doctor-patient relationship is the role of the physician. In Family Medicine, doctors are encouraged to cultivate self-awareness—being mindful of their own behavioral patterns, emotional triggers, and any tendencies toward paternalism. This reflective approach helps foster a more respectful, empathetic, and patient-centered care experience.
Contact
I offer both online and in-person consultations. I am based in East London, South Africa. Get in touch to make an appointment.
Dr Janine Kirby
Integrative medical practitioner
Homeopathy
The principles of homeopathy are based on the following core ideas:
Like cures like (Similia similibus curentur): A substance that causes symptoms in healthy individuals can, in a highly diluted form, be used to treat similar symptoms in sick patients.
Minimal dose: Remedies are prepared in highly diluted forms, often to the point where no molecules of the original substance remain. The principle is that the more dilute the remedy, the more potent its healing effect, according to homeopathic theory.
Individualization: Treatment is tailored to each person, considering their unique physical, emotional, and mental state rather than just the disease label.
Holistic approach: The focus is on treating the whole person, not just the symptoms of a disease.
Vital force: The body's innate ability to heal itself is emphasized, and homeopathic remedies aim to stimulate this healing process.
These principles differentiate homeopathy from conventional medicine and reflect its philosophy of treating the person as a whole.
Contact
I offer both online and in-person consultations. I am based in East London, South Africa. Get in touch to make an appointment.
Dr Janine Kirby
Integrative medical practitioner
Mindfulness
Jon Kabat-Zinn was the creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Centre for Mindfulness at the University of Massachussetts Medical School where in 1979 he founded the 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR). This has spawned many different mindfulness Interventions.
Jon Kabt-Zinn defined mindfulness as " the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally".
He believed that mindfulness was a skill that could be cultivated through regular meditation and other mindful activities. Core practices include the body scan, mindful movement, awareness of breath (sitting meditation) and walking meditation.
The attitudes of mindfulness are non-judging, patience, beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, letting go, gratitude and generosity.
These lifelong activities nurture compassion and wisdom.
To find out more about Mindfulness in South Africa go to mindfulness.org.za
Contact
I offer both online and in-person consultations. I am based in East London, South Africa. Get in touch to make an appointment.
Dr Janine Kirby
Integrative medical practitioner
Palliative Care
Palliative care is a specialized approach to health care that focuses on improving the quality of life for people facing serious, life-limiting, or terminal illnesses. It is not about curing the disease, but rather about relieving suffering and supporting the whole person—physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
Key Elements of Palliative Care:
Relief from pain and other distressing symptoms
Affirming life, while recognizing dying as a natural process
Holistic and person-centered
Support for families and caregivers
Interdisciplinary teamwork
Can be provided alongside curative treatments or as standalone care
Ethical, culturally sensitive, and deeply compassionate
Palliative care is care that helps people live as well as possible, for as long as possible, when they are facing serious illness.
It brings comfort, connection, and support—whether someone is being treated for their illness or approaching the end of life.
Contact
I offer both online and in-person consultations. I am based in East London, South Africa. Get in touch to make an appointment.