Australian College of Environmental Studies

18/07/2025

In Loving Memory: Katina Benis
With profound sadness, I share the loss of my best friend and colleague, Katina Benis. Although she stood under five feet tall, her presence lit up every room, radiating wisdom, warmth, and serenity far beyond her physical form.

Our meeting was touched by fate, a real sliding door moment if ever there was one. In May 1999, Katina phoned to enquire about feng shui training. She told me she’d found the college brochure in a phone booth at Daimaru (Melbourne Central). I remember that day vividly—I’d left the brochure there during my lunch break, twice going back to pick it up, only to feel a strange sense that I should leave it for the right person. Weeks later, Katina rang and mentioned we’d already crossed paths: I’d been her nutrition lecturer at Melbourne College of Natural Medicine (now Endeavour). When we finally reconnected, it was instantly clear—we were soul mates on a shared path. This bond went beyond time and space, and it gives me comfort to think I’ll see her again in the next journey.

Despite having no formal teaching experience, Katina’s journey as an educator at the college began with some gentle encouragement—and a quiet confidence in her hidden talents. She was initially reluctant to step into the role, but once she agreed, she took to teaching like a duck to water. Her natural warmth, generosity, passion and depth of knowledge shone through from the very start. That leap of faith soon became one of her greatest strengths, as she empowered countless students with her wisdom and genuine care.

Katina was so much more than a passionate feng shui teacher. She was a mentor, a guiding light, and a master of the sacred traditions she explored with so much dedication. Her boundless curiosity, depth of knowledge, and generosity defined her work—not just transforming spaces, but uplifting every soul she met. Whether through feng shui, space clearing, Egyptian temple healing or simply lending a compassionate ear, Katina turned every interaction into something sacred.

What truly set Katina apart was her extraordinary ability to bring calm. She could soothe and ground those around her (especially me), bringing peace in times of uncertainty. Her wisdom and mischievous sense of humour often had me in stitches, and her deep compassion endeared her to students, colleagues, and friends across the board.

The tributes from our community these past days speak to the lasting mark she left on so many. The gratitude and stories shared on this page are a testament to how she created safe, nurturing spaces for transformation.

Katina, your legacy endures in every home, heart, and space you touched. Now that you journey beyond this realm, your wisdom and kindness remain a beacon for us all. To everyone who loved her, thank you for your tributes and cherished memories. Let us honour Katina not just in words, but through daily acts of kindness and care, and think of her next time you light a candle, or space clear your home.

Rest peacefully, dear friend. The world is forever brighter for your presence among us.

A Celebration of Life Party will be held for Katina on Friday evening (22 August) in Ringwood. Contact [email protected] for details.

Her funeral will take place this Monday 20th at St Andrews Greek Orthodox Church, 201 Mahoneys Rd, Forest Hill at 11.30am. Allan has requested you wear something with purple in it.

16/07/2025

Allan (Katinas husband) and l will be holding a celebration of life party to honor and celebrate the life of Katina Benis on Friday 22 August in Ringwood. For more information click the link. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebration-of-life-katina-benis-tickets-1493527092739?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

Katina’s funeral will be held next Monday at 11.30am at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church, 201 Mahoneys Rd, in Forest Hill. Allan has requested that you wear something with purple in it (her favourite colour). Unfortunately l will not have the opportunity to speak at the funeral but look forward to seeing you there.

None

13/07/2025

Katina passed away at 3.28am last night. I’m too upset to post anything right now but will let you know details of the funeral when they become available.

13/07/2025

Many of you have been asking about Katina and how she’s been doing in her courageous fight against cancer. I wanted to share an update on behalf of her husband, Al.

Katina has shown incredible strength and determination throughout her journey (with brain cancer). Despite her unwavering spirit, her health has unfortunately declined, and she is now in an induced coma in hospital… the prognosis is very serious.

During this difficult time, Al and Katina would deeply appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and support. Please keep them both close in your hearts.

04/12/2024

Do you think you could be exposed to LEAD in your home. One of our building biology students is looking to assess an older home (pre 1980) in the Gold Coast region for lead as part of her training. Common sources of lead are lead paint, lead in soil (living in close proximity to heavy traffic), lead in drinking water (lead solder on copper or galv pipe, or lead in brass taps). Lead is a significant contributor to learning and behaviour disorders in children and cardiovascular… There are no costs to you (ACES will pay for testing on behalf of the student). For more information, contact Amanda [email protected]

05/11/2024

8 months ago, my dear friend and colleague Katina Benis was diagnosed with a Grade IV brain tumor. The news devastated all of us. Katina who has spent over 20 years teaching at ACES, has touched the lives of so many, with her beautiful and gentle demeanor and cheeky sense of humour! Despite the devastating news, Katina and Allan have shown incredible strength and determination in her fight against this disease, as she continues to defy the odds with her amazing spirit and perseverance.
Now, Katina needs our support more than ever. Please consider donating to help with her ongoing medical expenses and care. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference in Katina's journey.

On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, Katina Hamilton (nee Benis) was… Lama Johnson needs your support for Help Katina Beat Cancer - Support Her Life-Saving Treatment

29/10/2024

Today my study was published in a high end journal. The double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover study identified disturbing links between the radiation emitted from a WiFi enabled device (baby monitor) and sleep disturbances in healthy adults.
Key Findings:
• Participants exposed to the radiation from a baby monitor reported significantly reduced sleep quality compared to placebo exposure within 7 nights
• Almost 1/3 of participants scored above the threshold for risk of clinical insomnia during RF-EMF exposure
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) readings showed increased power density in higher frequency bands during Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep

I started the building biology industry in 1999 in Australia as a result of experiencing insomnia (and 10 miscarriages) shortly after moving into our home which appeared to be brought on by sleeping adjacent to the meter panel. Over the past two decades my graduates and I have witnessed many people with sleep disturbances with elevated electromagnetic field exposure (especially in their bedrooms). Sleep is the hallmark of health, and critical to every system of the body. I strongly encourage you to remove cell phones and WiFi enabled devices in the bedroom as a precaution.

The most common source of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) exposures during sleep includes digital devices, yet there are no studies investigating the impact of multi-night exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted from a baby monitor on sleep under real-world conditions in healthy adu...

13/08/2024

We are looking for a home in Sydney to conduct a Feng Shui assessment on Saturday 31st August (9am to 1pm). Small group of students with qualified trainer. There is no cost to you and the trainer will provide recommendations. Home must be within 30 mins drive from Sydney airport. More info: [email protected]

07/08/2024

Decade long Australian study involving 1770 children links elevated plastic (BPA) in mothers womb with a 6 fold increased likelihood of developing autism. The mechanism of action appears to disrupt the aromatase enzyme an important neurohormone that converts androgens into oestrogen. Bisphenols are a groups of potent hormone disrupters that are ubiquitous and found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.

07/08/2024

I recently presented at the ACNEM conference on the impact of environmental triggers on autoimmune disease. I explored the possibilities as to why the incidence is low in certain populations like the Amish community and certain regions in Russia and linked them to the hygiene and microflorahypothesis. The research suggests that bacterial diversity in the gut microbiome in the early years of life is likely to pay a major role and the use of antibioticsis early in life is contributing to immune dysregulated .

11/06/2024

I’m looking forward to my interview on Channel 9s TODAY Show this morning (8.10am). I never get tired of talking about mould.

30/04/2024

After 8 years (on and off), my PhD was approved (Environmental medicine and clinical practice. Exploring the impact of environmental exposures on chronic diseases and ramifications for general medical practice). It wasn’t just a PhD to me... it was the outcome of decades of research and culmination of my life's work investigating hazards in the built environment. My drive came from the frustrations working as a naturopath and acupuncturist and not getting results with patients with complex diseases, personal experience of 10 miscarriages, and twenty years investigating people’s home for mould, EMFs, allergens and chemicals. It was personal.

I knew this would be a difficult topic… exploring the impact of toxicants and manmade electromagnetic fields on human health, highlighting the inadequacies of medical practice and public health policy, and the limitations of ‘evidenced based medicine’ that has provided industry carte blanche to sell toxic products and Wi-Fi enabled devices at the cost of human health. Yet despite these revelations, Ive documented what needs to be done to assist clinicians to better recognise and diagnose patients impacted by environmental exposures and prevent medical gaslighting that continues to impact millions of citizens.
I’m humbled by the glowing feedback from the examiners who are global experts (Professors) in the field of environmental health:

“This is a brilliant thesis: comprehensive, rigorous, compelling, thoughtful, and meticulously researched and written. The thesis provides novel and significant contributions in the areas of environmental health and medicine, especially the nexus of environmental exposures (toxicants and non-ionising radiation) and public health. The thesis also offers specific findings, along with important recommendations, that have globally relevant implications for research and practice, and that ultimately can improve societal well-being. I am so delighted that I was asked to be an examiner, so that I had the opportunity to read this work. The publications from this thesis should be required reading for students, researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. Nicole is to be commended, as well as her supervisors. I look forward to more of her research and publications.”

“I find this thesis to be a product that reflects hard work and creative thinking, and I enthusiastically recommend that Ms Bijlsma be awarded a PhD. This work is a substantial, original and significant contribution to the field. The thesis is well written and extremely well referenced. The references are very well balanced, with studies reporting negative results given equal space to those reporting positive results. The review of the literature on health effects of EMF is one of the best I have seen anywhere, and clearly reflects intellectual independence in evaluating existing knowledge. The dissertation communicates very efficiently without being wordy or redundant, and forcefully and critically documents the large but controversial literature on EMFs. The sections on global regulation and risk assessment demonstrate an ability to integrate complex and conflicting data and lead to an overall conclusion based on the facts."

Id like to thank Dr Marc Cohen (Chief) for encouraging me to do a PhD, taking me under his wing and allowing me to follow my passion. A special thanks to the Jacka Foundation of Natural Therapies and RMIT for their scholarships without which l would not have been able to undertake this work. Thanks to my other supervisors who are experts in sleep research - Prof Russell Conduit who let me rave on for hours about my concern of Wi-Fi enabled technologies and Prof Gerard Kennedy for his encouragement and editing skills.

To all the doctors l interviewed who had the courage to think outside of the square, acknowledge the limitations of their own training, and dedicate years helping patients with environmental sensitivities often at the risk of losing their medical license (for spending too much time with their patients and using ‘alternative therapies'), you are my heroes.

The outcome of my research provides a bleak picture of the impact of environmental exposures on global health and sheds light on strategies to address these issues if we can get past the need to generate profits at the cost of human health. In short, the naturopathic principles I was taught in 1988 in my first year of naturopathy, focused on the basics: breathe clean air, ingest clean water, eat nutritious food free from chemicals, adopt a healthy lifestyle (sleep, exercise…) and find your tribe, have never been as important as they are today. Keep well.