Homeopathic appointments are very different from appointments with a medical doctor. You will have plenty of time, personal attention and long term support. Your appointment will not be in a sterile clinical atmosphere but rather a relaxing, comfortable, private environment.
Your first homeopathic consultation will last around two hours; I will listen to you carefully, and accurately take down all the details, which are so important to a homeopath. After the consultation, I will research your case, and I will prescribe your homeopathic treatment. I may not prescribe immediately. I may need some time to work on your case and prescribe a couple of days later.
Long Term Support
I encourage my patients to keep in contact with me by email, and let me know their progress in between appointments. In acute cases, I may talk to you every day for a while. I provide free support and repeat prescriptions if necessary until your next appointment. Your health is very important to me so I will keep the communication between you and I open while you are under my care.
Personal Attention
What will we talk about during your appointments?
I like to find out as much as possible about your main problem, the problem you are coming to me about. Expect to be listened to. A good homeopath is able not only to hear what you are saying, but truly listen and allow you the space to express what needs to be expressed.
I would like you to tell me all about what you are feeling, in detail. So for example if you were coming to me for headaches these are some of the questions I may ask you.
- Where in the head, face or neck is the pain?
- What sensation exactly do you feel – throbbing, burning, sharp or dull?
- How they begin and how they end.
- How long each one lasts.
- How long you have had them for.
- Any accompanying symptoms such as nausea or visual effects, and whether they are before, during or after the migraine.
- Any tests you have had.
- What treatments have you used, and how effective were they.
- What brings the headaches on: lack of sleep, perhaps, overwork, worry or certain foods.
- How is the headache affected by light, weather, heat, eating and drinking, sleep, time of day, movement or rest.
- I shall map the frequency, looking at seasons, days of the week, and for women, your hormone cycles.
I would make similar enquiries about other issues going on with your body.
In this way, I establish an accurate baseline, against which I can assess your treatment, and your progress. In other words, I need to know exactly how you feel now, in order to tell how the treatment affects you!
Next, I would like you to talk about every single other problem you have. I am interested in physical problems, emotional, etc. What ever is bothering you. Small details are important to homeopaths, as they may make the difference between choosing one remedy, over another.
I also like to hear about your response to the physical environment. Heat and cold, damp and storms, and the way you feel at different times of day or night
Your appetite is significant, and the state of your digestive system; also which foods you love or hate the most, and any sensitivities.
Your moods, and your relationship with other people, are very important. For children, the history of pregnancy, delivery and nursing are very useful. We shall cover how you sleep, what you dream about, your childhood background and your family’s medical history. I shall be interested in how you feel about work, school, and world affairs.
I do not diagnose medical problems. If you need a diagnosis, I encourage you to see a medical doctor. However a physical examination may be required depending upon your case, complaints, and personal history. A good classical homeopath is trained in the art of physical examination, possesses the necessary equipment, and has extensive training in human anatomy, physiology, and pathology.
Children and Young People up to 16
I frequently work with infants, children, and young people. In most cases, children are happy to work alongside a responsible adult, and will benefit from the adult’s memory and understanding of events. Older children and young people up to 16 may appreciate a little time alone with me, or may be able to deal with most of the consultation themselves. Taking this responsibility may be a significant part of their road to recovery. Young people over 16 will be treated as adults, although input from family members can be very helpful.
Follow-up Consultations
During your follow-up consultations, we will review all these things, to see whether anything is different. Changes may begin in ways you do not expect. You will also have the chance to talk about any new issues, or anything you forgot about the previous time.
Follow-up appointments are usually 3-5 weeks after your first visit, although some people may need to come more, or less, frequently. Follow-up appointments are 60 minutes long. I will prescribe further medicine if necessary.
Confidentiality, and Consultations
As you can see, a homeopathic consultation is a deep exploration of many aspects of your life, because all these things may affect your health. You may find it surprisingly relaxing, surprisingly revealing and tiring. You yourself may see patterns in your health of which you had not been aware of.
I can reassure you that all of this is confidential. You may choose to involve other adults in your consultation if they can offer useful information. For example, partners can help with information about moods; parents can help with details of medical history or family background. Their contributions will be confidential also.