FAQ's
- » Who am I and why did I decide to become a classical homeopath?
- » What can I expect from homeopathic treatment?
- » What types of conditions can classical homeopathy help?
- » How does the process work?
- » If classical homeopathy is such a powerful therapy, why haven't I heard more about it?
- » What can I expect from the homeopathic interview?
- » How exactly does homeopathy heal?
- » What if further research or consultation on my case is necessary?
- » How does one evaluate the results?
- » How long does treatment take?
- » What is the homeopathic process in more complex or chronic cases?
- » Where are the remedies from?
- » How can just one tiny dose do anything or last so long?
- » What happens if my symptoms seem to come back?
- » What is “classical homeopathy” as opposed to other kinds of homeopathy?
- » Are nutritional or herbal therapies used in the practice?
- » What further reading on this subject can I do? (Intro or Advanced)
- » On contacting me:
Who am I and why did I decide to become a classical homeopath?
Most of us have some idea that health can be a total experience. Treating patients in hospitals as an MD, I had a picture of the opposite. Patients would arrive at the hospital on twenty medications, each treating a different condition--or treating a side effect of the previous medication. This is fragmented care where nothing at a deeper level is able to heal.
In 1992 I enrolled at the University of Nebraska Medical College. That year a friend introduced me to homeopathy. Drawn by its rich history and healing principles, I began to study it in depth. A few months into my study, I started giving homeopathic remedies for colds, flus, and other minor ailments to family, friends, and myself. Although my knowledge was limited then, I had opportunities to witness the incredible healing power of homeopathy, which could make an illness vanish as if by magic.
By the end of my first year in medical school, I had made the commitment to practice classical homeopathy. The drugs I was learning about in medical school were mainly used to suppress symptoms. Classical homeopathy, more than any other system, held the opportunity for real healing, both for the emotions as well as the body, and I was unable to let that go. Being healthy without being on long-term prescription medications was what I wanted for myself and those close to me. Why shouldn't I want it for my patients? Moreover, by using homeopathy, I could bring about healing in diseases that could not be touched by western medicine--examples are viral illnesses and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Although only a small percentage of homeopaths are medical doctors, I decided to finish my medical training, including a residency in family practice in Allentown, PA. This part of my training allowed me to see and treat many types of patients and diseases. In addition to treating patients at the family practice clinic and in the hospital, I spent many hours working with psychiatrists, observing surgeons, and delivering babies. I wanted to treat patients from a deep and broad foundation, drawing on any and all sources of medical knowledge.
I initially carried on a self-study in homeopathy, and, during my 4th year of medical school, I had the chance to begin my homeopathic training in earnest. I used my elective time to travel to Seattle to study with doctors at the Evergreen Clinic for Homeopathic Medicine. During my 2nd and 3rd years of residency, I traveled every couple months to New York City for an extended weekend of Lou Klein's master clinician course in homeopathy. At the end of my 2nd year I began using elective time for taking cases and treating patients with classical homeopathy in the family practice clinic. After finishing residency, my study and collaboration with the homeopaths in Mumbai, India began and continues to this day. Everything I do today in my practice springs from their profound insights.
Immediately after finishing my residency I moved to Madison, WI and opened a practice in September 1999. In 2002 some New York and other east coast patients traveled to see me in Madison. I began to feel a stronger pull and traveled to New York more frequently, finally establishing an office in Manhattan.
Although I began my homeopathic study in 1992, it wasn't until 14 years later, working daily as a classical homeopath, that I arrived at a definite idea of what "real healing" actually meant: for deep healing to occur you have to treat the body and mind at once and understand exactly how they are connected. It is that connection that allows physical symptoms to disappear in a lasting and permanent way. Classical homeopathy has taken time, much patience, and much commitment to come to understand. It has rewarded me more than words can express, and in the same way it can come to reward you. I am part of a process that has taken alternative medicine into increasingly sophisticated terrain.
What can I expect from homeopathic treatment?
Throughout its 200 year history, classical homeopathy has achieved
impressive results in the hands of competent practitioners. It
attempts to and does remove the underlying cause of ill health. In
this way it can be said to cure problems. It
works ‘with’ the total body system rather than against
a few symptoms. The goal of treatment is to bring freedom
from limitation, both at the level of the mind and body. This
includes freedom from reliance on medications or therapies--including
homeopathy. Most impressive to some, it also has the ability
to shift entrenched emotional patterns, which invariably link in with
physical symptoms. Although most seek homeopathic treatment
for chronic ailments, it is a true preventative system.
Classical homeopathy is a true holistic medicine;
that is, it treats both physical disease and mental/emotional disease
at once. In contrast to what we have come to expect,
it does not make a strong distinction between the two. Homeopathy
is usually the best way, in my experience, to treat depression, anxiety,
or bipolar disorder. Homeopathy can bring a lasting cure rather
than dependence on suppressive drugs. It is a great alternative
if you have a disease that western medicine cannot treat, such as
fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Although being treated with homeopathy may initially seem strange in comparison to what you are used to, give it time and you will see that it is in accord with your own common sense and intuitive wisdom. Its principles of healing are timeless.
What types of conditions can classical homeopathy help?
No list can be comprehensive. But here are some of the conditions
homeopathy has recently alleviated in my practice:
Mental/Emotional:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar or anxious depressions
- Panic attacks
- Difficulty controlling anger
- Cutting behavior in teens
- Hyperactivity and/or attention deficit
- Low self worth or self confidence
Physical:
- Fatigue
- Arthritis (rheumatoid and other types)
- Kidney Stones
- Sciatica/back pain
- Severe burning pains
- High blood pressure
- Headaches/migraines
- Chronic muscular pain
- Thyroid conditions
- Heart arrthymias
- Weakness
- Nerve pain
- Frequent infections
- Fibromyalgia
- Hormonal disorders
- Skin abnormalities
How does the process work?
Initial treatment occurs over a four-month interval, which begins
with an interview that averages 3½ to 4 hours. I use the
interview to learn about your emotional and physical symptoms. Each
person has a certain “energetic imprint” out of which imbalances
spring. I use the initial interview to track where your emotional,
mental, and physical symptoms come together. The key
to your healing exists within you. When it comes to
deep healing, putting your experience into words actually carries much
more information than lab tests.
After the initial consultation, I will either choose to study the
case more or immediately make a prescription for the homeopathic remedy
that matches your “energetic imprint.” Occasionally
I will study the case and discover that I missed something. Then
I may elect to bring you back in to continue the interview or ask you
a few questions over the phone. Finding an exact, curative prescription
for a patient not infrequently takes time and effort. A four-month
period represents a period of time in which most cases can be solved.
The three follow-up appointments, beginning about four weeks
after you take your first remedy, are a chance to evaluate
your response to the remedy, discuss nutritional and nutriceutical
choices, educate you in the different energetic levels of your healing,
and generally refine treatment. They occur once a month, lasting
30-45 minutes. Your homeopathic remedy comes from one substance
out of thousands of choices. I may need to re-interview
you to find an exact match.
At the end of four months, many will need a maintenance program with occasional or infrequent contact. Others will still need more intensive work to bring the case to a close.
If classical homeopathy is such a powerful therapy, why haven't I heard more about it?
This is complicated with more than one answer. Homeopathy is used throughout the world, and enjoys great success in certain countries. In India an estimated 5 million people practice it in various forms. In the U.S., homeopathy has a long history, with much success, but full of politics. The legacy of classical homeopathy in the U.S. lies just under the surface and is not hard to find. For example, Hahnemann Medical College and what is now known as Medical College of Pennsylvania, both in Philadelphia, were originally homeopathic medical schools. The nitroglycerin that is used today to treat chest pain and prevent heart attack was a discovery of 19th century homeopathic physicians. Non-homeopathic physicians formed the American Medical Association in the mid-1800s largely to fight homeopathy.
The larger battle was lost for homeopathy in the U.S. in universities in the early 1900s. The scientific disciplines of chemistry, and biology-and their offspring, biomedicine-gathered steam and defined what could or not be true. Homeopathic medicine, prepared energetically through ultra-dilutions, fell in the category of "cannot be true." This was not, understand, because scientists tested homeopathy and found it not to be true. It was because homeopathy directly contradicted the prevailing mechanical theories of how our universe worked, and therefore "could not possibly be true," i.e. there was no need to test it. The resulting confusion was too much for early 20th physicians practicing homeopathy, who were practical doctors, not ideologues, and gradually they were absorbed into the system.
The outcome of this is that there still remains little support for those who want to practice classical homeopathy. It is a vast discipline, not easy to learn or practice, and those who want to do it have to make their own way. Few individuals have both the ability to be a good homeopathic doctor and the practical business skills to thrive on their own in today's market.
What can I expect from the homeopathic interview?
Frequently patients will say “when my anxiety increases
my physical pain increases,” and this is important. When
I treat you, I must perceive the connection between
what you feel in an emotional way and how you sense things
in your body. This point of connection is where
the homeopathic prescription is exactly placed. Finding
this is in exact way is what can take time.
Because the interviewing process will take you into
the feelings that are linked with your physical symptoms,
it is important to be gentle and non-judgmental with yourself. You
may actually notice during the interview that your physical
symptoms and mental-emotional symptoms are closely linked. In
the same way, talking about certain difficult emotions may
increase your perception of or bring on certain physical
symptoms. Being aware that these feelings at some level
tie in with your physical symptoms will help you in this
process.
Sometimes the link between physical and emotional symptoms is easy to track, particularly if a patient is immediately conscious of it. In other situations, the physical-emotional link lies deep and takes extra time and effort to uncover. Try to leave extra time on the day of the initial interview in case we need it.
How exactly does homeopathy heal?
We are multi-dimensional beings, and different medicines, conventional and alternative, address one of these specific dimensions. As alternative medicine becomes increasingly sophisticated, this will become more important to understand. Acupuncture, for example, forms healing intentions at the level of an energetic system precisely mapped out by the ancient Chinese. Homeopathy goes a level deeper into our multi-dimensional selves. If you are curious to read more about this, read my blog at www.homeopathicdoc.typepad.com and click on the category "Levels of Healing" on the right.
What if further research or consultation on my case is necessary?
After the homeopathic consultation is finished, it may be necessary to do more intensive research or consultation on your case, and in that instance the remedy will not be prescribed the same day. This is all part of the carefulness involved in good homeopathy. I should have prescribed a homeopathic remedy for you by 10-14 days at the most.
How does one evaluate the results?
On a simple level, you want to see the problems you have come with clear up--and they should. Improvement should occur on physical, emotional, mental, and general energy levels. Always keep in mind that my perspective is a holistic one. The goal is to see you improve in an overall way as much as specific. Initially changes may be very slight, e.g. there may a change in your dreams or a small shift in energy level. What is initially subtle can turn into profound changes over time. Be aware that evaluation must occur in the context of the amount of stress in your life. Not infrequently patients present for treatment at extremely stressful times. Because this stress may be painful in the best of circumstances, careful evaluation may be necessary.
How long does treatment take?
This is a difficult question to answer. There are many factors. I have made the initial program four months because this is a reasonable time period for most patients to see changes, and many witness profound changes in this time. You yourself may know of someone who had an immediate, dramatic response to homeopathic treatment. The curative power of a correctly prescribed remedy can be tremendous. Yet some respond to a correct remedy more slowly. Others require more time to understand what remedy they need. The more you can trust and flow with the process, the better the chance of your case being cured. Healing is an individual process. Each person follows an individual path. It is important to allow time for treatment to work for you.
What is the homeopathic process in more complex or chronic cases?
In long-term deep or complex problems, the curative process may be gradual and interaction more frequent. During the course of treatment, old sets of symptoms may come up (but because you are healthier, they won't be as severe as in the past). We believe that even hereditary disposition can be eliminated with homeopathy.
Where are the remedies from?
Pharmacies make a remedy from single plant, animal, or mineral sources. Over 3000 remedies are available. A number of established professional pharmacies in the United States and Europe adhere to stringent standards in preparing them. All remedies are F.D.A. approved. For more information about specific remedies, their origin and nature, refer to the reading list at the end of this guide.
How can just one tiny dose do anything or last so long?
The remedies are highly potent. Homeopathic remedies catalyze or trigger a response by the body on an energetic level, rather than effecting some chemical change. What ultimately works better after the remedy is taken is your own innate regulating system. The remedy helps the body develop a natural positive momentum, which continues to gain strength and eliminate the disease. Should you want to gain a more in-depth understanding of this fascinating and positively effective process, refer to any of the introductory books on the reading list or my blog.
What happens if my symptoms seem to come back?
If you had a strongly curative response to a remedy and then after, say, 2-6 months (or at any time) a relapse seems to occur, we usually recommend waiting 2-3 weeks in order to see if your system doesn't just rebalance itself. If symptoms come on strongly, notify the office. If the rebalancing does not occur after the 2-3 week period, then a repeat of the remedy may be necessary. In that case an appointment or a phone call would be appropriate.
Don't get disappointed or discouraged at this point and feel that homeopathy is not working for you-this is just a temporary and sometimes expected phase of getting you to a consistent level of good health. It may mean that a slight adjustment is needed in your remedy.
What is "classical homeopathy" as opposed to other kinds of homeopathy?
Classical homeopathy, sometimes called "Hahnemannian homeopathy," is based on the healing principles laid out in Samuel Hahnemann's Organon of Medicine, published in 1810. The main difference between classical and other approaches is that classical homeopathy uses one substance, prepared in homeopathic form, to treat a patient. Non-classical approaches mix and match and generally use more than one remedy at a time. Classical homeopathy takes the stance that, for a given energetic state of a patient, there exists one substance 'out there' in the world that mirrors the energetic state of that patient. The classical homeopath is a sleuth who must find it.
Are nutritional or herbal therapies used in the practice?
Realize that classical homeopathy is a completely different system from nutritional or herbal therapy. From the point of view of the practice, they work on a different level and are not the dominant emphasis. Nevertheless, nutritional and herbal products can speed recovery and bring greater vitality. In the case of deeper illnesses, such as cancer or autoimmune disease, they become even more important. Our food supply does not contain the nutrients that it did over a hundred years ago, and good health care needs to bear this in mind.
What further reading on this subject can I do?
For all those new to classical homeopathy, I recommend Dr. Linda Johnston’s book Everyday Miracles (see below). It presents the underlying principles of health and healing as it relates to homeopathy in an easy to understand format.
For more in-depth information on classical homeopathic practice and alternative medicine in general, check out my blog at www.homeopathicdoc.typepad.com. I started this blog because there is almost no information on how world-class homeopathic practitioners think and practice. I present many advanced ideas on my blog.
Introductory books:
-- Everyday Miracles: Homeopathy in Action
-- Impossible Cure: The Promise of Homeopathy
-- Discovering Homeopathy: Your Introduction to the Science and Art of Homeopathic Medicine Second Revised Edition
-- Ritalin-Free
Kids: Safe and Effective Homeopathic Medicine for ADHD
and Other Behavioral and Learning Problems
-- Prozac-Free: Homeopathic Medicine for Depression, Anxiety, and Other Mental and Emotional Problems
More Advanced Introductory Books:
-- Science of Homeopathy
On contacting me:
If it is urgent that you talk to me, please call my cell phone, 608 445-3555. If I'm taking a new case, I may not answer until the case is finished. You may want to call back more than once if I don't return your call within an hour or two. On occasions when I am traveling, you may have to wait a few hours until I am able to get to my messages. This is particularly true when I am out of the country. For non-urgent reasons to talk to me, leave a message with my service (608 273-3619) or email me. I'll try to get back to you within 24 hours.
