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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 ,
by Linda Johnston, M.D. This is a beautiful book
for understanding the basic principles of healing with
homeopathy. Highly recommended.
-- Impossible
Cure: The Promise of Homeopathy ,
by Amy Lansky. Amy Lanksy had an autistic child that
went to cure with homeopathic treatment. She responded
by writing this book. She writes from a very personal
perspective on the process, which is both its strength
and its weakness. A good overview.
-- Discovering
Homeopathy: Your Introduction to the Science and Art
of Homeopathic Medicine Second Revised Edition ,
by Dana Ullman MPH. An excellent book if you want a
broad overview of homeopathic treatment and its history.
-- Ritalin-Free
Kids: Safe and Effective Homeopathic Medicine for ADHD
and Other Behavioral and Learning Problems ,
by Reichenberg-Ullmann ND, MSW and Ullman ND.
-- Prozac-Free:
Homeopathic Medicine for Depression, Anxiety, and Other
Mental and Emotional Problems ,
by Reichenberg-Ullman ND, MSW and Ullman ND. The Ullmans
are Seattle homeopaths who give a unique perspective
on certain remedies used in professional practice for
Attention Deficit Disorder and depression.
More Advanced Introductory Books:
-- Science
of Homeopathy ,
George Vithoulkas, MIH. Somewhat outdated now, and I have
disagreements with Vithoulkas's approach, but still interesting.
Read about our Homeopathy Practice >>
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Don’t
just treat part of the body, for the part can never be well unless
the whole is well. 
