Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on observations of the law of similars, “like cures like”. Simply, that which a substance can cause, it can cure.
Samuel Hahnemann conducted experiments with Peruvian bark where quinine can be derived. He found that when a healthy person took daily doses of Peruvian bark, they developed symptoms similar to Malaria and
indeed Peruvian bark given homeopathically is helpful in Malaria. Just as coffee can cause sleeplessness, given homeopathically it can be used to treat insomnia from active thoughts at night.
Homeopathy is gentle and safe. Homeopathic medicines are made from serially diluted and potentized substances, as a result the medicine has no side effects. Hahnemann found that as he diluted substances to make medicines from them, they were less likely to have side effects while still having curative properties.
Homeopathy is individualized. There is no specific medicine for particular diseases. There is however, a specific medicine for the person affected by the disease. A Homeopath will take the time to take a thorough health history and details about you such as your family history, disposition and mood, diet, sleep etc. They choose a medicine for you based on the information you give, so in order to choose a medicine that would help you the most, a Homeopath will need as much information as you can provide. The consultations are confidential so you can express yourself frankly.
Being a homeopathic patient requires some self awareness so here are some examples of questions a Homeopath may ask about your condition: what makes you feel better or worse? What does the pain feel like? Do you feel the pain more on your left or right side? What time do you feel better or worse? How does this condition affect you and your life? etc.
Your Homeopath will then ask you about overall body function like body temperature, perspiration, bowel movements and urination, appetite and food cravings/sensitivities, menstruation, sleep etc.
As highlighted earlier, Homeopathy is holistic so you will be asked about your personality i.e. how the illness has affected you, how you interact and respond to others, how you handle stress, your likes and dislikes, etc.
You can generally expect the initial consultation to be up to 2 hours and follow up consultations around 1 hour. Since this is such an individualized form of treatment, a Homeopath may take a day to come up with a treatment plan for you so they can fully devote their time to finding the medicine that will be most specific to you.
If you have any questions free to contact me.
For further reading take a look at these resources:
Timothy Dooley – Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine
Dana Ullman – Discovering Homeopathy