Before the internet, to build a business, a practitioner like myself relied heavily on word of mouth, paid ads in the local community page and dropping flyers in peoples letterboxes.
My first clinic was in a small country town, down a dodgey side street, next to the local Health shop and I relied on foot traffic and the universe to provide me with customers. The Health shop saw me as a threat, (erm I’m a party of one and you have a franchise) and treated me as such. The family thought I had lost my mind and many people misread the sign writing on the window as I had a direct line to God.
Fast forward 30 years and the wellness sector is booming, as my son describes it “everyone is a … guru”.
With social media channels we can strike up conversations with complete strangers, host enticing reels and ‘educate’ the masses.
However, for the newby, stepping away from mainstream medicine and choosing a practitioner off the internet is daunting. I would liken it to walking into the Atlanta stadium during the FIFA World cup, hoping to see your friend waving ‘over here.’
There’s alot of noise.
And why Homeopathy in particular.
Homeopathy works, however it is a bullseye medicine and anyone that has played darts, knows getting a bullseye first go takes time. Also, with the comparative sub par results pharmaceuticals have to offer, I wonder whether people have become ok with that, because a Doctor has done a 5 yr degree, thats what everyone else is doing and its classed as normal. To step away from the mainstream medicine super highway, and take a chance down the somewhat unfamiliar beaten track of Homeopathy, takes a leap of faith and gut feeling that you are doing the right thing.
So how to choose a Homeopath
No 1. Make sure they are qualified. You would expect this to be a given but alas no! I will give an example. Years ago, I was very excited to see someone advertising themselves as a Homeopathy in my local. I reached out, signed up for their newsletters only to my dismay to see she wasnt a Homeopath at all. She had brought a AO scanner that read your frequency and prescribed Homeopathic remedy according to that. I commented on one of her posts as her Homeopathic advice was not entirely correct. Instead of rectifying it or acknowledging her error, or even starting a conversation, nope it was just BLOCK and DELETE. She may had enthusiasm but she hadnt taken the steps to learn her craft. There are many out there. Some may reply with ‘oh I have used Homeopathy for years and yes there is merit in putting the word in action, however a practitioner knows how to manage cases, has resources and a network for managing the case. If you have doubts about their credibility ask about where they studied and how long their course was. Most practitioner courses run for 4 years. More recently some colleges have brought in a fast track which takes 2yrs. Countries like India and Bulgaria you need to be Medical Doctor to be a Homeopath.
No2. Do they offer a free 15 min discovery call? This is your chance to interview them. It is NOT a free consult or an opportunity to glean information for free. With Homeopathy, your healing is a journey. You want to have someone to help you unpack. So this is your opportunity to find someone you want to work with. If their religion, accent, timezone, personality gets on your nerves, its not going to work.I will include a checklist on what to ask later on in the blog.
No3 What tools do they use? Most Homeopaths have a Repetory and a Materia Medica. The Repetory may be manually via a book, or software, one doesnt trump the other. It comes down to personal preferance. I use a book, because it has an organic approach, I think of other questions to ask while Im looking up rubrics (symptoms), plus I can peruse a Repetory, which I cant with software. However software saves time and updates include new remedies and broaden your remedy choices. The materia medica is an indepth description of the remedy.
Some Homeopaths may use a pendulum, muscle testing or take into their higher ground and or spirit guides. Theres nothing wrong with that, however you have to decide whether you ok are with it. Many homeopaths use a scanner of some sort, AO, Bioresonance and the like. These are great tools, however they are just that, tools. Just like operating a cordless drill doesnt make you a Master Builder, a frequency scanner does not make you a Homeopath. A business person acutely aware of time is money, is not going to want to chat on how they feel during a new moon.
No4. Is it their primary practise. Sometimes you meet people who are becoming familiar to Homeopathy and they will say things like ‘ oh my chiropractor recommended me this, or my kinesiologist said I should try that. For some they feel they are getting a two for one deal however in reality it is much like having your auto mechanic saying yes I do a bit of roofing on the side. Which is the more credible? What they are trained in, of course.
No5 Years in Practice there are pros and cons for both Novice and Experienced.
Novice/ Student/ Newly Graduated vs Experienced
+ Enthusiastic vs + Passionate
+ Fresh vs + Clinical Experience
+ Up to date with new remedies vs + Well versed with what works
+ Often have a mentor vs + Well connected especially other complimentary modalities
+ lower fees vs + Fee should be relevant to experience
+ great social media/ insta prescence vs + Have legitimate rave reviews.
– may over promise/ under deliver vs – Maybe dogmatic. “I only use fibonacci potencies”.
– instagram perfect, however lack substance vs – Unaware of new remedies/ methods.
Checklist – What to ask.
What methodology do they use. It doesnt matter if you have no idea what they are talking about, it is something you can investigate later.
Classical, Practical, Banajea protocols, Eizeaga, Cease.
Have an honest discussion ‘ What does Health look like to you’
What is your aim?
– to come off medication
– feel more fulfilled
– have more energy
– find your mojo
– not get as sick as often
How will I get the remedies? – are they included part in package with the consultation fee?
– do I need to buy them
– if so, where from.
What do I expect once I start taking the remedy?
Many Homeopaths send a pamphlet or flyer home with you with instructions of what to look for and how the remedy works.
What is your contactability?
Some homeopaths want you to book in for every question, some are available 24/7 via whatsapp, messenger and email. Ask them whether you can contact out of hours. In the case of a complex case like Pans/Pandas, Autism or Neurodivergence, this maybe comforting and necessary should your child has a flare, aggravation or going through a detox. If you are a somewhat needy person or going through a trauma event, someone compassionate and understanding is going to be more beneficial that someone who is a textbook wonder. My first experience with a Homeopath, was just that. I had no idea what to expect. Though his remedy choice was spot on, his bedside manner so to speak, and consultation style was awful. His dark eyes bore straight through me and I felt very judged and uncomfortable throughout the whole process. Unbeknowst to me, I was actually dealing with grief, something that he stepped around and never acknowledged or treated. It takes a long time for a Homeopath to really learn how to interpret what you are saying and choose a remedy accordingly.
What is the protocol if it doesnt work?
Very rarely do you get a homeopath you gets the remedy 100% right all of the time. What you dont want is a Homeopath who is going to blame you for poor results. That is the Homeopaths responsibility on how to manage the case.
What is the pricing $150 -250 is fairly typical for the first consultation.
A good practitioner should be:-
* qualified
* intuitive – trusts their feelings and intuition, without being egotistical
* trustworthy
* keeps up with ongoing developments, studies and remedies
and passionate about their craft.
What does that look like? They would do it for nothing, because they love it.
