Frequently Asked Questions About Homeopathy
By Eileen Nauman, DHM (UK)

Copyright ©2002-2005 Eileen Nauman
All Rights Reserved

Email: docbones@gotsky.com

Questions to ask a potential homeopath you're thinking of hiring to take your constitutional case:

1. Are you classically trained in homeopathy? (This infers that the person has been trained to take a case and give ONE remedy at a time, ONE time only, and wait to see how it affects you and your vital force.) If the person uses combination homeopathic remedies, I would avoid them.

2. How many years have you been in practice? (Ideally, I like to see someone with five years of practice under their belt. Why? Because, more than likely, they've seen a lot, plus they have a grasp of the workings of the Vital Force and the progress of cure).

3. Where did you study to learn homeopathy? (There are all kinds of schools around the world. The key is in finding one that has good educational credentials. Was the class taught by one homeopath? Or by many? The more exposure to the most homeopathic faculty is best for a well-rounded student). And, they should have at least attended a 2-4 year program. Ideally, they had clinicals with their schooling, but in the USA, very few schools do this, with the exception of the Desert Institute of Classical Homeopathy (DISCH), in Phoenix, Arizona.

4. Get at least three referrals from patients that this person has worked with homeopathically. Talk to these people and find out if they're pleased with the service, the timliness of the help, and how their health is doing now vs. before they went to this homeopath for help.

5. Call the National Center for Homeopathy 703-548-7790, Alexandria, VA, to find out if there has been any negatives against the homeopath you are thinking of hiring. We do not have a self-regulating, USA board where homeopaths who are not up to snuff, can be censured, or patients can air their grievance against a certain homeopath.

And by the same token, if it is an Medical Doctor homeopath you're considering hiring, go to the state Medical Board and see if s/he has been censured, or there has been complaints lodged against her/him by patients. Do your homework.

6. The best way to find a good homeopath--and they don't grow on trees--they are far and few between and the likelihood of having to drive 100 or more miles to get to one, is very common. Unless, of course, you live in a large metropolitan city, then you may be able to find one more easily.

7. Once you find a homeopath, call him/her for a "phone-consult." What this means is you're going to interview them for the position as your homeopath. Ask the above questions about their credentials, their education. And if they are a "lay homeopath" it is important to find out the extent of their medical education, or any certifications or licensing that they hold. I would not go to a lay homeopath who either did not have direct access to an Medical Doctor with whom they worked or could consult about medical things, or did not have the appropriate medical background to know when to send you to the hospital and not treat you. Being an RN, FNP, paramedic or EMT all qualify as legitimate medical underpinnings of a lay homeopath.

In the phone consult, see how you respond and resonate with the homeopath. If you feel good about it, this is an indication there's a nice bridge of trust being established between you and them. If you feel badly, or unsure or there's a "red flag" that hits you about them, do not make an appointment with them. Go find another one and start the process all over again.

8. Also, if you've had bad experiences with men, in all likelihood, you won't want to have a male homeopath; but you'll seek out a female one, instead. Or, vice-versa. Be sensitive to this issue about yourself and your needs. Trust is tougher to establish with the gender that harmed you. Better to try the opposite gender because trust is build more easily and therefore, openness is easier to give to the homeopath.

If the person has done a distance learning course, this doesn't automatically shut them out as a possible homeopathy. The Misha Norland and British Institute of Homeopathy (both classical homeopathy) courses (both out of England) are not easy to get through, and the students work hard. Plus, they have faculty that they can contact to help them at any time, and this is a must. Again, the individual distant learner's medical education MUST be considered. See #7.

9. A good homeopath is NOT going to promise you cure. They will give you hope, but not promise your condition can be cured. They will work TOWARD that goal, but many things can compromise that such as your age, your health (or lack of it), a weak Vital Force (which they'll assess once they take your case), or wear and tear on a n organ or system that is destroyed (homeopathy cannot replace, for instance, heart muscle that has died during a heart attack), nor can it recreate more brain cells, etc. Every alternative medicine has its limits, and homeopathy also has it, too.

10. A good homeopath educates her client, and doesn't leave them in the dark about what is going on, or how they are going to treat you, or the course of cure in your case. Ask them if they will answer your questions fully. They should be willing to do this for you.

11. Once you've got a homeopath, the case may take between 1-3 hours to take. So, expect to spend some time with your homeopath. Comes with a list of questions you might have. If the homeopath doesn't have the time to answer them, then set up a phone consult, time/date, where s/he can call you and give you the answers. No patient should ever be left in the "dark" about their treatment. You have paid this person and they OWE you that much. Another place to find out a lot about homeopathy is: The North American Society of Homeopaths or the National Center for Homeopathy.

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