The homeopathic process

Constitutional Homeopathy Addresses the Physical, Mental and Emotional Planes

The philosophy of homeopathy holds that the mind, body and emotions are not separate. Every human experience has can leave an imprint in the physical body or the emotional sphere. For this reason, the homeopathic process begins with an initial in-depth interview. Usually this appointment takes 90 minutes but more time will be allotted if necessary. The homeopath will ask an extensive range of questions to achieve a complete understanding of the state of health on the physical, mental, and emotional planes. The homeopath also takes into consideration the energy level and how the individual responds to the environment.

Homeopaths are interested in understanding all levels of function: mental, emotional, and physical. For example, sustained emotional stress can cause problems in the immune system, difficulty in the digestion or assimilation of food, or difficulty sleeping and conversely, physical problems can result in emotional unrest or anxiety. Generally, all of the presenting symptoms of the patient, including the chief complaint, behavioral tendencies, and the patient’s personality traits, are important symptoms in homeopathic analysis.

Each of us experiences key moments in our life, often beginning early and continuing throughout our lifetime, when we encounter stress or situations that are difficult to reconcile, and our organism begins to devise strategies that enable us to survive. This process can occur even without our being overtly aware of it, simply by the natural workings of our nervous system. The homeopath strives to understand the unique dilemma that each patient has evolved, based on consideration of the multilayered, multifaceted clues that the patient provides. These clues involve not only the complaints and symptoms that the patient relates but also the myriad details that help to define us as individuals. The homeopath then prescribes a remedy intended to stimulate the innate vitality of the individual, to resolve the trauma that produced the symptoms in the first place.

Each symptom is like a star in a constellation. As you gaze into the sky you can recognize a constellation even if some stars are obscured by clouds. In the interview, as many “stars” as possible are revealed, so the remedy can precisely match the full constellation.

What homeopaths perceive

Every nuance becomes a clue: breathing patterns, eye contact, body posture, the sound and quality of the voice — and the unique way each person copes with stress or expresses creativity.

You are an integral part of the process

• Be thorough and clear when reporting symptoms.
• Be open about what is most limiting for you mentally and emotionally.
• Observe changes in your system — a journal can help.
• Avoid activities that might interfere with your remedy.

Follow-up

Follow-up visits are scheduled every 4–8 weeks to determine the action of the remedy and whether additional remedies are needed. Some cases are simple; others have layers that are “peeled” away over time. Changes can include removal of specific symptoms, more energy, improved immunity, and a general sense of less limitation. Because the therapy is subtle and deep, changes are long lasting.