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Frequently Asked Questions

Homeopathy

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is an 'energy medicine', derived from natural substances that has been used for over 200 years. It has now become the second largest system of medicine worldwide.  

Unlike conventional medicine, Homeopathy does not focus on disease labels. Instead, it takes a more holistic and person-centered approach. 

How does Homeopathy work?

Sometimes the body lacks the vital energy needed to bring about balance and heal itself. This is where Homeopathic remedies can help. 

Remedies are derived from natural substances (plant, animal or mineral). A small amount is crushed, diluted and shaken a specific number of times (under license in specialist pharmacies) to release the healing energy.  

The Homeopath then selects a remedy that most closely matches the client 'picture' to stimulate the body’s natural healing ability. 

What benefits does Homeopathy bring?

  • Natural, safe, non-addictive, non-toxic and no side-effects
  • Addresses the cause instead of suppressing symptoms
  • Prescription unique to you and your experience of illness
  • Helps to detox and restore your immune system
  • Suitable for all ages and during pregnancy
  • Can be taken alongside conventional medication
  • Combats medication side- effects. 

How do I know that Homeopathic remedies are not placebos?

Babies and animals can respond extremely well to Homeopathic remedies, disproving any suggestion of them just being a placebo. 

What conditions and ailments can be treated with Homeopathy?

Homeopathy can be used to treat a whole range of symptoms from physical to mental and emotional. Examples of symptoms could include anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances, gut-related issues, skin conditions, menopause and much more. 

What does the principal of 'like cures like' mean in Homeopathy?

A key principle in Homeopathy is ‘like cures like’ meaning substances that cause certain symptoms in healthy people (e.g. raw onions resulting in watery and irritated eyes or coffee to keep people awake) can be used homeopathically to treat illnesses, which cause the same symptoms. 

What happens during a Homeopathic consultation?

This session is all about you. You won't be restricted to talking about one topic - I want to hear everything! Many patients feel that the session itself has a very healing effect. 

During a new patient consultation, I will start by asking you questions about your medical history and that of your family as well as significant events in your past.  We will then focus on your current symptoms (physical, mental and emotional) including the unique way in which you are expressing and experiencing them. I'll want to know when they started, what was happening in your life at that time and whether you have noticed any specific patterns.
 
I’ll be asking you lots of very detailed questions that you may find a little different to the norm. For example, I may ask what makes your symptoms better or worse, whether you are hot or cold blooded, if the symptoms are always present or come and go, the sorts of things that upset or trigger you. We’ll also explore your character, your lifestyle, your diet, your sleep patterns, your toilet habits and much more. 

What makes my sessions a little different from others is that I bring in some of my coaching tools and techniques, where appropriate. This will hopefully lead to some insightful 'aha' moments and help you to put some strategies in place to support the action of the remedies and meet your long-term energy goals.

During subsequent consultations I will ask questions that allow me to evaluate your reaction to the remedies, including any changes in your energy, and discuss your current symptom picture. 

What can I expect from my Homeopathic prescription?

After the consultation I'll spend a couple of hours carrying out careful analysis so that I can select your remedy.

A key principle in Homeopathy is ‘like cures like’ meaning substances that cause certain symptoms in healthy people (e.g. raw onions resulting in watery and irritated eyes or coffee to keep people awake) can be used homeopathically to treat illnesses, which cause the same symptoms. 

I'm aiming to match the whole 'patient picture' as closely as possible to that of the remedy. Two patients presenting with similar symptoms may not necessarily be given the same remedy. It will depend on the unique ways in which each patient is experiencing their illness, coupled with factors such as personal and family medical history as well as character traits.  

I will prepare your prescription by adding some drops of the remedy, in liquid form, to tiny sugar pills. Unlike conventional medicine, Homeopathy follows the principle of 'minimum dose' so I may give you just a few pills to take as opposed to a daily regimen. If you are based in the UK I'll pop your remedies in the post. If you are based outside of the UK I'll send you the prescription and a link to a Homeopathic pharmacy in your country so that you can place the order. 

Do Homeopathic remedies have any side effects?

There are no side effects. Symptoms can (but not often) worsen slightly for a short duration of time before an improvement is observed. This is a good sign as it shows that the remedy is working on some level within the body. 

Can I still take pharmaceutical medications alongside Homeopathic remedies?

Homeopathic remedies can be safely taken in conjunction with pharmaceutical medication prescribed by your doctor because they influence the body’s energy, not its chemical composition.

Homeopathy is a traditional form of medicine and can be helpful with side effects from conventional treatments.

As a Homeopath I will not ask you to stop any pharmaceutical medical treatment, my role is to support your health alongside your doctor. However, if you decide to stop taking your medication of your own volition (in a phased approach, in line with advice and guidance from your doctor) I can work with you to help detoxify your body and help you to manage your condition with Homeopathy. 

By way of precautionary guidance, it is recommended that you do not eat or drink anything for 15 minutes after taking your remedy pill. It is also recommended that you avoid coffee, peppermint, camphor, menthol, eucalyptus, and other strong-smelling substances when taking a remedy pill. It is thought that these actions could potentially impact the effectiveness of the remedy, however, this is not fully proven. Therefore, this is precautionary guidance only.

Why are patients with the same illness not necessarily given the same remedy?

Patients may not necessarily be given the same remedy even though they have the same illness. This is because patients may not share the exact same set of symptoms of that illness or they may be experiencing them in a different way. In addition, we take into account your nature, temperament, likes and dislikes that are specific to you. This sets you apart from others with the same illness. All of these factors, and more, impact the choice of remedy. 

Does healing take place in a particular order?

Healing tends to take place in the following order:
 
1. Symptoms disappear in reverse order of which they appeared. 

E.g. If you had eczema followed by asthma, you would expect the asthma to clear first, then the eczema. 

2. Healing occurs from the head downwards.

E.g. eczema that was on the face, may leave the body via the hands or the feet. 

3. Healing occurs from within out,  from most to least important organs, and from the centre to the periphery.

E.g. The skin, as the least important organ, will often be the last to heal. If the skin was not affected in the first place, eruptions may appear on the skin as a signal that healing has reached the final stage.  

This is just a general guideline.  

How long will the healing process take?

This depends on your symptom picture. If you have been experiencing this set of symptoms for a long time, or they have developed very slowly, then we will be looking for small shifts in symptoms (in a positive direction) rather than rapid resolution.

Acute symptoms (ones that come on quickly) can often improve at a faster pace.

It is also important to note that Homeopathy heals from the inside, working outwards. This means that often the outer symptoms, such as skin disorders, are the last to clear. It also heals from the top to the bottom of the body and from a more important organ to a less important one.

If you can be patient, the cause of your illness and its symptoms are more likely to be healed, rather than the symptoms merely being relieved or suppressed. 

How many Homeopathic consultations will I need and how often?

This depends on a number of factors such as the nature of your illness, how long you have had it, your response to remedies and your present life circumstances.

I recommend that people start with at least three sessions, usually one every 3-4 weeks depending on their symptom picture.  We will then discuss how to proceed, taking into account progress made and factors listed above. 

Should I avoid or be mindful of anything while taking a remedy?

It is recommended that you do not eat or drink anything for 15 minutes after taking your remedy pill. It is also recommended that you avoid coffee, peppermint, camphor, menthol, eucalyptus, and other strong-smelling substances when taking a remedy pill. It is thought that these actions could potentially impact the effectiveness of the remedy, however, this is not fully proven. Therefore, this is precautionary guidance only.

Coaching

What can coaching help with?

Here are just a few examples of the problems that clients come to me for help with…

  • Beating fatigue and doubling your energy 
  • Preventing and/or recovering from burnout 
  • Combatting stress and overcoming overwhelm
  • Managing energy draining conversations and relationships
  • Developing resilience in the workplace so you can navigate politics and manage frustration
  • Building self-confidence so you are able to say ‘no’
  • Taming the inner critic so that you do feel good enough and stop overdoing it
  • Focusing your energy on goals and activities that align with your values and purpose. 

What are the benefits of coaching?

Coaching has been shown to: 
  • Reduce procrastination
  • Improve life skills and behaviours 
  • Enhance work-life balance
  • Enable better decision making
  • Improve interpersonal skills 
  • Offer  greater clarity and direction
  • Encourage self-reflection
  • Equip you with strategies and clear action steps
  • Provide accountability
  • Increase confidence
  • Enhance self-awareness
  • Increase levels of satisfaction. 

What is the difference between counselling and coaching?

Counselling helps you understand your past experiences and how these may have a direct impact on your present state. 

Coaching helps you to move from where you are to where you want to be in the future. It focuses more on goals, strategies, actions and the development of healthy habits that stick.

What is a discovery call?

One of the most important things to take into account when deciding whether we should work together is ‘fit’. Will we get on? Do we have good rapport? Are we on the same wavelength? Do our personalities and styles complement each other? That’s where the discovery calls come in. During this 30- minute call, we will discuss your unique circumstances and how I could help you move forward. We'll get to know each other a little better and I'll answer some of the questions you may have about my approach to coaching and what it does and does not entail. I may ask you to do a little prework. 

If you are keen to progress after the session, and I feel that I am the right coach for you, then we will agree on a package and programme tailored to your needs, get dates in the diary, sort out the admin (coaching agreement, payment, logistics etc.) and get started! 

I offer these calls on a Friday, as well as a Saturday morning.

What coaching packages are on offer?

Packages range from 12 weeks, 10 weeks to 8 weeks. Obviously, the longer we work together the more long-lasting positive change you’ll experience!

Each package includes an agreed number of 1:1 private online coaching sessions as well as a number of ‘bonus benefits’ such as:
  • Email accountability support between sessions
  • Recorded guided meditations
  • Information sheets / how to guides / templates
  • Membership of my Facebook Group community (tips, techniques, LIVE sessions)
  • Discounts of future workshops/masterclasses
  • Referral discounts on future coaching programmes.

We can explore duration of package and pricing during our chemistry session as this will depend on your particular challenge and goals. 

What type of coaching techniques are used?

Working in partnership with me you'll establish an achievable set of goals and map out action steps to help establish habits that stick. I'll provide support when you get stuck, help you to identify and overcome any barriers and act as your accountability partner to ensure you follow through. I'll set you up for success by drawing on a variety of coaching tools and techniques including Neuro Linguistic Programming and Positive Psychology.