What to Expect from your Initial Consultation
- Danielle Durie
- Jan 28
- 9 min read
Updated: Jul 11
You've booked an initial consultation. Now what? How can you maximize our consultation and the potential homeopathy has to offer you?
Read on to learn about my process, what to expect before, during and after a consultation, and what role you play.
My clients who get the best results are those who are committed to the process and understand that it takes time and sometimes many follow-ups to start seeing the changes they are seeking. I recommend working with your homeopath for at least 3 to 6 months to see what it is doing for you and to see if the partnership suits you.
You don’t need to have any prior knowledge of homeopathy, you will learn along the way.
Brief intro on homeopathy
"Like cures like" is the most important principle of homeopathy. In allopathic/conventional medicine, the treatment inherently suppresses the problem or stops pain by going against the body's natural systems. Though absolutely necessary in emergency situations, this does not address the underlying issues and does not recognize that symptoms are signposts to healing. In homeopathy, the treatment works with the body, to return it to homeostasis. Correctly chosen homeopathic remedies give information to the body about its suffering; when the body receives the correct message, it is as though it suddenly has the information it needs to correct course and begin healing.
E.g., Imagine you are chopping an onion and your eyes burn and stream from the onion vapor and your nose is irritated. The onion put you in an ‘onion’ state'. Now, it's springtime and your allergies flare up. Your eyes burn and water, your nose is running. You are in an ‘onion’ state! You can take the remedy that causes the most similar symptoms to your current state (like cures like). You can take the remedy allium cepa (onion) and your symptoms would improve. This is a very simplified example, but you get the idea. (Allium cepa is in fact commonly used for hay fever).
As humans, we all get stuck on some level - a certain way of thinking, an inner tension, an emotion we continue to experience, a pattern we keep repeating, physical pains or disorders that are worsening over time. The body is not fighting against us. It is always trying to return us to balance, to homeostasis, and if we don't pay attention, we start developing symptoms on the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual planes . These symptoms are communicating to us to pay attention. Homeopathic remedies can get us unstuck, so that the body can return to balance.
Homeopaths work with symptoms, not disease names (although diagnoses are very helpful). We are looking to understand how the inner disturbance is manifesting in you as an individual. This way we can find the correct treatment for you. Two people who have migraines may share common symptoms but they will have vastly different experiences.
Remedies are made from natural and man-made substances. They are all diluted and succussed (potentization) to bring out their innate healing properties, while reducing their potential toxicity. Most remedies are beyond Avogadro's number, which means there is no active molecule left in the remedy - there is simply the information coded into the water. (Scientific research can't yet explain how this works, but there is more and more interesting research on this.) Remedies can be taken at the same time as your current medication and in general do not interfere.
MY PROCESS
My aim is to meet you where you are in your journey and be your guide as you take charge of your own health over time.
I have many tools in my homeopathic toolkit. I was trained in classical homeopathy as well as in modern methods and I continue to develop my toolkit, taking courses that match my clients’ needs.
Some of the tools:
Classical approach: one remedy per visit that represents the whole person. We can go very deep with this approach, to uncover the root cause of the dis-ease when there is no obvious external cause.
Therapeutic approach: target one organ or body system (used in more physical/advanced pathologies and can be combined with all approaches).
Human Chemistry (detoxification and rebalancing method developed by Ton Jansen): remove blockages to healing by detoxing toxins/pathogens/exposures and rebalancing deficiencies, hormones, minerals, neurotransmitters. Includes treatment of the whole person.
What kind of appointment to book?
See my Booking page or contact me.
The first consultation:
Chronic issues: Book an Initial Consultation. We will spend 1.5 hours going through your complaints and how they affect you. I need to have a good understanding of your history, your story. I may ask about your food preferences, your sleep, energy, digestion, fears and phobias, dreams, and hardships/traumas. I will follow your lead on what you are comfortable discussing.
Acute issues: Book a Regular Follow Up - Acute 45 min consultation if you are a first-time client. We will only focus on the presenting complaint, gathering all the signs and symptoms that have changed since the illness started.
For chronic and acute, if you…
Have ongoing chronic issues and a long history of conventional medications…
Believe your health has suffered since a specific medical treatment, vaccine, medication, infection, trauma, or other cause…
I will most likely apply the Human Chemistry approach. Please fill out the Human Chemistry Intake Form in addition to the Intake and Consent Form and return it before we meet.
What to expect BEFORE a consultation
You can book online or via e-mail.
If you are looking for an acute consultation, please e-mail me or call me at the time of booking to let me know the reason for the appointment in the event that I recommend seeking medical care.
I will ask that you fill out the Intake form(s) and return them to me by email before we meet (pictures are acceptable if you cannot scan the documents).
I will send a Zoom meeting invitation for virtual appointments. Please download the app and test it out ahead of time.
Note on virtual appointments: I highly recommend finding the quietest and most private place so you may speak freely. This is your chance to fully express yourself so I may see what needs to be healed.
Notes on infants and young children:
Homeopaths get a lot of important information from seeing your child interact the way they normally do. If the child can talk and answer questions, it is best to let them answer. If they hide from strangers, or sit on your lap, that's good to see as well. Your child is not expected to be present for the duration of the consultation. In fact, it is better to speak freely about what you experience without them overhearing.
What to expect DURING a consultation
I will start by asking what troubles you the most. I will give lots of space for you to express yourself and guide with questions as needed.
Once you have outlined the main complaints, I’ll go back through them with more direct questions to really understand how you experience each one. I may ask seemingly odd questions; they are not from incomprehension but rather to fully understand your unique experience.
As discussed above and depending on the length of the consultation, I may ask about your hardships, traumas, fears, medical history, family history, dreams, general traits, your personality, etc.
Everything you share is confidential (see consent form) and important. Homeopaths look for the needle in the haystack, things that are strange, peculiar, different, intense, that stand out. We are also looking for patterns that tie your physical and emotional selves together. You may not be aware that a certain habit or aversion you have is uncommon, but it may be the key to unlocking your case, so that’s why anything you say is of value.
I will be typing much of what you say for my notes. I will also be referring to my homeopathic software to look up remedy options.
Near the end of the consultation, I will let you know if I need more time to analyze your case before prescribing, or if I am prepared to prescribe 'on the spot'.
How will I get my remedy(ies)?
Any of these options may apply:
Pick up at the clinic at a later time
Pick up at another local clinic/pharmacy
Ship it to you directly
There may be a wait if the remedy(ies) must be ordered (for chronic cases).
I will send you a Remedy Instructions document by e-mail.
If I need more time with your case, I will let you know approximately how many days it will take and will e-mail you the Remedy Instructions document at that time.
I mainly use liquid remedies. They are 13% alcohol. You will be diluting ~3 drops into large volumes of water. The final alcohol quantity is negligible.
Payment
I will send an invoice for the consultation by e-mail after the consultation. The instructions for e-transfer are included.
I will only invoice you for remedies when they are ready for pickup.
Please see the fee structure on my Booking page.
Remedies are 9$ each.
*Note on Human Chemistry approach: more remedies are required and follow ups tend to be less frequent (every 8-16 weeks as opposed to 4-6).
What to expect AFTER a consultation
Some time after your consultation, you will pick up your remedies or receive them in the mail. You’ll read the remedy instructions and start!
I will check in by email at the agreed upon time if I have not heard from you. I will be available to answer questions on dosage, frequency, how to know whether to repeat a remedy or when to stop, and any other questions that come up.
You may feel something shift immediately, some days, or some weeks later. It may be subtle or not so subtle. You can expect changes in any area, not just in the main complaint - such as in your energy, mood, dreams, thought patterns, digestion, cravings, sleep, etc. If you feel aggravated where it’s too bothersome for more than a day, I always say to contact me and I can help you minimize the effect and/or antidote the remedy. The goal is always to give the minimum dose necessary to stimulate the body’s vital force to start shifting in the right direction.
What to expect at a FOLLOW-UP
I cannot overstate the importance of committing to your first follow-up. Even if we exchanged emails back and forth, the follow-up is the space designed for me to correctly assess the impact of the treatment and decide on the next best step to ensure you move towards better health. I will start by asking a general ‘how are you feeling now compared to before’? Then I will ask specific questions like ‘what is worse?’, ‘what is new?’, ‘what is better?’ and ‘what didn’t change’? I will go through every main complaint and assess if there has been any change. Based on your answers, I will have an understanding of the remedy’s impact and your response. I will see how sensitive you are, how reactive your vital force is, etc. Anything that is worse will give us the path forward. I will focus on what is worse/what you want addressed. I will let you know what I see and what my recommendation is for the next few weeks.
It often happens that people say nothing has changed, but upon questioning them, they realize that actually they have more energy and were less angry towards their spouse, or they were able to work all day without thinking of pain whereas before they had to stop many times throughout the day.
If you feel better overall, in your energy and outlook on life, and your physical symptoms haven’t changed, that is a good sign that the remedy has acted and we have to be patient.
What is your role?
Your role is to simply show up and express yourself as honestly as you can.
For new-to-homeopathy clients, give yourself the space and time to get used to this new approach and feel free to ask questions.
Complete intake forms are important so give yourself some time to start the process before we meet, when you’re filling them out.
While lots of data points are valuable, what is really bothering you about your situation will lead to a better understanding of what needs to be cured.
What outcomes can you expect when partnering with me?
Truly individualized care for chronic and acute illnesses
A treatment plan that addresses the root of the issue
Improved overall health over time
Reduced dependence on allopathic medication
Feel empowered to use homeopathy in your home with your family
What can you expect from me as your homeopath?
I strive to create a deep and supportive client-homeopath relationship where you feel truly seen, heard and understood without judgement.
That I will hold the vision of what is possible
A client-led approach
Transparency
Dedication to learning. I am like a detective, I use my analytical and research skillset to see hidden details and detect patterns. I research your case outside our consultation time and continuously learn and develop my knowledge base to find you the best solutions.
That I will often recommend lifestyle changes (e.g., movement practices and nutrition changes) and other modalities (e.g., osteopathy, acupuncture, naturopathy, etc.) to compliment your healing. I will also recommend or be required to refer to a medical doctor in certain situations.
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