For more information on our practitioner, Sarah Lyn Hutchinson DSHM (hon.), including contact information, please see here.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy was created over 200 years ago by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.  Homeopathy quickly developed and was soon used throughout Europe, South Asia and The America’s.  Until the turn of the 20th century, homeopathy was widespread in Canada and the USA.  Homeopathy was a regulated medical profession until 1960 and the process of re-regulating homeopathy is now underway in Ontario. 

There were even a few homeopathic hospitals in Canada.  The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Montreal was formerly The Homeopathic Hospital of Montreal and The Toronto Homeopathic Hospital operated for 36 years before its merger with Toronto Western Hospital, at which time it lost its Homeopathic status.  It is also seldom mentioned that Canada’s first female physician, Dr. Emily Jennings Stowe, was trained and practiced as a homeopathic doctor.  Although the popularity of homeopathy in North America has waned, it is still widely used throughout the world.  Homeopathy is in fact, the second most commonly practiced form of medicine in the world.

Many historical figures and modern celebrities have chosen Homeopathy as their mode of healthcare.  This list includes Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Charles Darwin, Paul McCartney, Cher, Abraham Lincoln, Pamela Anderson, Mark Twain, David Beckham, Bill Clinton, Jennifer Aniston, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

THE FOUR PRINCIPLES OF HOMEOPATHY

1.   SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURENTUR (Like Cures Like)

The use of homeopathic remedies is based on the principle that a substance is capable of curing the same symptoms it can cause.  This is referred to as the Law of Similars or “like cures like.”  In practice, a remedy must be given that is most similar to the totality of the patient’s symptom presentation.

By studying the symptoms produced when healthy individuals’ take a remedy, homeopaths can determine which symptoms that remedy is capable of curing.  Because the toxic aspects of the substances being studied have been removed in homeopathic preparation, human trials are safe and effective.

In order to best treat each individual, the homeopath must tailor the treatment considering: what the most appropriate remedy is, what mode of administration is best, what the minimum volume to bring about a response is and how frequently the remedy needs to be repeated. 

The homeopath must study the reaction of the individual, one remedy at a time.  This allows proper evaluation as to what effect the remedy had on the totality of symptoms for that individual.

Homeopathy is a natural, holistic system of medicine which seeks to gently stimulate the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Homeopathic action is similar to Newton’s Third Law: the law of reciprocal actions.  This law is more commonly heard as “every action has an equal and opposite reaction”.  A simple example is a cough.  If a person who is suffering with a cough takes a homeopathic remedy known to produce coughs in healthy people, the cough soon disappears.  The homeopathic action is to stimulate a cough; therefore the body’s reaction is to reduce the cough.  Since the suffering body has been returned to a state of health, no dependency develops. 

The same principle is true of conventional medicines, which is why dependencies commonly develop.  Consider high blood pressure medications.  The action of the anti-hypertensive is to lower blood pressure.  The reaction of the body is then to increase blood pressure.  People often find their blood pressure higher than before going on the medications and increasing amounts of medicine is required to control the high blood pressure.  The ailing body has not been stimulated into healthy vitality and so the negative pattern continues.  This common phenomenon in medicine is known as “rebound” and is observed with most pharmaceutical medications, not just anti-hypertensive’s. 

THE HOMEPATHIC PROCESS

THE INITIAL CONSULTATION

Determining the proper remedy involves investigating and evaluating all the subjective and objective symptoms that you are experiencing in the context of your individual life conditions.  This requires an extensive amount of time in consultation.  An initial meeting with a homeopath can be up to two hours.  All aspects of your constitution (spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical) must be considered. 

In order to develop an accurate picture of your unique circumstances, the homeopath will need to inquire about everything from food cravings- to how you handle stress- to what time of day your symptoms are worse or better.  At the end of the consultation, the homeopath may give you a remedy immediately, but more likely she may choose to study the case further.  This review process is to further examine the details of the case and differentiate the details of possible remedies.

The response to the remedy is as unique as the individual.  Many people experience an immediate increase in energy and an improved sense of well-being, others have a brief aggravation of symptoms (usually lasting less than 24 hours), while others notice a slow progression of symptom relief.  It is important to be mindful of these changes and to report them to your homeopath at the next follow-up consultation.  Often, the smallest shift can be paramount in determining the next step in your case management.

THE FOLLOW-UP CONSULTATIONS

Follow up consultations are usually up to half an hour in length.  The homeopath will inquire as to what symptoms have improved or worsened, if any new symptoms have developed or if any previous symptoms you’ve previously experienced have returned.  All of this information will help the homeopath decide whether to change your remedy, continue on the same remedy, or to see if your improvement will last without further use of any remedy.  The first follow-up is generally booked one month after the initial consultation.  This time frame allows you to notice consistency of changes.  After this time, follow-ups may continue at monthly intervals or become less frequent.  This is determined by the severity/chronicity of the case and the response to the remedy. 

FEE SCHEDULE

Adult Initial – 2 hours – $140

Child Initial (up to age 16) – 1.5 hours - $80

Student/Senior/Military Initial (Valid ID required) – 2 hours - $100

All Follow-ups - 30 minutes – $40

Acute Consultations (Injury or Illness) – 20 minutes –$20

Or take advantage of one of the following plans:

Individual Plans:

Adult Basic Plan (Adult Initial plus 3 follow ups) - $200 ($60 savings)

Student/Senior/Military Plan (S/S/M Initial plus 3 follow ups) - $180 ($40 savings)

Family Plans:

Starter Plan (2 Adult Initials plus 2 Children Initials) - $400 ($40 savings)

Maintenance Plan (8 follow ups - any number for any family member, can be purchased by an individual) - $260 ($60 savings)

Don't forget to inquire about paying by installments.

Combine any plan with the Maintenance Plan for even greater savings!

Questions before or after consultation – FREE