Who is Your Best Advocate?

Homeopathy plays a small role in the health industry. Unfortunately between the pharmaceutical companies and the insurance companies, the medical business is just that; a VERY BIG business. Because of this, the practice of medicine has changed greatly in the last few decades. It used to be that if you saw a doctor, there was a true office visit. This means that you had a conversation with the doctor and he/she spent more than 5-15 minutes with you.

As a result of these brief office visits, the exchange of information is very limited. If you are not your own best health advocate, you are liable to be another casualty of the medical system rather than reaping the benefits of good medical care. This where homeopathy differs so greatly from the standard medical model. The homeopath wants to hear how you are doing. They want to hear the details of your suffering. They want to hear your history and the things that bother you. This is why the first consultation will last a minimum of two hours.

During the initial intake, I spend around a half hour just explaining homeopathy and the healing process. If my client does not understand the basics of homeopathy and how I am seeing their illness, there is very little chance to establish a deep rapport and relationship that is workable. We both need to be on the same page regarding the direction of their healing journey. This does not mean that my view and homeopathy are the only way to heal. I help people even if they are walking the allopathic path as well. I am an advocate for their health and their freedom to choose what is best for themselves.

A person needs to be their own best advocate regarding their health. No one knows how they feel, their story, and their belief in themselves as their own healer, better than you. The reason anyone will be seeking health care, either from an allopath, homeopath, acupuncturist, or any other healing modality, is that they are needing some advice as to the health dilemma they are experiencing. They are asking for help. Help includes empowering someone to be their own healer. Drugs, doctors, remedies, homeopaths; none of these heal people. We each heal ourselves. This what I try to empower in every client; their own ability to heal themselves.

So when we see the homeopath or the allopath we need to be responsible for getting everything we need. To be responsible means having the ability to respond. To ask questions. To get clear about the direction and ideas that the practitioner has. All of this needs to feel right and correct when you are the patient. We need to feel that the approach the practitioner is offering feels right. We also need to become informed. Often the information being shared is very new. We need to ask the hard questions of our practitioners we are enlisting in our healing journey.

There is no one who knows us like we know ourselves. When we take responsibility for our illness as well as our healing, we become empowered. No one really cares as much about ourselves as ourselves. It is one form of health that healthy people have, this ability to be responsible for ourselves. We are better clients to the doctors and homeopaths we are working with.

If you find yourself needing help with your health, ask every question you can think of and don't be satisfied unless you get an answer that suffices. We will not always get answers we understand or like, but we need to ask those questions. If your practitioner avoids questions or refuses to answer, there may be something wrong with the relationship. An honest answer of "I don't know" is much more preferable than some other response, especially one that engenders fear. Too often fear is used to throw us off into a quick decision regarding treatment. Take your time. Do not act until you are satisfied that you have the information you need.

We all need to be responsible for our health. We need to be our own best advocates. Our relationship with our practitioner is one of the most intimate and important relationships we will ever have. When we trust someone with our healthcare, we need to be very sure that our trust is well-founded. The best way to find out is by asking questions. Only then will you truly know.