What to expect
Link: Comment of the difference between a medical and a holistic approach.
Nathaniel trained for four years full time as a medical herbalist (NIMH), and practices in a primarily holistic way.
A first consultation usually takes around 1.5 hours, during which time I will take a thorough case history (similar to that from a GP), noting down any existing health conditions, medications you are taking, your family and health history, together with an overview of any weaknesses in your body.
As well as the bio-molecular framework for medicine, herbalists also work with constitutional and energetic understandings of health. To do this I may ask questions that allow us to better understand your constitution, and try to identify patterns that exist in terms of thoughts and emotions.
The aim of the first (or first few) consultations is to ‘track down’ the root imbalance that is leading to your health complaint. This is something we explore together, with the intention being to empower you to better understand your body.
Once we have the lay of the land, I will design a programme to help correct that imbalance which may include bodywork, herbal tinctures, herbal teas, dietary changes, lifestyle recommendations and other therapies as appropriate.
Some people may find that the initial consultations + a follow up or two is enough to get them moving in a good direction. Others find valuable support in checking in with us on a regular basis (often around every 2-4 weeks). I often find that for fairly deep rooted condition, we may be working for around 6 months on a one visit per month basis.
On the first consultations we will always try to outline how long treatment may take, and give you as much supportive information as we can to decide the best interventions for improving your health.
I offer something unique in my approach to herbs in that I have been integrating bodywork (effectively listening to your body directly) with herbs for ten years. I find this not only allows for very precise selection of the herbs, but also empowers you to understand your body and create positive interventions to help it heal.