The holistic perspective views disease as an imbalance of the whole person – and symptoms as the manifestation of this imbalance. Treatment focuses on bringing you back into balance and to your best possible level of health.
Holistic medicine functions gently, in harmony with the body, and with no side effects. It takes you into account as a whole person: your physical, mental and emotional condition as well as your social and physical environment. Certain holistic approaches such as Homeopathy can powerfully stimulate your body’s own healing process to cure illness.
Commonly Asked Questions
- What is Homeopathy?
A very rigorous system of natural medicine, homeopathy appreciates that within each person there is an innate healing power that can help restore health – not simply alleviate or suppress symptoms. This healing power is visible every day when, without any outside help, our cuts heal and our colds disappear. Homeopathy powerfully stimulates this healing process to cure illness.Two hundred years ago the brilliant German physician Samuel Hahnemann discovered homeopathy’s core truth: like cures like. Conducting extensive medical research, he learned that different natural substances given in large doses would make healthy people ill. He then proved that these same substances, specially prepared and given in small doses, would cure people who were ill with these very same symptoms.
The total picture of symptoms, especially those that are unique to and characteristic of the patient, are considered. A remedy is selected which best corresponds to that total picture. That remedy then works by augmenting the body’s inherent ability to heal itself.
- What is Classical Homeopathy?
Classical Homeopathy is the original medical approach that Dr. Hahneman founded and developed some two hundred years ago. Based on the principle like cures like, it employs a single remedy at a time to treat a spectrum of symptoms. These medicines are specially prepared at a homeopathic, pharmaceutical laboratory and are all-natural.
- Why Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is highly effective for many conditions, including some conditions which can not be cured by conventional medicine. Moreover it functions in harmony with the body, gently and with no side effects. It is even safe for pregnant women and infants.Almost immediately after Hahneman’s discovery, homeopathy became widely used throughout Europe. Today millions of people in Europe, India, Latin America and, increasingly, in the USA and Canada take advantage of homeopathy.
The FDA reports that sales of homeopathic medicine has increased 100% in the past twenty years. According to the British Medical Journal, nearly half the British population, including the British Royal Family, see homeopathic physicians.
- What does Homeopathy treat?
Homeopathy treats most acute and chronic problems. See Reading Room page for sample cases Dr. Goodman-Herrick has treated.
• Infections
• Yeast Infection
• Bladder Infection
• Sinus Infection
• Ear Infection
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Eczema
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Emotional & mental symptoms
• Autism
• Women’s health issues (i.e. PMS, menopausal symptoms, dysmenorrhea, etc.)
• And many other health problems
- What are Homeopathic Medicines?
Called remedies, these are specially prepared by homeopathic pharmaceutical companies using natural substances, mostly plants and minerals. Unlike other medicine, homeopathic remedies work on a dynamic principle of minuscule dosage. Instead of effecting a chemical change per se, it gives your body the necessary stimulus to heal itself. Once this occurs, you body’s systems gradually return to balance, which helps you gain strength and resist disease.Many basic homeopathic medicines can be found at your local pharmacy. It is recommended to only purchase medicine that your homeopathic practitioner or consultant has prescribed.
- What Is a Homeopathic session like?
An extensive range of questions are asked regarding your physical, emotional, and mental conditions in the initial interview. Your answers provide information that allows the doctor to know you as a complete human being and in turn provide a very precise and effective treatment plan.Most of the time, the remedy is given at the conclusion of the consulting visit. However, sometimes it is necessary to do further research. In acute cases, the original visit and one follow-up are usually sufficient. In chronic cases, treatment is a process over time, depending on individual circumstances. To insure proper treatment, the Doctor needs to monitor progress and sometimes adjust or alter doses.
- How do I know Homeopathy really works?
You do not have to believe in homeopathy; it works with babies and animals.You do have to be committed. With your collaboration, the goal of this practice is to help you attain and maintain the highest possible level of health.
- Are Homeopathic medicine’s safe?
Yes, they are completely safe, even for children and pregnant woman. They are without side-effects.
- What is the training of a Naturopathic doctor?
licensed naturopathic physicians are trained at 4-year, full-time, approved naturopathic medical schools. They take licensing exams in those states which license naturopathic doctors. Those states are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Puerto Rico also gives licenses. Presently naturopathic doctors are working on legislation in a number of states, including New York, to obtain licensing laws.
- What is the training of a skilled Homeopathic practitioner?
Years of training with master homeopathic mentors and in training programs. After extensive training, practitioners can take an exam to become board certified in homeopathy by the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians. Dr. Goodman-Herrick is board-certified.
- What is the difference between Naturopathy and Homeopathy?
Naturopathic is a broad umbrella term for many natural healing therapeutics, such as acupuncture, botanical medicine, hyrdrotherapy, homeopathy and nutrition.
- Can I be on other medicines?
Yes. There is no problem with drug interaction. Over time, with successful treatment, you may be able to decrease or eliminate your other medication with your prescribing physician’s consent
- What does homeopathic treatment cost compared to conventional or allopathic medicine?
Homeopathic medicines cost a small fraction of what traditional, drug medicine cost.
- How long will my treatment last?
The length of treatment varies from person to person. Most often, after the initial visit, a person is seen once a month for several months to monitor care. After that visits are on an as-needed basis.
- Does insurance cover my appointments?
Each insurance policy has different coverage. The best thing to do is to contact your insurance company and ask if they cover the visits of a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine licensed in California.
Telephone Interview With Dr. Goodman-Herrick
Can you explain to us exactly what homeopathy is?
Homeopathy is a highly systematic method of powerfully stimulating the body’s own healing process to cure illness. It seeks to cure the person so that the person is ultimately medicine free. Minute doses of mixed substances are prescribed specifically based on the totality of the person’s systems. Not just the disease condition, each person is looked at as a whole. How he responds to the environment mentally, emotionally, and physically. Each patient is regarded as an individual. For example, if we take 10 people with asthma or any other diagnosed conditions, each may receive a different remedy because each person is really quite different in how he responds.
One person is chilly, another is very warm. Some crave fats, some sweets, some both. These are all the minute details which help the homeopathic practitioner to prescribe the remedy best suited for the individual.
Tell me a little bit a bout yourself and how you got started in homeopathy.
Two years after graduating from college, I returned to do my pre-medical coursework in preparation for becoming a conventional physician. During the time, my health started to decline. I was exhausted. Possibly I would be diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome. Unfortunately, conventional medicine seemed to offer no solution. In hopes of healing myself, I studied nutrition and made dietary changes. My health improved to some degree, but it was really a far distance from what I hoped for. At that time, I was living in Rochester, NY and was referred to a naturopathic doctor who worked in Toronto.
I traveled there and was very impressed with the doctor’s caring manner, as well as the thoroughness of the interview. At the end of the visit, the doctor prescribed a homeopathic remedy, which I started taking. Within a short time, much to my surprise, but in a short time my energy and overall sense of well-being improved a great deal. I’m pleased to say that, with homeopathic care, 35 years later, my health is better than it was then.
How do insurance companies treat homeopathic and your business specifically?
I wish I could give you an easy answer to that question, but as we well know the insurance issue in our country are just so complex. Each insurance company, each policy, is so different and provides such different coverage. The best thing to do is to check with your insurance company and to see if your policy covers the office visits of a licensed naturopathic doctor, an ND, and most do, but it’s really important to check. If they do, visits to my office for homeopathy and self services in general will be covered, since I’m a licensed naturopathic doctor.
If the insurance company says they don’t cover the services, you may want to become active to promote for these services. Insurance companies are starting to find out that naturopathic medicine, homeopathy, with its emphasis on preventative healthcare is actually cost-effective and will save them money. This is the big selling point for the insurance companies, and so we should use this as consumers, as well.
Do you think homeopathy makes a good career? Would you recommend young people going in to study it?
I would definitely recommend the practice of homeopathy as a career. I’ve been in practice for 35 years. It’s still a passion and a very satisfying career. One of the best routes is to become a licensed, naturopathic doctor. You get rigorous training in the naturopathic medical schools, in the basic medical sciences conventional diagnostics and therapeutics. The school’s also provide in-depth courses in nutrition and other natural holistic therapeutics, as well as homeopathy. If you’re interested in applying to a naturopathic college, it’s best to contact the colleges recognized by the accrediting association of naturopathic medical colleges. You can learn the admission requirements and go from there.
Tell me a little bit about the problems you can treat homeopathically.
I work as a family doctor. I treat a wide variety of conditions. I work with first aid situations, such as strains, sprains, and burns. I also see acute problems. Colds, flus, bronchitises, pneumonia, ear infections, urinary tract infections, vaginitis, urethritis, shingles. I see a lot of different kinds of problems in my practice but, in addition, I’m really known for work with people with chronic problems. People who are prone to the recurrent, acute problems that I just mentioned. People who want relief from a wide variety of conditions, such as asthma, PMS, menopausal symptoms. I spent at least an hour with each new patient taking a thorough history and then laboratory work is requested as needed.
I look at each person on an individual, holistic basis. I look at what’s going on in their lives mentally, emotionally, as well as physically. I work with patients to make nutritional changes and lifestyle changes as needed, but at a comfortable pace. Then I also prescribe homeopathic remedy based on their [inaudible 00:06:35] picture. My goal is to help patient obtain and maintain the highest possible level of health.
