Written by BCHA member, Avery Herbert, Medical Herbalist, RHT
To view entire article with additional information, please visit: http://www.mindfulmedicinehealth.com/blog/2017/7/5/herbal-medicine-for-beginners-the-power-of-consultation
If you’ve ever seen an Naturopath, an Acupuncturist, or Nutritionist, a Herbalist’s consultation can look quite similar. Although we don’t needle like an acupuncturist, we may feel the pulse, look at the tongue, nails and skin, as well as ask you what seems like a million questions. The consultation process is such an important piece of what we do. Sure we can mix you a formula for your cold or flu with only a few questions, but when we really get to know you as an individual and the story your body is telling us, that’s when we as practitioners can really use the plants as tools.
Herbal preparations are really amazing at what they do, and when we have proper knowledge of what’s happening in the body, we can make the formulas much more specific to each condition we are trying to target.
Usually an initial consultation takes between 60-90 minutes, while a follow up can be 15-45 minutes. Some questions might seem irrelevant or very personal, but the body is an incredible interconnected web, and although you might be here for a skin condition – there is a valid reason I’m asking about your current and past levels of stress.
It’s important to come to a consultation as open and honest as possible. The more we understand, the better we can help. We want to make sure we aren’t recommending herbs that may interact with other medications you may be taking, or may just not be suited to your constitution. Over the appointment we can begin to understand the complexity that is your own body and story.
About the Author:
Photo Credit: Avery Herbert
Avery is a Medical Herbalist, and RHT born and raised on the incredible Vancouver Island in Southwest British Columbia. She is now living in Victoria after graduating with honors from Pacific Rim College – Diploma of Phytotherapy program, where she studied western herbalism, biomedical sciences, herbal energetics, nutrition and Ayurveda.
Avery uses a combination of Western herbal medicine, Ayurvedic philosophy and holistic nutrition in her practice to assess and treat each person based on their constitution. She studied Ayurveda under her teacher in Kerala, India in 2012 and 2016. Now a professional member of the BCHA, she hopes to make Herbal Medicine accessible to all.
Other passions include, traveling, gardening, camping and volunteer Harm Reduction work.
