What to Expect During a Visit with a Homeopathic Practitioner

When you find a knowledgeable and conscientious homeopath, your first consultation with him or her will likely last at least an hour. (Be concerned if it does not.) In your first meeting, your practitioner will take an in-depth assessment of your current and past physical and mental states.

The in-depth interview is vital to the practice of homeopathy. In theory, a remedy should be chosen based on the total picture of a patient, including his or her emotional state, mental health history, lifestyle, diet, and fitness level.

As a result, two people with the same ailment but different lifestyles and backgrounds will likely receive different remedies. Many homeopaths will not prescribe a remedy after only one session, as they believe it is difficult to get a full picture of a patient’s background and lifestyle in just one or two hours. This may mean follow-up visits; if cost is a concern to you, bring this issue up with the practitioner before you go for the first visit.

Your first prescription will likely be for only a single remedy, though sometimes a single remedy may contain several ingredients. Before you begin to take it, your homeopath might advise you to stop using or ingesting certain substances, particularly coffee or tobacco products. This practice is common, as many practitioners believe that caffeine and nicotine interact poorly with homeopathic remedies.

Payment for treatment varies among practitioners. A conventional medical doctor (MD) typically charges more than a homeopath without a license to practice conventional medicine. Homeopathy fees generally fall in the range of $100–400 for the first consultation and between $50–100 for subsequent visits. The remedies themselves can range from $5–$15.

Although most health insurance policies do not specifically cover homeopathy, your insurance company may cover part or all of your treatment if your homeopathic practitioner is also a conventional medicine doctor.