Welcome to A Gentle Cure! We hope that you will find this site to be informative and if, after reading it, you still have unanswered questions, please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to assist you..
People often call and ask if we have St. John’s Wort, or some other herbal or nutritional products. Or they call and ask for an appointment for ear candling or colon cleansing or iridology, or a number of other alternative treatments. The word ‘homeopathy’ is often used incorrectly by people who mean ‘holistic’. People often say, ‘I’ve used homeopathic medicine for years, I take herbs all the time, and I’ve had my ears candled and had lots of reflexology, too!’ Well, that’s nice for them, but that’s not homeopathy. It is a very specific science, using a very specific type of ‘medicine’, which we call ‘remedies’.
"What is the history of homeopathy?"
In the mid-1700s, there was a young German boy named Samuel Hahnemann. His father was well aware of how bright his son was, and set about the task of developing his natural intellectual abilities. Samuel was often locked in a room and made to solve several puzzles before being allowed out, which not only turned the boy into quite a thinker, it developed a strong sense of curiosity in him as well.
By the time he was 12, Samuel was fluent in several languages, acting as tutor in the study of such languages as Greek and Latin. Soon, he found himself studying medicine, and he became a doctor.
The medical practices of Hahnemann’s time were barbaric, to say the least. Poisons were given as medicines, producing quite toxic effects. There was blood-letting, cauterizing, leeching, and various other practices which so offended Hahnemann that by the time he had become a father, and was expected to offer these treatments to his children, he quit medical practice altogether. In order to support his family, he began translating medical documents from one language to another.
It was during the translation of one particular document that Hahnemann made a remarkable discovery. The document was to do with the use of Peruvian Bark in the treatment of malaria. Because of his upbringing which involved great thinking and problem-solving, it was natural for Hahnemann to question many things. As he translated this particular document, he began to think about the Law of Similars, about which Hippocrates had spoken about two thousand years earlier: ?Like cures like.?
Realizing that Peruvian Bark treated the symptoms of malaria in an ill person, Hahnemann wondered if it would cause them in a healthy person. He decided to try it on himself, and sure enough, after repeated doses, he began to exhibit the symptoms of this disease. This is what we call the first ‘proving’ -- he proved what a substance would cause in a healthy person; therefore, what it would cure in someone who already had those symptoms!
He was very excited about this discovery, and shared it with family, friends and colleagues. Soon, many others were trying various substances to see what symptoms each one would elicit. Careful notes were taken regarding any and all changes on the mental, emotional and physical levels. Eventually, consistent pictures of the symptoms associated with each substance began to emerge.
As word of Hahnemann’s discovery spread, there became a growing interest in his work. Not all of it was positive, however, and a young medical student, Constantine Hering, was hired to go and pretend to work with Hahnemann with the intention of proving his theory to be without merit.. The plan backfired, however, when Hering saw for himself the value in Hahnemann’s discovery, and witnessed much healing using the Law of Similars. He was so impressed, in fact, that he actually ended up assisting in the development of homeopathic theory. His observations culminated in the rule he formulated, which we call Hering’s Law. Cure takes place from above downward, from within outward, from more important to less important organs, and in the reverse order of appearance of symptoms.
As the number of proven substances increased, so did the number of patients who were healed by them. This is due to the highly individualized nature of homeopathic healing. Since it was discovered that proven substances caused changes in the mental and emotional make-up of the patient, this meant that these also had to be taken into account when prescribing an appropriate medicine (or as it is called in homeopathy, a remedy). If the patient’s entire mental, emotional and physical make-up did not match the remedy picture closely enough, there would only be a partial cure, or no cure at all.
"Treating the patient, not the disease"
Conventional medicine, and many alternative medicines like naturopathy or herbology, deal with treating the symptoms. They work on a physical level; remove the symptoms and call it a cure. Or in the case of naturopaths, they work mostly with foods and nutrition, and tell a patient to add or remove various foods or supplements in order to remove symptoms. Sometimes they also prescribe homeopathic remedies, although classical homeopaths often have reason to be concerned about the way in which most naturopaths use them.
One of the biggest, and most useful differences between these other methods of treatment and homeopathy is that the others remove the symptoms, which homeopaths call ‘treating the disease’, while homeopathy cures the reason for them, which is ‘treating the patient’. In time, the symptoms do not return. For example, you may get frequent attacks of asthma or allergy problems. Medications can keep them at bay, reducing the frequency or severity of these problems. Remove the medications, and get a full blown return of your symptoms. Conventional and most alternative medicines operate under the assumption that if you address the symptoms and remove them, you have ‘cured’ or ‘treated’ the disease or ailment, by making it go away, even if the disappearance is not permanent.
With homeopathy, however, you will eventually get to the point where you do not get the symptoms at all because the reason for them has been healed.
According to homeopathic philosophy, we are all born with various weaknesses and susceptibilities. Homeopaths don’t look at those in the same physical, genetic way that many other forms of medical treatment do because homeopathy does not operate on a physical level; it is what we call ‘energetic medicine’, rather like acupunture but without the needles! Acupuncture and homeopathy share a few common elements. Both work with the patient’s energy, called ‘chi’ in acupuncture, the ‘vital force’ in homeopathy. Both understand that the mental, emotional and physical aspects of a patient are all connected, and that it is only when there is harmony and balance that all three will function well and in a healthy manner.
But homeopathy generally works much faster, and on an even deeper level than acupuncture, costing much less in time and money to achieve the same results, and without dietary restrictions or the need for herbs and other supplements.
All symptoms, whether mental, emotional or physical, are the vital force’s efforts to express what homeopaths refer to as ‘disease’. As wementioned, everyone is born with certain susceptibilities and weaknesses, even if a baby appears to be perfectly healthy at birth. Eventually, certain ailments will make themselves evident. Various symptoms appear, indicating that the vital force is out of balance. A child may get recurrent colds or flus, or he may have nightmares or anxieties. He may have trouble sleeping, or be prone to allergies. He may be a clingy child, or a moody one. There may be digestive issues, or frequent stomach aches.
We are designed to heal ourselves. When we are injured or have surgery, the body repairs itself. When we are too hot, we perspire to cool off. When we are too cold, we shiver to create heat in our muscles; our pores close, creating goosebumps, and we warm up. We are designed to find balance, a state of homeostasis, to keep mind, emotions and body all functioning in good health, since they are all connected.
However, because of our inherent susceptibilities, along with environmental stresses, pollutants, medications, injuries and so on, the vital force is further weakened. It tries harder to find balance, and symptoms change, or become more frequent or severe. The further out of balance it gets, the harder the vital force (the energy that ‘drives’ us) has to work to try to restore itself to a position of homeostasis.
To suppress any symptoms only further weakens the vital force. It is rather like throwing a bag of garbage out of your house, only to have someone standing outside who throws it right back in again. Therefore, medications or procedures which remove symptoms are ‘curing’ the disease; yet the symptoms will return because the reason the patient produced them still exists.
A classically trained homeopath will take a very detailed history of the patient’s mental, emotional and physical make-up. Given that we are rather complex creatures, it can be a rather complicated process to wade through the vast amount of information gathered, and sort out the key elements which will direct the homeopath to a remedy choice.
You will be asked such questions as what type of weather do you prefer, or dislike? Do you like fresh air, or do you prefer to be indoors with windows closed? How do you feel in a draft or before a storm? What types of foods do you favour or dislike? Which foods don’t like you?
You will be asked about any dreams you can recall, and about the most significant events in your life. You will be asked about the specific nature of your pain: is it drawing, tearing, burning, stitching, bursting, throbbing, gnawing etc.? Does it extend or radiate anywhere? What time of day or night is it better or worse (and you, on the whole, as well)? What other things make it better or worse? Heat? Cold? Standing? Sitting? Curling up? Bending over? Light? Noise? Odours? Pressure?
There will be countless details about you that we want to know, in order to have the best chance to find a remedy that suits you in your entirety. You are not made up of separate parts; you are one being, connected mentally, emotionally and physically. An initial interview should take approximately an hour and a half, give or take a bit, depending on how much you have to tell us. Follow-up interviews may be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, again depending upon what you have to say.
As was explained above, a remedy will cure symptoms that the substance from which it originated will cause in its natural state.
For example, the Wind flower, which gives us the remedy, Pulsatilla, is usually found growing very near other plants. It is not found on its own. A person who needs Pulsatilla will very much crave company and will not like to be alone. As well, the Wind flower grows on the sheltered side of a hill, or in places where it is protected from wind. A person who needs Pulsatilla will not like drafts or wind of any sort. The flower prefers shade, and is found in ‘chilly’ areas, and the person requiring Pulsatilla will usually be chilly, yet intolerant of any form of heat.
If you remember your grade school science classes, you will recall that everything is made up of tiny moving particles. How close together they are placed, and how quickly they are moving will determine the solidity and the substance. Even a table is made up of tiny moving particles. They are just so tightly packed together, that the table appears to be solid and unmoving.
Because of the way in which they are put together, they will create a particular energy pattern, unlike every other one, although similar to others. Every substance in nature is created this way. In the 1930s, a couple of Russian scientists discovered Kirlian photography, which will show the energy field or pattern around an object. The energy in every object will be individualized, having its own vibrational frequency and pattern.
If you were to tape yourself singing, and then play it back and sing along, you would hear your voice twice. But if you hit a tuning fork at a particular pitch, and then hit another identical one, you will not hear two identical tones, but rather, you will hear one very loud tone as each resonates with the other, causing a larger vibration, and an increase in the energy. We’ve all heard about an opera singer shattering glass. This is because the singer hits a particular note which is at the same vibrational frequency as that of the glass, which is, like everything else, made up of these tiny moving particles. The singer’s note causes the glass to resonate with it, moving more as the energy increases, until the glass finally shatters.
How does this relate to homeopathy? Let’s look at an over-simplified case to help you understand. Imagine that you ate some of the Belladonna plant, which is very toxic and can, in fact, kill you. Before long, you would have a right-sided, violently throbbing headache. Your pupils would be dilated, and your face flushed and dry. Your stomach would become upset and you would be quite nauseated. You would be terribly sensitive to light and noise, and would want to lie down in a dark and quiet room.
Does this sound like some types of migraine? If you already had these symptoms with your migraine (bearing in mind that this is, as I said, very over-simplified), you would be given a tiny dose of Belladonna, ‘potentized’ (see below) according to homeopathic principle, and your symptoms would vanish. What a substance will cause in its natural state will be what it cures when it is potentized and made into a remedy. The Law of Similars: Like Cures Like.
This is because the vibrational frequency of the energy pattern of the Belladonna plant is very much like yours. Your vital force would not have the energy to throw off the symptoms, which are its efforts to restore balance and make you well. But with a pure dose of the same type of energy, it is rather like boosting a car battery with another. Your energy is restored, your vital force finds balance, and there is no longer a need for the symptoms.
Sometimes
people have heard about homeopathic remedies being so diluted that there are
no longer any molecules of the original substance left in them. Of course, on
the surface, this makes no sense at all. If we were operating on the basis of
conventional medicine or herbology, for example, we could see why this would
not work, as drugs and herbs are acting on the physical level; therefore, there
needs to be a physical substance (another form of like cures like!).
However, as we have established, homeopathy works on the patient’s vital force, or energy, which is why we call it energetic medicine. To begin to understand how this works, let’s return to the example of the Belladonna plant.
A tincture is made from the plant, and one drop of the tincture is then added to a vial containing one hundred parts of water. Rather than just shaking it, the vial is pounded hard several times. The best way to explain what happens is to say that the energy from the Belladonna plant is released into the water, becomes more diluted in a physical sense, but stronger in an energetic sense. There have been studies done on water and energy which can substantiate that this is what happens. In fact, the writer had a patient who was just such a person, so he had no trouble understanding this process!
After succussing the vial, a drop is taken and added to another one, again containing one hundred parts of water. And once again, there is a lot of succussion. By the third time this is done, we now have 100 x 100 x 100, which is 1,000,000 parts of water but only one drop of the Belladonna tincture. It is very diluted in a physical sense, but has become stronger in its energy.
Although there are many potencies (strengths) of remedies, there are some common ones, and the number given describes how many times the mixture was diluted and succussed. For example, a Belladonna 30c remedy went through the diluting and succussing 30 times (The "c" in this potency represents the use of 100 drops of water in each dilution. An "x" would indicate ten drops). You can well imagine that there are absolutely no Belladonna molecules left in that water, but that there is now a vial containing fairly strong Belladonna energy. At this potency, a remedy can work miracles on the mental, emotional and physical ailments of a patient.
However, we do not stop there. The next potency used is a 200c, then 1M (M representing 1,000), then 10M, 50M, ‘CM’ (100,000) and even an MM (1,000,000 times diluted and succussed).
The potency of a remedy is determined by examining a number of factors, including severity of leading symptoms, the nature of them (mental/emotional or physical), as well as the overall health and energy of the patient. Since homeopathy looks after all three realms of health, they must be taken into account as a part of the whole to determine not only which remedy, but which potency.
Typically, in classical homeopathy, only one dose of the remedy is given. There are some situations (mainly acute, or in cases of ongoing stressors which help to keep a patient from recovering) which require repeated doses. However, on most occasions, you will only be given one dose of a remedy, one time, and then we will wait to see what develops over the following days and weeks.
Once the remedy is given, the vital force is stimulated to begin to find balance, and it throws off symptoms. Sometimes, the symptoms get a bit worse before they get better, as we stop suppressing them, and the remedy begins housecleaning, helping the vital force to do what it was trying to do in order to get well. Sometimes, there is a bit of a return of old symptoms, even ailments from years before. This is a very good sign, as it means the remedy is doing some very deep healing, as if it were peeling away the layers of an onion.
Patients should notice changes very quickly, sometimes even in seconds or minutes, depending on the problem. Mental and emotional improvements are the first to change, and quickly, patients report feeling depression lift, anxiety go, energy return, they feel more cheerful, they feel less stressed. Physical ailments will disappear according to severity, and changes can usually be felt immediately.
However, because physical ailments are considered less important to human happiness and well-being, the less severe ones can take longer to disappear. But since there is improvement on the mental and emotional levels, patients will often say ?I feel so much better, even though the physical complaints are not all gone yet.? The remedies will begin to restore balance to the more important areas, and will throw the ‘disease’, as we call it, into the physical for a while.
Let’s return briefly to the ‘bag of garbage’ analogy. It’s like when you are cleaning your house, and you’ve gathered up all the rubbish from the different rooms, and you have them all sitting in a couple of bags by the back door, but they’re still in the house. Although your house is cleaner, the garbage is still inside, but it has been cleaned up, and it’s in a nice, neat, manageable bundle. The remedies will make you feel better, putting the ‘disease’ into a safer, more manageable place while it works on the more important issues. Then, once those are resolved, the more minor things are cured as well, and the garbage finally makes it to the back lane and is taken away permanently!
Simply put, homeopathy has the ability to cure all diseases, but not all patients. Sometimes, people need to hang onto their illness for a variety of reasons, or they are too sick and too weak to be turned around. In most cases, however, people find relief from pretty much any mental, emotional or physical ailment you can imagine. Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, suicidal depression, panic attacks, negative outlook and pessimism, violent temper, tantrums, ADD/ADHD, concentration and memory issues, insomnia or sleep troubles, emotional trauma (even long-standing), fears and phobias, worrying, stress, high blood pressure, circulatory disorders, emphysema, MS, CFS (ME), lupus, arthritis, allergies, asthma, hay fever, psoriasis, stomach disorders, IBS, Crohn’s disease, food intolerances, colic, migraines, repeated infections, weak immune system, heart troubles, UTIs, cancer, kidney weakness, pregnancy issues, childbirth or post-partum concerns, even many dental issues (can prevent root canals, surgeries, can fix mouth ulcers, boils, infections etc.), the list goes on and on.
Even in cases of terminal illness, homeopathy can at least help a patient feel better in general, despite physical suffering. It can slow the progress of a disease, or reduce the frequency or severity of symptoms. It can improve appetite, energy and mood and help someone die more easily and more comfortably than without remedies.
In the 1800s, homeopathy was very popular in the US (among many other countries in the world, where it is still thriving). There were even homeopathic hospitals and mental institutions, and all of them had significantly higher cure rates than their conventional counterparts. Some of the terrible illnesses of that time, such as cholera, typhoid, and plagues, wiped out countless people, but statistics indicate that people who used homeopathy were far more likely to recover than those who didn’t. In some cases, the death rate amongst homeopathy patients was only one-eighth that of the rest of the population. That is a staggering difference!
As well, life insurance was less expensive for homeopathy patients because they were healthier and lived longer than people who did not use this amazing alternative medicine.
However, as homeopathy’s popularity grew, the conventional practitioners became quite upset by the loss of business it created. The medical association that was in existence at that time decided it needed a regulation to control the problem. It declared that any doctor who used the services of a homeopath, or allowed his family members to do so, would no longer be allowed to practice medicine.
Since homeopathy is working on the energetic level, and not the physical level, there is nothing toxic about the remedies, and there are no side effects. Remedies are always tested on humans because we know they are safe, as opposed to drugs, which are tested on animals, because we know they are not. Homeopathic remedies are completely safe at all ages and stages of life, from the womb until death.
However, if remedies are used improperly, you can still be suppressing symptoms, further weakening the vital force, and driving the ‘disease’ into deeper levels. There is a hierarchy in terms of importance of symptoms, related to human health, functioning and well-being. Within that framework, mental symptoms (how you think) are the most important, closely followed by emotional symptoms (how you feel), and the least important of the three (in terms of the remedy’s action), physical symptoms. (We refer you to the aforementioned fact that patients claim they feel better after a remedy, even if the physical symptoms have not yet disappeared)
Certainly, however, if your physical symptoms are severe, or life-threatening, there is very quick improvement. The correct remedy can stop a heart attack cold, or make a migraine disappear, or debilitating pain go away promptly
Within each of the three planes (mental, emotional and physical), there is a further hierarchy. For example, suicidal depression is more detrimental to one's well-being than having a pessimistic view of life. Heart symptoms will be life threatening, whereas aching joints are not.
When a remedy is given without having taken a thorough case history, and without taking into account the totality of the patient’s symptoms on all three levels, the remedies can suppress and cause ‘disease’ to be driven deeper into the vital force, creating a bigger health problem. Often, we see racks of homeopathic remedies with advice such as ?For grief, take Ignatia. For thick, yellowish discharge, take Pulsatilla. For red skin rashes, take Sulphur.? This is a dangerous way to use remedies!! If the remedy is not accurately prescribed with the totality of the patient’s case in mind, a person could become more sick.
As well, because understanding the complete mental, emotional and physical makeup of the patient is essential in finding the correct remedy, it is impossible to expect that a remedy will work for everyone, based on one or two symptoms. Because of the way in which homeopathy works, we may see twenty people with the same basic flu symptoms, but we will probably prescribe twenty different remedies. It is not enough to know that the nose is running. We want to know the colour of the discharge, the texture or consistency, what time of day or night is it better or worse, is it better or worse standing up, lying on a particular side, being in cold air? Does blowing the nose relieve the congestion or does the nose still feel full? Has the appetite changed? Have food interests changed? Does the patient want to be all covered up with the window wide open? Does he want frequent sips of water? Or does he want large quantities every now and then? The list goes on and on, but we're sure you get the idea.
There is another issue that pops up when people visit most naturopaths, or homeopaths who do not practice the classical way, or if they just buy remedies on their own, and this is the issue of taking more than one remedy at a time. Since they are not operating on a physical level, and they are stimulating the vital force, or the body’s ‘energy’, each time you put a remedy in your mouth, your energy is made to shift and do something different. To continually bombard it with different remedies daily, or weekly, is very wearing and draining. It seriously messes up a case, and it is impossible to get well under such circumstances. Not only is the vital force confused about what it is supposed to do to heal, its efforts are continually interrupted, as it is set off on another course. As well, with frequent doses of remedies, it does not have enough time to respond to one, and actually be able to work. Certainly, there may be some temporary relief from the symptoms for which you took the remedies, but this is likely only due to the fact that the remedies have suppressed you, and something more serious will show up later.
When choosing a homeopath, ask if he or she practices classical homeopathy. This is no guarantee, as we have come across many who claim to be classically trained, but they break all the ‘rules’ and give repeated doses in unnecessary circumstances, and sometimes give more than one remedy at a time.
Be sure to ask if the homeopath does single dose treatments, and if the answer is no, ask how he or she uses remedies. If you have any concern about the number of remedies or doses given, pay attention to your feelings and ask more questions, or call other homeopaths, or read some books on the subject of classical homeopathy.
Ask how long an initial interview is; it should be in the vicinity of 1-1/2 hours, with follow-ups being variable.
The remedy itself is a clear liquid (remember all that diluting in water??). By the time it gets to a patient, it has usually been placed on tiny white pellets, which are made of lactose, and act as a carrier for the pellets. It is important not to touch the pellets with your hands. Depending on how you receive the remedy, you can use the lid of the vial, or you can scoop one out of a bag, using a spoon, and then place the remedy under your tongue.
It needs to be left there only half a minute or so. After that, you may chew the pellet, suck on it, or remove it from your mouth (but it tastes good, so people like to leave it in!) It is important not to have anything in your mouth with a taste for about half an hour before you take the remedy, and about 15-20 minutes afterward. This includes gum, cigarettes, mints, drinks (except water), toothpaste etc.
It is wise to avoid drinking a lot of caffeine, at least for a while until it is determined that you are, indeed, on the correct remedy. A small amount usually does no harm. Sometimes, in some people, caffeine, or other strongly stimulating substances like essential oils, can antidote a remedy. If possible, give the remedy a week or two without having more than one or two cups of caffeinated beverages a day so you can have a chance to see if it is working. Otherwise, you may well have taken the correct remedy, but it might have been antidoted. Neither you nor the homeopath will know if the remedy was working, and it wastes your time, time that you could have been feeling better.
On the other hand, if you have no caffeine and nothing happens, then we know it was not the correct choice of remedy, and can try another.
Homeopathy is a very complicated science, but it is also an art as well. It can sometimes take a few tries to find the correct remedy. There may be partial improvements, indicating that the homeopath is on the right track, and has found something close, but needs to fine-tune until the correct one is found.
Given that homeopathy is an art as well as a science, it takes more than just knowledge to be a good homeopath. A person must also possess certain ‘people skills’, in terms of conducting a proper and thorough interview, finding ways to help the patient open up and give the relevant information. It is important that you feel comfortable enough with your homeopath that you can be honest and forthcoming if he or she is to understand enough about you to choose a remedy which will help you. A good homeopath will be patient and non-judgemental, supportive and accessible. You should feel as though you are being well-cared-for, and that you are important to him or her.
As well, a certain amount of intuition is a useful element for a homeopath in terms of being better able to understand what is going on with the patient, which helps in finding the correct remedy.
You should expect a first appointment to take at least 1-1/2 hours in order for your homeopath to get enough information about your case. A follow-up appointment is usually four to six weeks later. This appointment is essential; it enables your homeopath to establish whether or not your remedy is working, or whether he/she needs to adjust either the remedy or the potency. If your remedy is found to be working, you should not need to see your homeopath until the remedy wears off. Usually, this is several weeks or months later, although infrequently, there may be extenuating circumstances which would require more frequent visits.
If, at your follow-up appointment, it is discovered that your remedy needs changing, you will be given the new one and asked to return for another appointment in four to six weeks. In most cases with a well-qualified classical homeopath, a patient can expect significant changes after the first visit. However, homeopathy is a very complicated, highly individualized science and sometimes takes a few tries to get the correct remedy. In rare cases, there is little or no change, but in these instances, patients are often helped by a different pair of eyes - another homeopath with a different perspective on the same set of symptoms.
"How do I contact you?"
(Long-Distance and In-Person Consultations)
I live in England (near Wellingborough, Northamptonshire) but make regular trips to Calgary, Alberta. Most of my work is done over the phone (at no cost to you), but I am happy to see you in person when geography allows. If your remedy is not given to you on that day, it will either be put in the post or you will be able to collect it as soon as it is ready, whichever suits you.
Although it is preferable to see a patient in person, for several years I have been extremely successful at treating patients over the telephone because most of what I need to know will be based on what you tell me. It is not necessary but if possible, I would appreciate having a photograph of you, as this can be helpful. For long-distance treatment, we will use phone or e-mail to arrange an mutually agreeable time for me to take your case. At the appointed time, I will ring you, and once I've worked out your remedy, I will put it in the post immediately. This is included in the cost of your consultation.
In the UK, I can be reached seven days a week on 01933 624 827 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time.
When leaving messages, please be very clear with your name and phone number. It is very upsetting when I cannot reach people I couldn't hear because they were very soft-spoken or they mumbled, and they think I just didn't bother to ring back! If you do not hear back from me within a day or two, please ring again as it likely means there was just such a problem.
For long-distance treatments, I use Paypal, which allows you a variety of secure ways to make your payment, including using a credit card. All long-distance consultations must be paid for no less than four days prior to the appointment.
If you cancel your appointment giving more than 24 hours' notice, then your prepaid consultation fee will be a credit for the next scheduled appointment or will be refunded. Any cancellation within 24 hours will incur the full consultation fee.
You are welcome to contact me on e-mail, which I check many times each day and you will usually get a very prompt reply. Please remember, however, that due to the fact that there are occasional e-mail and internet glitches worldwide, if you do not receive a response in a day or two, please re-send. An unanswered e-mail would indicate that either I did not receive yours, or you did not receive my reply.