What Happens In An Initial Naturopathic Consultation?

I have been asked to explain what happens in an Initial Naturopathic Consultation quite a few times as of late, so I thought would share so you can be informed before booking an initial consultation.

Every Naturopath will do things slightly differently depending on their speciality, how they were trained and how their business is run.  Having said that, any initial case taking with a Naturopath will be in depth and very thorough. This quality of our industry is why we are known as holistic health practitioners as we assess each client as a whole.

Before the consultation

When a client books an initial consultation with me, I ask them to visit my website and complete an online health history form.

This generally will take the client around 10 minutes and can be done at a time convenient to them. This means the 10 minutes they take to complete this form is done prior to their appointment and does not cut into the consultation time. The form also prepares the client for what type of questions I will be asking.

The form includes questions regarding the client’s health complaints, medical history, family history, current medications, supplements and typical diet information.

At the Consultation

At the initial consultation I will ask the client about their health complaints listed, how long they have been experiencing these and anything relevant that could be contributing to these symptoms. I will then assess how the body systems are functioning (digestive, endocrine , hepatic, circulatory, immune, reproductive and musculoskeletal etc.) I will then assess stress levels, sleep health, evaluate diet and lifestyle.

After dietary evaluation I will then proceed with iris analysis (study the coloured part of the eye) tongue and nail analysis.

Completion of the consultation

Towards the completion of the initial consultation I will confirm the treatment priorities of the client as by this point there may be a lot going on that I would consider a priority. This is where I will evaluate the client’s wishes and what he or she is prepared to take in regard to liquid herbs, supplements and dietary modifications. I will also get an idea of budget also, as I work within the client’s limitations and make their tailored treatment plan affordable and convenient for them.

The initial consultation should not take longer than 45 minutes and unless there is something I need to prescribe immediately, I will then spend some time researching the client’s symptoms, health condition/s and possible treatment options. I will make sure any of my natural medicine prescription will not interfere or contraindicate in any of their medications that the client may be taking. I generally will ask the client to return in 1-2 days time to receive their tailored treatment plan.

Natural medicine is not a quick fix

I encourage all clients to take responsibility of their own health. Results will come with commitment and perseverance. This means the advice I give to you will need to be applied daily and you will need to make some changes.

Chances are that you have been experiencing the unwanted symptoms for a while and feeling better will not happen overnight. I like to explain this in the analogy of planting a seedling. In order for that seedling to grow and flourish you need to spend time planting, fertilising and watering on a regular basis.

Think of your body in the same way, you need to feed your body whole food nutrition, provide your body with adequate sleep, exercise and hydrate every day.

Naturopathic principles

 

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