Your Consultation with a Medical Herbalist

As a medical herbalist, my aim is to help you restore health by addressing all contributing factors. Focusing solely on the symptom wouldn’t resolve the underlying issue. This holistic approach is key to optimal health and why your consultation looks beyond the symptom.

Your initial consultation is 1.5 hours in length and we’ll use the time to understand your story. In addition to detailed questions about your current issue, we’ll also explore diet, lifestyle and past medical history, all within a timeline. 

Appointments available online or in-person.

We’ll talk about each body system, which may highlight additional factors contributing to your health picture. This can also reveal potential nutrient deficiencies impacting your health.

In some situations, it may be appropriate to take your blood pressure, listen to your heart or lungs, look into your mouth or ears or take your blood oxygen saturation level. Each can provide valuable insight, but only with your consent.

Blood tests can be helpful, if you’re happy to share them with me. Most health providers will give a copy to you on request and we can use these where appropriate. Occasionally, additional tests will be recommended either through the NHS or privately, if possible.

After your consultation, I’ll take time to understand how each of the component parts are contributing to your complaint and use this insight to make recommendations. Remember, there’s often more than one factor involved which is why it’s best to approach change at a pace comfortable for you. Small but regular adjustments help imbed new habits, which we can build on over time.

I’ll also recommend a herbal prescription, if necessary. Depending on the circumstances, we may seek to address the whole or work on one root cause at a time. Usually, a review after four to six weeks is the starting point to assess progress, sometimes two weeks.

If private testing is needed or wanted, I work with Genova Diagnostics, Regenerus Labs and Healthpath Pro to provide us additional insight. This might include stool testing for IBS to uncover bacterial overgrowth or functional digestive issues, hormone levels in PCOS, peri-menopause, hashimoto’s or grave’s disease, particular nutrients and many other tests if they will benefit your progress.

Three to four shorter follow-up consultations of 40 minutes each are usually necessary after the initial consultation. This is a way to see how you’re responding to the herbal medicine. It’s also an opportunity to talk about your general progress, obstacles, or update me on new developments from your side.

For long-standing or complex conditions, more time may be needed. For hormonal imbalances, roughly three cycles is a realistic timeline to notice improvement.

Where appropriate, I can post out repeat prescriptions to you if no consultation is needed.

Herbal medicines are given in many forms. Teas, tinctures containing small amounts of alcohol, creams, capsules and pessaries are a few examples. I consider the best-suited form for people, also relevant when working with children.

Herbs work gently, gradually and cumulatively in the body. That’s why it’s beneficial to remember to take your doses as needed (usually twice or three times a day).

If a herbal prescription isn’t necessary, I won’t suggest one. Sometimes, depending on the situation, simple but pragmatic changes may be all that’s needed at the time.

Whilst many people take supplements daily, to support their health and wellbeing, the quality and strength is often less than you might expect from medicinal quality supplements.

Where appropriate to include supplements in a prescription, I’ll recommend an appropriate dose and provide access to a website where you can order your supplements direct. My professional discount as a registered medical herbalist will automatically be applied to your purchases.

Nobody likes paying fees, but inevitably there is a cost for my time. My fees include our time spent together in consultation and any additional research, which may be appropriate to your ailment. For example, I will likely need to explore the compatibility of recommendations with existing prescription medicine being taken. In addition, the cost includes the time required to formulate a herbal prescription.

Children under 16 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Each herbal prescription is unique, prepared and blended to your specific needs, so the ingredients and costs will vary from patient to patient.

Herbal medicine costs:

Teas - £16 for 100g, £8 for 50g

Tincture (alcohol) - £10 per week

Creams and ointments £8 for 60g

Prices include the ingredients, formulation and preparation. Exclude postage, if applicable.