Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy & Homeopathic Education

What is homeopathy? 
Homeopathy is a natural holistic therapy that stimulates the body’s own ability to heal.  It was founded by German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann over 200 years ago, and is based on the concept of Similia Similbus Curentur, or “like cures like”. Homeopathy takes the whole person into consideration – mind, body and spirit – and pays special attention to how the individual characteristics that make up a whole healing substance match the individual characteristics that make up the whole person. 

When using homeopathy, the person takes a homeopathic “remedy” to stimulate the healing process within their body.  Homeopathy believes healing comes from the inside out, and the remedy carries a message to the body to begin the healing process.  It is a safe and gentle way to support the body’s own natural way of healing.

Today a large percentage of physicians and consumers around the world use homeopathy—indeed the Royal Family’s physician is a homeopath and researcher in homeopathy, Peter Fisher, M.D.  It is currently practiced widely in Europe, South America and India, as well as the United States and Canada.

How can I learn more about Homeopathy?
For more detailed information about homeopathy, please visit the website of the National Center for Homeopathy at http://www.homeopathic.org/content/what-is-homeopathy. This is a wonderfully informational website, including a listing of homeopaths throughout the country, a magazine for consumers and a host of other information.  Enjoy the exploration!

There are also many excellent books written about homeopathy, including Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines, by Stephen Cummings, M.D., and Dana Ullman, M.P.H., and Impossible Cure by Amy Lansky.

We also offer many free events throughout the year where you can learn more about this wonderful healing modality – check out our Calendar of Events to find one near you!  In addition, our 1 year Acute Care course is an excellent way to learn all about how to use homeopathy for yourself and your family.

Can I use homeopathy with any medications I am currently taking?
Yes, homeopathic remedies do not interfere with any medications you are currently using and so you would continue to take your medications as you normally do. Homeopathic remedies can be antidoted by some allopathic medications, and your homeopath will discuss this with you should it be an issue.

As you feel better you may decide you don’t need as much of your regular medications any longer, but to be safe it is always recommended that you discuss decreasing your regular medications with the physician who prescribed them before decreasing them on your own. And although homeopathic remedies are safe & effective, you should always exercise care when treating yourself or your family with these powerful remedies, and should always consult with your physician regarding your healthcare to ensure you reach your health goals.

What does “Like cures like” really mean?
Let us explain through a vivid example of an onion:  if we peel an onion, our eyes burn and water and our nose runs.  For some people, seasonal allergies produce very similar symptoms.  There is a homeopathic remedy made from onion called Allium Cepa which is often very effective for people with these specific types of allergy symptoms.

Is there research supporting homeopathy?
Yes – lots of research! There are many high-quality peer-reviewed scientific, pre-clinical and clinical trials showing that homeopathy works. Homeopathy is literally founded upon research - as Samuel Hahnemann began homeopathy he initiated a large and still growing body of research called “provings” to show what homeopathic remedies could do.  More than 200 years of practice and research have given us a great deal of useful information, and current research continues to show the effectiveness of homeopathy.

If you go online to NCCAM—National Conference on Complementary Alternative Medicine at www.nccam.nih.gov you can access Pub Med, an on-line search for research.  You will find over 3000 citations for homeopathy.  Three of the leading researchers, Iris Bell, M.; David Reilly MD; and Peter Fisher, MD have done significant work in addressing the modern scientific underpinnings of this historical and significant approach.

In addition, recent research done by the Swiss government also determined homeopathy to be the most cost-effective method of healing for their ambulatory patients. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22189362

Are homeopathic remedies an herb, a vitamin?
Remedies are made from many substances – things like plants, minerals and even things like the milk from various mammals. Hahnemann discovered that by diluting and succussing (shaking) the substance first, the substance acted even more deeply than a raw substance like an herb or vitamin, and without unwanted toxicity or side effects.  This is what makes Homeopathic remedies so safe and effective, and how they differ from herbs or vitamins.

Does the FDA regulate them?
Homeopathic remedies are controlled by the FDA primarily as over-the-counter products, and are prepared under strict regulations by the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS).

Where can I purchase homeopathic remedies?
There are many resources for purchasing homeopathic remedies. They are readily available at health food stores, major grocery stores like Whole Foods, at your local homeopathic pharmacy, and from online retailers like www.txoptions.com or www.iandeorganics.com.   

For those near the school in Boston, MA there are several high quality homeopathic pharmacies, one of which, American Compounding Pharmacy (617) 527-1563, is conveniently located right across the street from our school and the pharmacist is a Teleosis alumni!

Do I have to go to your school for 3 years just to use it for myself or my family? Do you only train professionals?
No, not at all! This is why we offer both a 1 year program and a 3 year program. In fact, many students who come to our school are parents, pet owners or friends looking to learn the basics of using homeopathy so they can help the ones they love.

What if I take the 1 year program, but then decide I want to practice professionally and do the 3 year program?
This is perfectly fine, and not a problem at all – in fact this happens a lot! The 1 year First Aid/Acute Care class uses the same curriculum as the first year of the 3 year Professional Program so that anyone who changes their mind and decides to transfer into the 3 year Professional Program may do so easily.

What is the difference between your 1 year program and your 3 year program?
The 1 year program is a foundational course that covers all the basic principles, tools and skills of homeopathy, and is designed specifically for moms, pet owners or friends to be able to learn homeopathic first aid and acute care. It is also excellent for healthcare professionals looking to use homeopathy as an adjunct modality in their practice for acute care, and many of our students come for this purpose. Students learn how to effectively use the most common acute homeopathic remedies and polycrests, as well as how to effectively use homeopathy for many common acute ailments.

The 3 year program is a complete homeopathic education program designed to create confident, practicing professional homeopaths. It covers first aid and acute care, as well as chronic and complex care and contains extensive clinical training and experience in both. This curriculum covers a broad range of homeopathic remedies, both through the study of individual remedies as well as kingdoms and families. Philosophical viewpoints of both historical and modern masters are also explored. Our 3 year course also prepares interested students to sit for the national certification exam upon completion of the program.

I am a healthcare professional, do I need to take your full 3 year course to use homeopathy as an adjunctive modality for my clients?
Not at all – it depends on how you plan to use homeopathy in your practice and what types of illnesses you want to be able to use homeopathy for with your clients. Please contact the school at (617) 564-0321 or teleosisschool@gmail.com and we will be happy to let you know which program would be most appropriate to meet your goals.

Is your school licensed?
Yes, Teleosis Homeopathic Collaborative, LLC is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Proprietary Schools.

Is your school accredited?
Yes, Teleosis Homeopathic Collaborative, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Homeopathic Education in North America (ACHENA). However, while ACHENA is a rigorous accrediting body and the only one within the US homeopathic profession, it is not yet a federally recognized accrediting body, and so we are unable to offer access to federal student loans or visas at this time. They are in the process of obtaining USDE recognition, and so we hope to be able to offer federal loans and visas in the very near future.

Why would it benefit me to go to an ACHENA accredited school?
There are several reasons for attending an ACHENA accredited school. First, these schools have been through a thorough and rigorous examination process by the accrediting body to ensure they are a quality homeopathic school, providing excellent instruction in all core aspects of classical homeopathy to their students, as well as providing adequate clinical training. ACHENA also provides annual extensive oversight to ensure that the school is financially sound, operates ethically and with high educational standards. And finally, as our profession grows, certification in homeopathy will likely become dependent on graduation from accredited schools and programs, and so attending an accredited school assures that the training required for certification will be accepted by our national certifying body.

When I graduate from your program will I be certified?
No, because certification is not granted by schools – it is granted by the Council for Homeopathic Certification (CHC) after completing all of their prerequisites. Teleosis courses can be used towards meeting the training prerequisites and continuing education requirements for certification from the Council for Homeopathic Certification. Meeting the CHC requirements for national certification as a homeopath is a focus of our program for those students who have this as their professional goal, and the school will support them throughout the certification process. More information about the CHC’s requirements can be found on their website at www.homeopathicdirectory.com. 

Will I have all the hours I need to sit for the national certification exam?
The CHC requires 500 classroom hours of education in order to sit for the national certification exam. If you complete all the requirements of Teleosis for all 3 years you will have earned 420 classroom hours. If you also attend the webinars (like those offered by the National Center for Homeopathy and Whole Health Now) and/or seminars (like the NCH Conference) that we suggest each year, you should have more than 500 hours by the end of our program.

The CHC also requires that you complete one college level Anatomy & Physiology course, and at least a 40 hour course in Pathology & Disease prior to sitting for the exam. These are best accomplished through local colleges or online schools, and we have several we can recommend. Please contact the school at teleosisschool@gmail.com for a referral.

What about the clinical training requirements of the CHC?
Upon successful completion of the CHC national certification exam, the CHC requires completion and documentation of 250 clinical hours, as well as 10 personal supervised cases with a minimum of 2 follows ups for each case. These 10 cases are not submitted to CHC, but must be signed off on by a CHC certified or approved homeopath.

Teleosis provides a minimum of 10 acute cases, 20 chronic initial cases and 40 follow up or advanced acute cases over the 3 year program, for a total of at least 300 hours. This means that students who complete all their required casework at Teleosis will have already met the 250 hour CHC requirement by the time they graduate.

Each Teleosis student is also given the opportunity to personally take several personal cases within the school’s clinic, and is also given access to a CHC certified homeopath as a coach for personal cases taken outside of the school clinic at a discounted cost so that they can complete the 10 personal supervised cases required by CHC. Some students complete this requirement while in school, others choose to wait until after graduation; either choice is fine, but the CHC does require all clinical hours and required cases be completed within 2 years of passing the CHC national certification exam. The school also continues to support its students after graduation to meet their CHC goals through support groups, and continued access to teachers, coaches and continuing education courses.

As a final clinical requirement the CHC requests submission of 5 unsupervised cured cases with a minimum of 6 months of follow up for each – these must be the student’s own work without input from a supervisor, and so by definition are cases the student completes after completing their homeopathic education within the school setting, but we do provide support as needed in how to choose and properly write up these cases for submission. We endeavor to support our students and graduates every step of the way as they leave school, seek certification and enter homeopathic practice – you may leave the school but you are part of our community and Teleosis family forever!

What happens in your School Clinic?
Clients have consultations with two of our homeopathic students, observed and supervised by one of our Core Faculty members (all nationally certified experienced homeopaths) through a video feed into the next room. The students coordinate and manage the homeopathic care, with all decisions carefully overseen by the supervising Core Faculty before recommendations are made to the clients.

Consultations take place one weekend per month Sept - June, and last between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on the purpose of the visit. We support clients seeking help with non-emergency acute illnesses such as colds/flu, earaches, and acute grief  as well as chronic issues like migraines, allergies, menopausal symptoms, memory problems, depression or anxiety. The initial consultation will include an in-depth look at you and your current state of health; a chronic consultation will also include a complete history on all levels; physical, mental, and emotional.

Through this process of working with Homeopathy, you may learn to think about health and healing in a new way, as ultimately you are in charge of your own healing process.

All clients are seen on a donation-only basis so that those in the community who may not normally be able to afford homeopathic care can do so. Our clients have been very happy with their care, and they often refer others to us, which we greatly appreciate!

How do I make an appointment in your School Clinic?
To learn more or to schedule an appointment in our school clinic, please call or email us at (617) 564-0321 or teleosisclinic@gmail.com.