Becoming a Homeopath

 

 

Questions to ask yourself

We see the route to 'becoming' a homeopath as a real journey of discovery, from both a personal and professional perspective. You will be encouraged to be reflective and aware of your developing skills as a healer, as well as building a base of homeopathic knowledge for your practice. We hope that the following questions may guide and help you in making your first choices. Please do call us if you would like to chat about your options.

What makes me want to be a homeopath?
Many people spend time creating a career and family and then come to a point where they feel they have unanswered questions about their life. Maybe they are at a 'crossroads' and they fancy a change of direction? Maybe they want to find more balance in life and want to work for themselves? Many people are drawn to studying homeopathy through positive personal experiences and just know that it seems to make sense. Whatever your reason for taking our course, our aim is to listen fully and to provide you with sound information. This will enable you to make a well-informed, good decision about your future.

Do I know what I'm getting into?
We highly recommend that you have received homeopathic treatment from a professional homeopath, so that you understand this system of medicine from personal experience. This will give you an insight into the role of a practitioner as well as gaining empathy from the patient's perspective. It might also be helpful to read a good introductory book to homeopathy, such as the one we suggest as a starter book.

Do I have the required skills?
You don't need to have any specific prior experience or training to enrol with us. You do need to be willing to study and if you like researching and pulling together ideas this is right up your street! Being self-motivated and organised is also pretty vital. But most important of all are general 'life skills' as a level of maturity is needed. This is rarely appropriate training for anyone who has just left school.

Have I got the time and commitment?
To become a fully qualified professional homeopath takes three to four years of training. Having said this, you can simply take it as far as you wish to. Some people just want to prescribe for family and friends, in which case you can go as far as Year One or Two. You will receive a lot of input from teachers and mentors, but you must also be prepared to devote time to studying and, in later stages of the course, seeing patients. Study time varies from individual to individual and from course to course but, as a guide, the requirement is roughly equivalent to that of an Open University course, about 15 hours per week.

What will it cost?
Each course provider sets their own fees and we always ensure that our courses are competitively and fairly priced. Please see the 'Enrol' sections of each course for all current fees. In the first stages, you should allow for course fees and book lists, and later on for the addition of clinical supervision and perhaps also remedies.

Have I got the support of friends and/or family?
As we mentioned earlier, the study of homeopathy can be quite far-reaching and it is a really good idea to find someone who can be called upon for support and maybe just a shoulder now and then. Ideally, your partner or family will be supportive and, in addition, you may have friends and your own homeopath. Once you are up and running you may also enjoy the friendship and connections that can be made with other students and you may find local study groups a real boost to your study.

Do I want to be self-employed?
During the advanced stages of the course, you will be building your practice under the care of supervision. This means you will be entering the marketplace as a professional homeopath upon graduation. Many homeopaths are self-employed and whilst this can be a big plus for many, it is important to take into account that it may also involve a more unpredictable income and the need to be adaptable. Other aspects that you will consider at some stage will be marketing and maintaining accounts etc. It also means you need to set realistic charges and make sure you get paid!

Choosing your education

There are many different courses available and it is important to find one that is right for you. The Society of Homeopaths publish a list of recognised and conditionally-recognised courses.

Here are some aspects you might like to consider when choosing your course. This criteria could form the basis of your exploration of course prospectuses and help you frame questions you would like to ask. Good luck!

1. Structure
How is the course structured and does it suit your practical needs and the way you are able to study? Our flexible home study approach means that you can begin your study via correspondence or online at anytime, choose when and where you study, choose a pace that suits you and go to any level. Our UK attendance course involves coming to Stroud for one weekend per month (Sept-June) with flexible home study during the month.

2. Size and approach
Some courses have small groups which may be taught and managed by one or two individuals. Others are larger and managed by teams offering a wide range of experience and approaches and all offer varying levels of support and contact. Our faculty is made up of a small dedicated, homeopathically trained team who manage the business daily (so we are always here to pick up the phone); a wide range of teachers, tutors and mentors, who are all professional and highly experienced practitioners; and a unique curriculum that blends classical and contemporary teaching.

3. Teaching and learning styles
Do you prefer a higher proportion of formal lectures or a greater emphasis on interactive and self-discovery methods? Do you learn best through creative approaches? Effective courses will have a range of teaching styles, but the overall emphasis varies widely. We pride ourselves in our creative and individualised approaches to learning and you are actively encouraged to find your own personal style through a progression of varied learning. 

4. Assessment methods
There may be a formal examination component, assessment of self-directed research, self- and peer-assessment etc. Most course providers use most of these methods and more, but the emphasis differs widely. It may be that many or few pieces of work 'count' towards final requirements for course completion. Self- and peer-assessment are increasingly used as an important component of any professional education, leading to the ability to be self-reflective in professional practice. How is it handled in the course of your choice? Our home study mentors offer indepth continuous assessment, with an emphasis on your growing self-reflection and awareness. There are no exams.

5. Philosophical approach
There are diverse ways to practice homeopathy and this can be confusing for a new potential student! The terms generally used are "classical" and "practical" and also more eclectic and experimental approaches. Our courses are all based on classical Hahnemannian teachings and have a strong and coherent philosophy. We feel our in-depth philosophical teaching is one of the things that stands us apart and makes our students so successful in practice.

6. Commitment and transfer
What happens if, after starting the course, you change your mind? If you decide after a year or two that another course is more appropriate for you, what procedures are in place to allow you to make a smooth transfer? Well, first of all, we will offer as much support and advice as possible to help you to assess your situation and make a sound decision. We award certificate points at the end of each year of study so if you did decide to move to another course there are clear break points. We also offer one of the most generous refund policies on the market.

7. Clinic arrangements
Are you required to work in a clinic managed by the course provider? Are the location and timing of such clinics convenient for you? You may not need to attend clinics for a year or even three, but such considerations should form part of your decision-making process. We offer 7-day intensive clinical training sessions via Summer Schools and Seminars. These are special events put on for our homeopathy distance students. They either happen in the UK or North America. Our attendance programme includes a dedicated day per month in our own patient clinic for 3rd and 4th year students and, in doing so, students gain all the necessary clinic hours.

8. Scope of fees
What do your fees include? What additional costs will you incur? Ask about clinical supervision, tutor groups, medical science training, 'sitting-in' (observation) experience etc. Do you have to pay all your fees at the beginning of each year or are there arrangements for spreading payment? We offer payment options to suit your finanical needs and you can pay by instalments or in one go.

9. Deadlines and progression
What deadlines are in place for the submission of work each year, and particularly for completion and the gaining of a licence to practice? In the event of personal difficulties, what arrangements are there for late submission? Our courses come with generous study times and even after these periods, students can apply for extensions if required.

We do hope that this helps with your considerations. Please do contact us if you would like to chat about becoming a homeopath.

Being a homeopath can be an incredibly rewarding career, where life and work blend seamlessly together

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