Comparison of Complementary and other methods

[Ellen Madono]

Hi,

Below, I have looked at only a short number of types of methods that can be used to complement a classical homeopathic practice. 　I am the kind of student who lacks the freedom to travel to seminars but I am looking for some method to double check my repping. In my search for such a method, below are are some of the questions that I have been asking. If the method answers yes to questions 1-3, in my book it is “complementary” to homeopathic practice. I think some of the methods that we have simply been defining as not classical homeopathy need to be thought out in a better framework. Every method that a homeopath might use in her practice is not necessarily complementary, but complementary methods are easier to integrate.

Note: If the answer to one of the questions below is “no,” I do not include the number in my evaluation.

Also, I have not attended seminars given by any of the teachers named below. If you have, please don’t take offence. I realize that I could make a much more fair evaluation if I had. All of these teachers are meant to be understood in the context of seminars. Not just reading books by the authors as I have been doing.

I am writing this in response to private requests for more feedback on Grant Bentely’s method in light of the fact that he will be coming to Philadelphia this spring and is offering a on-line direct interaction course during the months of Feb and March on Thursdays. I have been in direct contact with Bentely and have a bit more confidence that I understand his method. So, of course the evaluation is not totally fair.
QUESTIONS:

1 Is the research on which the method is based designed to help with homeopathic practice?

2 Was the method designed from the assumptions of classical homeopathy?

3 Does the practice of the method easily fit into daily clinical homeopathic practice?

4 How much training does the method require? What is the expense?

5. Is there direct access to the teacher?

6. Does the method simplify any of the classical homeopathic interview or analysis processes?
ARE THESE METHODS COMPLEMENTARY TO CLASSICAL HOMEOPATHY? CAN THEY BE EASILY LEARNED AND APPLIED IN THE CLINIC?

--Kinesthetic muscle testing: 1 for Degroote only. 2, 3 Only if you are trained and have other reasons why you would touch the client. 4 For Degroote, you should have a background in bodywork and some knowledge of Chinese point. Simple finger testing requires little training. There are more extensive reflex testing that Degroote draws on. I use Degroote to confirm borderline cases. I wish I could study from him directly.
--Nutrient supplements 4 A lot of background to be really good and not wasting the patient’s money.
--Drainage, homeopathic remedy used for non-classical purposes (drainage). 1 yes. 2 Some of the assumptions are at least similar and you have the remedies in many cases. 3, 4 requires at least specialized books.
--Herscu: I have used his module on Radar feeling that it is helpful. But, training requires going to his seminars. I tried his newsletter, but there was absolutely no interaction and no indication of how the newsletter connected to his method. This was early in my own training, maybe it would be more useful now. I had to really look around for help with his module. I finally found the concept buried in a video lecture on autism. His book Stramonium was interesting, but did not relate easily to anything else I was reading.
---Mangialavorie Seminars expensive. Method is unclear. Reading his cases and analysis is interesting. No direct relationship to results in my untrained experience. I am sure his students would bring me to task for this.
--Sankaran - 4 Plenty of training. But reading him has been helpful to me to a limited extent. Books and training cost thousands of dollars. I could learn on line from his students, but directly from him would not be so easy. 5 Little direct access to the teacher without considerable initial investment. 2 Research method is probably within the clinical result guidelines, but the method is unclear. I have found no evidence of how the method was tested against itself. It seems that only the results of the chosen method are used. But I don’t have direct access to the teacher, so this may not be true. I know that the method is being taught by phone.

A good research method should be used to test the system against itself. I don’t see this in his writing but because I have followed him for years, I know he as developed his system progressively.. How the research was developed is not clear. The research should also be reporting problems within the system. It seems to be based purely on intuitive insight which may be difficult to teach. 3 The method of interviewing is involved and requires considerable training. 6. The interview process seems to be longer and more convoluted than normal interviewing. I think the problem is I am using normal interviewing and also trying to integrate Sanakran where I see an opportunity. But I lack training. So again the results are poor.
Degroote has integrated various confirmational methods: points of Weihe, muscle reflex testing (kinesthology). In general Chinese accupunture point location (not the interpretation) must be part of the practitioner’s training. He has applied them specifically to confirming homeopathic remedies and apparently used them in his bodywork based practice. So the research is not based on homeopathic research. It applies more directly to homeopathy than nutritional supplements etc. But other non-homeopathic training is required.
Homeopathic Facial Analysis

1, 2 You must be able to do classical homeopathic analysis. Research was based on the miasms and developed from there. The research involved concrete evidence of photos and ratios of facial features which fit into the well established homeopathic 3 miasm system, but then based on clinical finding the miasma system was elaborated. So the basis is from Hahnemann’s later works but developed also along the lines of current homeopathy research.. Evidence for findings is not only the results of the chosen remedy but also it is reflected in the miasm system that was developed.
3. Every homeopath looks and observes the client’s face while they interview. So the method easily integrates into traditional interview practices. I have had to learn to use a digital camera. Simple mistakes were made like not holding the button for taking the photo down long enough, or not getting the angle of the face exactly right. I am still working on understanding the details of the interpretation of facial analysis. Although texts are in print, accurate evaluation is more involved that what is in the texts. I am sending in facial analysis examples and Bentley is correcting them and often explaining what is wrong with both my picture taking and my interpretation.

4. Thus, distance training possible, cost 700 ausi dollars, All three books cost about 120 dollars.
5 Direct access to two teachers. Emails are quickly returned and answers are really helpful. I don’t feel like I am in the way of my teacher’s daily extremely busy schedule. I saw some sort of discount for books on line. The method is straightforward and I imagine that soon they will have their own cadre of teachers. Only now can you learn directly from the inventor of the method.
6. Because I have the evidence from the facial analysis, I have a very good idea of the effectiveness of the method. Some cases are clear and from the beginning the method was helpful. Even in borderline cases, Facial Analysis provides information on the remedies that I will not consider. This helps to reduce the difficulty. I find remedies that I would never have used before. Because the remedy is so accurate, I am able to give 30c daily in liquid with no aggravations. (There are returns of suppressed symptoms but these have been light). The ability to repeat 30c daily still astounds me. In the past, I would not think of doing this and don’t recommend it without correct Facial Analysis. I only took the leap to try this because Bentley has a strong classical homeopathy background, many years experience teaching and practicing it.
I have never experienced such consistent success with really difficult cases which are increasing in numbers. Also, calling back old incomplete cases, I am getting results. The results are mild and without aggravations.
Also, because of the background of the Facial Analysis, I am able to choose big rubrics. It reminds me of the Boenninghausen method. Repetition of a symptom in several places is treated as generalities, for example. Specific minor symptoms are only used as SRP’s or possibly to represent the main complaint. But there is no dependence on chance SRP's. The Vithoukas (Magialavorie, Sankaran) type remedy essence is not used, but often you see them in the case. At the same time, it is clearer to me that remedy essences can be very subjective and misleading. Objective information provided by HFA (homeopathic facial analysis) is greatly appreciated.
I have not taken the course yet, but just in direct communication with my teachers, I have seen this much change in my repping method and in my results. I have not yet spent 100 dollars on cases that I have sent in either for Homeopathic Facial Analysis (I ask my teacher to correct my analysis of patient’s case by emailing cases and photos to them). In the case of difficulty with rubrics, I ask for help with my rubrics sending in difficult cases by email.. I am amazed by the difference in our choices of rubrics. Yet, I am also comforted in seeing that my excessively detailed rubrics bring up the same results as my teachers large inclusive rubrics. I would like to rep more like him just because it is physically simpler. Takes more thought but less time searching for the exact description of some small symptom.
My chances of successes are only improved by correct facial analysis. I am still struggling there. So I am very grateful for consistent support with improving my facial analysis. I would not be getting my current batting rate if I did not have their corrections of my beginner's facial analysis.
Every conversation that I have had with Grant Bentley has been so enlightening. I am very happy that the course will be recorded and I will be able to review his lectures.

Although I am struggling, I can easily see that this is a method that the Japanese could use. They don't have translations of much of the classical homeopathy literature. With a basic education in the fundamentals of classical homeopathy, even a beginner should be able to see a great improvement in results. Also, with a little more refinement of the teaching method, clearly others will be able to teach this system. The will to improve the teaching method is there so I am hopeful that the accessibility of classical homeopathy for the non-scholar type learner will greatly improve.
This is a subtle point, but I am more interested in the basis of homeopathy and my own cases. I am less interested in all kind of opinions about this or that remedy. The exact rubric for x symptom is a less burning issue. I feel more confident that I have the tools that I need to carry on a successful practice. Because the HFA practice has been simplified somewhat, I can see that if I master HFA, I can expect to be able to handle more patients. Because of the results, Japanese patients are also taking more notice of my practice. These results are already obvious.
Best Ellen Madono
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Ellen Madono, Ph.D.

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web English: tokyohomeopathy.com
web Japanese: tokyohomeopathy.jp
email: Tokyohomeopathy@gmail.com
--
Ellen Madono, Ph.D.
web English: tokyohomeopathy.com
web Japanese: tokyohomeopathy.jp
email: Tokyohomeopathy@gmail.com