***Shannon, I am not sure if I can answer that query too well in this medium
in this forum - but will attempt.
Firstly, I have to say that I often prescribe on mental and or emotional
symptoms.
I also, prescribe on physical symptoms without mental or emotional symptoms.
And I do prescribe on physcical symptoms with mental and emotional included.
And i also prescribe for a mental emotional issue,and include some
physicals.
Based on the above, i suppose you would wonder what would make me decide
which one?
The answer is rather complex, and i am sure I will not really cover it in
this post. What I can say is that each case that walks thru my door seems to
ask for one of these options. I may make a decision to use one of the
options, and the client may have been better served with one of the others,
but, that just points to the complexity of making the homoeopathic
prescription.
I am averse to always doing it one way. This is very clearly my stance!
I often get clients who only want a psychological consultation (that being
one of my hats) but who clearly would benefit from a homoeopathic remedy,
and if one is clear, I will offer it and it may only be based on the
psychological presentation. I have had alot of success using this method.
On the other hand, I have also had success using any one of the
abovementioned methods. It all depends on the case and the presentation, and
the observations i make at the time.
If homoeopathy is based on the vitalist paradigm, then, a disordered vital
force, may present in any of the above combinations. I don't think that
means that if there is a purely physical presentation, then there is no
mental or emotional component, but it may be superfluous if the disordered
vital force is wholistic in its construct. Therefore it seems perfectly
reasonable to me, that if you treat one presentation of the disorder, you
may be inadvertently treating all aspects, those apparent and those not
apparent.
If a clear similimum can be found using only physicals, and included in
these are characteristic particulars and peculiars etc. then I don't see the
need to throw in mentals and emotionals, just because everyone has emotions
and mental processes. If something stands out, and prods at me, I will
respond, and look at it to see if it is important in the picture presenting.
There is also the problem of interpretation - which to me frankly, is a big
problem. I have watched people on these lists take a phrase mentioned by
someone, and offer heaps of rubrics as interpretations, and that can lead to
quite a big error of judgement I believe due to the variations and
multitudes of possibilities.
Most people who have chronic physical problems that lead them to seek help,
are going to be worried about their condition - it is the level of response
and the negative effect it has that to me is important to assess.
On the same note, if a mental or emotional problem is at the cause of a
physical presentation, and I don't pick it up, or the client just won't
offer the info, then all you can go on is what you are given. This keeps the
whole thing less speculative and easier to work with in the long run.
Re the case Alva presented. Personally, I feel that there was not enough
information offered to really comment on this case other than to suggest
investigations that she should do, and i mentioned that I felt embarrassed
that I had responded so quickly with a repertorial type analysis, without
having the whole case in front of me. It is, I think a big mistake, to jump
in like this and do rep when only a small part of the case is presented. A
paper case like this is fraught with danger and potential mistakes, and it
seems that Alva had not finished taking the case, as there were more
comments coming afterwards, after consulting the client with suggestions
from the list.
Whether or not the accident and consequent feelings the client felt are the
cause of her chronic diarrhoea - is not for me to say - and it would be
remiss of me to even attempt without meeting the lady and taking the case.
This has turned into a bit of a rant, so will finish here.
This by no means covers my feelings on the use of mental emotional symptoms
in a case. This is a big topic, and worthy of discussion.
I will think on it more - it is an area I am deeply interested in and would
love to find a solution to the dilemmas that face homoeopaths with
methodolgy problems like this.
All the best
Robyn
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