The Challenge for New Homeopaths

Most new students of homeopathy want to know that the money and time they have spent on their education will bring them success. The common questions are, "Will I get a job? Will I make money? How much will I make?" and so on. These are all very good questions but the real answer to all of them is simple; it depends on you.

Homeopathy and alternative medicine are the fastest-growing segments of health care spending. As more and more people become discouraged by the limitations and failures of our allopathic healthcare system, they are turning to alternatives that are safe and effective. Homeopathy offers the safest and, when prescribed correctly, the most effective form of medicine on the planet. There is probably no better time in history to become a homeopath and follow that internal call to help others, but this does not come without its own challenges.

When a person decides to study allopathic medicine, there is a system of education that is built into our educational system already. Medical training has become standardized and the allopathic medical system provides for employment through hospitals, doctors offices, clinics, and a host of other government-funded and insurance backed providers for healthcare. One can be assured that when their education is through that system, there will be a job waiting somewhere that they can begin their career with. One unfortunate part of this for allopathic healthcare providers is that this education is very expensive and usually is funded by college loans that must be paid back. In the end, unless one becomes very successful early on, the costs of these loans severely impact a person's bottom line earnings for the first 5 to 10 years, as they try to pay off the loan. It is very unfortunate.

When one wants to become a homeopath, there are similar challenges but ones that come at usually a much different price. Unfortunately, we do not have government-backed student loans for homeopathic education and there is not a healthcare system to plug into upon graduation. So the new homeopath is forced to become a business-person and be self-directed from the start. This is foreign for many new students and a concept that does not resonate well with others. It is frightening to think that when their schooling is over, they will now have to create their own job as well.

There is the issue of the legality of practice for lay homeopaths to consider also. Every country has its own approach to licensing and certification. I cannot comment on other countries other than America. In America, the practice of medicine is governed by each state. Whatever state that you are living in, you must comply with the laws concerning the practice of medicine or homeopathy. Each state is different. Contacting the attorney generals office in the state you are interested in practicing in will get you started in finding out more about those local regulations. I have written more about certification and licensure, which you can read here.

There are some ways to prepare for this time that will make it much easier if the new homeopath follows a few, simple guidelines in their quest to establish their new career. Here are some tips that I have found to be most helpful.

• Choose a school that provides many live cases. This will ensure that you will be grounded as a homeopath when your studies are complete. This is the ONLY way to get experience and experience is what counts when starting out.
• Be professional. Align yourself with other healthcare professionals in all fields, not just alternative or homeopathy. Get to know the doctors in your area. There are always a few that see the limitations of their medicine and will be happy to refer. Referrals are your very best source for the success of your business.
• Have confidence. Without this, you will not succeed. Your client will know this and you yourself will question your own abilities. Again, being sure to get lots of experience will help to build your confidence.
• Dedicate yourself to your career. This means loving your work and loving your clients. There will be times when it is easy to become discouraged with difficult cases or when business is slow. Don't give up. Use your idle time to study more and promote homeopathy.
• Define what success is for yourself. It is easy to assume that success means lots of money or fame. But this may not be quickly attainable. Define for yourself what it means to be successful. Does this mean being in control of your own business? Being able to control your own schedule? Charge a fair price for your work? Most new homeopaths do not make a lot of money starting out. You should be realistic as you begin your work. Beginning homeopaths often do cases without a fee at all. Getting credibility and experience is more important before you charge for your services. Be patient. Get used to giving.
• Have integrity. This is so important in life and not just being a homeopath. What you do and how you live your life will reflect on what kind of homeopath you are. Always act with integrity. Do not recommend something to your client that you are unwilling to do yourself.
• Learn the basics of business. Your work is also your business. Learn about keeping basic books and ledgers. It will be necessary when it comes time to pay the taxes and such. Keeping good notes for your client involves keeping good books for your business as well.

Following these simple guidelines is not that difficult. Anyone wanting to become a homeopath should get familiar with these ideas and start to create a mindset that supports all of these challenges when starting out. But if you take away just one thing from this, let it be the importance of experience. Get as much experience as you can. This will be your number one biggest challenge and your greatest asset. When you have seen and worked on hundreds of cases, you will be developing your own unique way of doing homeopathy. Being a homeopath is an individual challenge in itself. There is no method or way of doing homeopathy that works for every case. There are as many different cases and ways to approach them as there are people in the world. Approach every case fresh, free from prejudice, like you have never seen a case like this before. This will help you become a very good homeopath without the need to define your skills by any method. You are the method. This will bring you great freedom, joy, and success. Good luck to all you new homeopaths out there!