Homeopathic Medicine: An Interview with Joette Calabrese

Dr. Kristi: Tell my readers a little bit about you.

Joette: I’m a practicing homeopath, educator, author, blogger, lecturer but most importantly, I’m a mom of now adult children. I raised them all without even one visit to a pediatrician.

Why did I do this?

I did it because I learned from my own ill health that commenced from the time I was 6 weeks old that drugs were not an answer to my allergies, food intolerances, anxiety, chronic fatigue, etc.

How did I do this?

I became bold. And my method to get the guts to do this was to learn what I needed to know to be able to treat my children for whatever came our way by using homeopathy.

Today I teach other mothers how to grow their ability to cure their families themselves…using guts, spunk and moxie and the practical use of homeopathy.

Today, I author a weekly blog and podcast to teach mothers (and anyone else interested…but to be honest, its mothers who have the internal strength to do this.) This is offered free so that anyone can learn how to take charge of their family’s health without dependency on drugs.

Dr. Kristi: What is homeopathy?

Joette: First, let me clarify what homeopathy is not. It is not herbalism. It's not supplements. It's not naturopathy. What homeopathy is, is a specific medical format that uses wholesome medicines to uproot illness.

Dr. Kristi: I have seen the terms "classical" and "practical" used for describing the methods of homeopathy. What is the difference between the two?

Joette: Classical homeopathy is a method used by homeopaths throughout the world, including medical doctors in Europe and South America. It is based on the works of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in the late 1700’s and is based on the idea that “like cures like”.

That’s actually what the word homeopathy means. The preface “homeo” means homonym or similar, or like. And pathology means illness of medical condition.

Classical homeopathy considers each person and counts on the idiosyncrasies of the individual in order to determine a remedy for a person who is suffering.

Practical Homeopathy™ is based on the Banerji protocols. It uses specific medicines for specific diseases, which are diagnosed by using conventional diagnostics.

Dr. Kristi: How is homeopathy different than traditional medical treatment?

Joette: One of the most remarkable differences between the two is that homeopathy’s goal is to uproot the condition. Generally speaking, conventional medicine's goal is to treat symptoms.

Another is that homeopathic medicines carry no side effects. Must I mention the problem of side effects of modern drugs?

Dr. Kristi: Is homeopathy safe? I ask this because there have consistently been concerns over the use of homeopathic teething tablets given to babies.

Joette: Homeopathic medicines are often made from toxic substances, BUT what makes them into a homeopathic medicine is the special dilution process. The pharmacological dilution process goes so far as to render the original toxic aspect of the substance not only non-poisonous, but it also allows the curative action of the original substance to be brought to the fore.

This is very different from conventional drugs, where the toxins remain in the pills, injections or liquids. These are called side effects and often render the patient worse than the state they were in before submitting to the drug. Worse yet, drug reactions can last for years after the drug has been halted.

A perfect example is the ubiquitous use of antibiotics for simple ear infections in children. Long after, when the ear infection and subsequent use of antibiotics is merely a distant memory, the child may be left with gut dysbiosis, food intolerances, chronic constipation and worse.

So to answer your original question regarding homeopathy’s safety record, allow me to boldly state that no homeopathic medicine has ever been pulled off the market for reasons of safety. Now, compare that to conventional medicine’s record.

Dr. Kristi: Can anyone find and use homeopathic medicines to treat themselves or their families or do they need to visit a homeopath?

Joette: I am a one woman advocacy program for teaching families how to use homeopathy themselves, even for seemingly difficult, chronic conditions.

Dr. Kristi: Who can be seen by a homeopath? And Is there anyone who should not seek the care of a homeopath?

Joette: Why, anyone who has a health condition!

Homeopathy treats common childhood conditions such as respiratory diseases, ADD, behavior problems, women’s conditions such as hypothyroidism, menstrual conditions, menopause, arthritis, emotional conditions, insomnia, chemical and food sensitivities. If I continue, I’ll run out of space!

I actually can’t think of a condition that wouldn’t benefit, and in some cases be eliminated, by the use of homeopathy.

Dr. Kristi: Would someone looking to consult a homeopath need a referral from their doctor?

Joette: Unless your doctor is French, German, British, Swiss, South American or Indian, it's unlikely he knows what homeopathy is, so it won’t happen.

Dr. Kristi: How long would someone expect to use homeopathic medicines before they start to see results with their health condition?

Joette: If the condition is an acute one, such as an ear infection or a UTI, it has a reputation of acting within hours up to a day or so.

When it comes to uprooting allergies or food intolerances, it will likely take months. Not a bad proposition given that modern medicine has nothing substantial to offer in terms of these conditions.

Dr. Kristi: How much do visits to a homeopath cost?

Joette: The fees that homeopaths charge vary depending on the expertise, clinical experience, and expected results.

Dr. Kristi: Will health insurance cover visits with a homeopath?

Joette: Insurance does not cover homeopathy but in my experience, most Health Savings Accounts cover fees.

Dr. Kristi: Where can someone find out more about you and your services?

Joette: Feel free to take advantage of my free blog where I give families my tips and the very methods I use in my practice and teach in my courses. My focus is to teach self-reliance.

I just want to thank Joette for taking the time to answer questions about the basics of Homeopathic Medicine.

If you are not familiar with the basics of homeopathy or Practical Homeopathy™ and want to learn more, consider joining a study group that utilizes Joette's Gateway to Homeopathy curriculum. It is an introductory program designed for you and a group of others to gain understanding and confidence in using Homeopathic Medicine.

Since first writing this blog post, I have attended and graduated from Joette's Academy of Practical Homeopathy. Joette is no longer taking new clients, so if you're looking for a homeopath that practices similarly, feel free to reach out for a consult with me. I'd be honored to be part of your healthcare team.