By Julie Stockman

In my last post, I talked about how important it is to treat the body as a whole rather than simply addressing different symptoms. I found this healing work to be easiest with the guidance of a good nutritionist. The title of nutritionist, however, really says nothing about the quality of help you’ll receive. I’ve met other women who have been guided through the process by someone holding the title of naturopath or homeopath and they have also experienced good results. On the other hand, I’ve spoken with too many women who felt they were taken advantage of by alternative practitioners, paying lots of money for expensive herbs and supplements that did little to no good.

So what should you look for in a good alternative practitioner? And how might you find one in your area?

What to Look For

Individualized Treatment Plan

First and foremost, be sure that the person treating you is giving you a treatment plan that is completely individualized to you. This seems like it would be standard operating procedure among all practitioners, but unfortunately, it’s not. The first time I saw a naturopath, she insisted that I first do a 21 day “liver cleanse.” For 21 days I was to eat nothing but fruits and vegetables, and I was to take around 2 dozen huge pills every day, as well as an awful tasting smoothie mix.

The pills and smoothie mix that she sold to me cost well over $400. The cleanse itself was incredibly hard coming straight from a standard American diet. I barely finished the thing, and to this day, I don’t know if it was helpful or not. I later spoke with several other women who had seen her for treatment. All of them reported they were first instructed to do the same cleanse. This is not an example of an individualized treatment plan.

An individual treatment plan should be based on your symptoms, any blood tests you’ve had taken, and your current medical records and diagnoses. Some people report luck with reflexology or muscle testing as a diagnostic tool. I am one of those people. I think my body works well when tested using reflexology. But I couldn’t in a million years explain why it works. If you prefer logical explanations, then make sure your practitioner can tell you why the suggested treatment plan is right for you, and exactly how it’s individualized.

If anyone tells you they can’t treat you without you first doing a cleanse, or insists that you sign a contract, or is trying to sell you supplements that are out of your budget while suggesting you put them on credit or any kind of payment plan, walk out. Spend the next couple days finding out any and all information you can on that practitioner – do they come highly recommended? What do others think of them? Can you find any reviews of the brand of supplements they sell?

Measure of Progress

In my experience, effective practitioners will give you an idea of how long it should take to see progress on their treatment plan. They will also tell you how that progress will be measured. At the very least, symptoms should be improving steadily. If you are comfortable with reflexology, then each visit should include muscle testing of every major organ to see if they are being strengthened by the treatment plan.

Willingness to Examine and Work with Western Medicine

An effective practitioner will always ask for your medical history, especially any recent lab tests or blood tests you’ve received. If your lab tests or previous medical history is discounted as irrelevant, or if you are dissuaded from seeing conventional doctors while also seeing them, walk away.

In general, remember that all practitioners, alternative or conventional, should be able to clearly explain what is going on in your body and how they plan to help you. They should be able to demonstrate a strong understanding of how the human body works, and how each of its parts affects other parts in the system.

Where to Look

In my experience, good practitioners are easy to find. You just have to know where to look. You want to look for larger groups of people, either online or in person, where several members would be inclined to try natural medicine. Naturopaths and nutritionists who have brought real results will have a strong reputation, and their names will circulate among members. Of course, the opposite is true as well, so groups such as the ones listed below can potentially save you the headache and expense of a poor choice.

LLL Meetings

La Leche League meetings can be a great resource if you are a mama or mama-to-be who are interested in breastfeeding. Every LLL meeting I’ve attended has had at least two or three attendees who have seen a local alternative practitioner. The benefit to tapping this wonderful resource is that if you get a good reference at a LLL meeting, then that professional is likely going to be well-versed in the female body and female reproductive issues.

WAPF meetings

Weston A. Price Foundation meetings can be a wealth of local resources. You can probably find just about anything out of the mainstream you might be looking for here. Or at the very least, you’ll get referrals to someone who would know. Note that Weston A. Price folks are adamantly not vegetarian. If I were still veggie or vegan – especially for ethical reasons – the atmosphere of a WAPF meeting would probably bother me. There’s often a lot of talk about how to find sustainably raised meat and meat products.

Homebirth meetings

Homebirth meetings in my area are publicized in an online Yahoo! group that you first have to apply to join, introduce yourself to the moderator, and then be approved. This might not be the best avenue to explore unless you’re genuinely interested in homebirth. The homebirthing climate across much of the U.S. is so unfriendly that homebirth groups are forced to be pretty exclusive.

Attachment Parenting Playgroups

Check your local independent paper for notices of attachment parenting playgroups, or try a search in Yahoo! groups for your area. You’ll likely find many useful recommendations here.

Bradley Classes

Bradley classes can be easier to find through local hospitals. If you’re not pregnant, try calling the instructor to see if she can recommend any practitioners for you.

Yoga Classes

Yoga classes might be the easiest of all the groups listed to find in your area, but the referrals you would get here are much more generalized. I wouldn’t use this as my only source, but it could certainly be a good starting point.

Mothering Dot Commune’s Find Your Tribe Forum

Try visiting MDC’s Find Your Tribe Forum and posting what you’re looking for. If you don’t get enough responses, try searching the archives to see if others have queried the same information.

The more you start to keep your ears open, the more the same names will start to pop up. If you can, take your time in deciding whom to see. A month should be adequate. Join as many online groups as you can find, attend as many real-life meetings as you have time for, and network away! The right practitioner will be well worth waiting for.

Other posts by Julie Stockman that might be of interest:

Infertility and Practical Steps For Treating The Whole Mama

Infertility and the Power of Rational Problem Solving

Julie Stockman lives in Farmland, Indiana where she homeschools her children with her husband, Jeff. She spends her days baking, gardening, keeping chickens, exploring the nature around them, practicing gratitude and mindfulness, and writing about it all on her blog, Heirloom Homestead.