Patricia Maher
Homeopathic Master Clinician (HMC)
Patricia Maher practices homeopathy -- a form of natural healing --- in the Dorchester area of Boston, in New York City, and in Akron, Ohio. Besides being a homeopath she has been involved in community organizing all of her life. She says: “When I think about health and disease, I believe that there is a great deal about our society that makes us sick. I bring to my practice an understanding of the ways that race and class and gender affect our health. Oppression contributes to our vulnerability to disease, and then the health system often just acts in ways that reinforce racism and class and gender bias, and we get sicker. “
About Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of natural healing practiced throughout Africa, India, and Europe and which has been in existence since the 1700’s. The name “homeopathy” comes from the root word “homeo” which means “same.” The fundamental principal of homeopathy is that “like cures like.”
Homeopathy is a method of alternative medicine that involves remedies made from 3500 -4000 natural sources -- plant, animal, mineral etc. --, but it is not the same as herbal medicine. Homeopathic remedies are specially prepared and diluted. We try to find a match between the symptoms associated with one of those 4000 natural substances and your symptoms. When we find the correct match, you get better over a period of months, even though you may have only taken a few doses of a couple of tiny pellets.
This method is extremely noninvasive, and effective with medical conditions that conventional western medicine often finds difficult to cure, such as diabetes, ADD, acid reflux, sciatica, thyroid imbalances, stomach pain, joint pain, ulcerative colitis, neurological problems, etc. To me, “cure” does not mean living with symptoms or chronic pain and taking many different medications for a lifetime; it means addressing the root problem that caused the symptoms and restoring quality of life.
Basically, homeopathy is a way of reminding your own physical/emotional system about how to come into balance. As you come into balance, your symptoms gradually go away.
Homeopathy requires patience. It is not necessarily a quick fix, and it may take some time to see a well-prescribed remedy’s full effect. Sometimes it may take a few tries before we find the exactly right remedy (the “wrong” remedy will not harm you.)
About my approach
My area of interest is in treating chronic conditions, both physical and mental. For the past 4 years I have been training with Louis Klein, RSHom, a celebrated Canadian homeopath, who has helped expand the roster of which remedies can be most effective for the diseases of our 21st century world. I am a Homeopathic Master Clinician (HMC) with a diploma from the Luminos Homeoptahy School in British Columbia, and I also have a Masters in Social Work from the City University of New York.
I have been a community organizer all of my life, and I believe that there is a lot about our society that needs changing. As I mentioned above, I bring to my practice an understanding of the ways that race and class and gender affect our health.
I take all of this into account as a homeopath. In fact, the reason I became a homeopath is because so many people I know suffer from severe chronic illness and they also suffer from the treatments they receive. And I believe they don’t have to.
I also have been an astrologer for over 30 years. Astrology gives me an ability to synthesize information and understand what makes someone “tick.” My skills as an astrologer enhance my work as a homeopath and vice versa, since both astrology and homeopathy are languages for understanding who we are and how we relate to the world around us. In fact, the type of astrology I practice -- Uranian astrology -- was developed by a German homeopath in the 1920’s...(Click here for more information.)
What to expect
The initial consultation with me takes about 2 hours. I normally see people in my office in Dorchester but I will make house calls if my 2nd floor stairs or cat present any difficulty. I also see clients in New York and in Akron, Ohio. In this conversation you tell me what you would like to address with a homeopathic remedy, and also everything that is going on for you physically and mentally, even those symptoms that may appear minor to you. I listen closely and take copious notes. I ask some questions. Then I determine which remedy you need.
After you take the remedy -- which comes in the form of tasteless tiny little pellets that melt in your mouth -- we wait, we watch, and we see what happens. Taking a homeopathic remedy does not require that you stop taking your regular medicines. I will check in with you by phone or email to see how you are doing over the first couple of weeks. Sometimes people improve immediately and sometimes the changes occur over several weeks or even months. Six to eight weeks after our first visit we meet again, usually briefly, so we can assess how the remedy is working. Ideally we will see an improvement in your symptoms in this period. If not, we may need to change remedies or change doses.
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