Case Taking

Best Practice and Creating Meaning in the Consulting Room

What really happens in the homeopathic consultation? Homeopathic medicine, to some practitioners, is a simple process of gathering information, extracting symptoms from the client and observing the disease. To others it is a cognitive, deductive process of deconstructing a patient. Whatever strategy an individual homeopath uses, what is best practice?

This book provides us with practical advice about how to take a complete case in a wide range of clients. 

- Examines, describes and identifies the basic features on the landscape of homeopathic case taking, what information is required during the process of case taking, what is meant by a therapeutic alliance and understanding a patient-centred approach
- Ultimate necessity for all the homeopathic practitioners as it describes the daily relationships formed in the course of being in practice
- It identifies the qualities and skills required of a homeopath and encourages a regular self audit of them
- Gives an outline to learn the guidelines and perspectives of stalwarts like Hahnemann, Kent, Dunham, Schmidt, Vithoulkas, Sherr, Kaplan, Sankaran and others

'In travelling this landscape Alastair has surveyed it all; history, methodology, technique and controversy, all with a fresh and aptly critical eye.' - Jeremy Sherr, UK.

'Gray has provided us with a blueprint for the different ideas and approaches used in eliciting the information required for a successful practice. This seminal work belongs on the bookshelves of all students and practitioners of homeopathy.' - Kim Elia, USA.

'The art of taking the case is much neglected in homeopathy but certainly not by Alastair C Gray. This encyclopaedic approach to the subject is a major contribution to homeopathic literature.' - Dr Brian Kaplan, UK.

This book offers a thorough description of the history of homeopathy, and a glimpse into its future. The author faces contentious issues directly, and questions existing standards with rigour. It leaves the reader impatient to discover what gems the remaining six books in the series will contain.' - Dr Isaac Golden, Australia

'Al Gray navigates the often turbulent waters of different homeopathic gurus in a refreshing way. No doubt those whose systems he describes will find a sympathetic yet critical examination of their approaches. This is a breath of fresh air, it is not the voice of the apologist or sycophant but rather a considered critical examination of some of the greatest influences upon modern homeopathic practice.' - Susanna Shelton, NZ

'If I had this book during my days as a homeopathy student, I would not have taken such a muddled path to acquire my homeopathic case taking skills! This book on Homeopathic Case Taking by Alastair Gray is going to be on the compulsory books listed for my BHMS students.' - Dr Suriyakantun Osman, Malaysia.

'Homeopathy has been waiting for this book. A comprehensive and detailed look at methods of case taking that should impress even the most experienced practitioner. I'm looking forward to the next six volumes! Essential reading for students and experienced practitioners alike. A gripping read for any homeopath, moving our understanding of homeopathy onto a new level.' - Kate Chatfield, UK.

'I strongly recommend this book for undergraduates, post-graduates and practicing homeopaths.' - Farokh Master, India.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :
Alastair C. Gray heads up the homeopathy department at Endeavour College of Natural Health in Australia. He presents regular seminars at Kuala Lumpur, Toronto, Boulder, San Francisco, Galway in Ireland, Preston and Nottingham in England and Bangkok. He continues to teach the residential Fusion sessions, a post-graduate program in natural medicine, offered in New Zealand, Australia and online. In addition, Alastair runs a general natural medicine practice in the inner west and east of Sydney, Australia. Clinical practice remains a significant feature of his work with a focus in the treatment of anxiety, depression, addiction and men’s health. He has published four books and numerous articles on provings including Kauri, Moreton bay fig, Tea tree, Waratah, Tar tree, Liquorice, Cactus, Kowhai, Tuberculinum, Bacilinum, Mosquito, Cockroach, Toad, Seahorse, Pearl, Irukandjii, Medusa, Box jellyfish and White tailed spider.

• Author: Alastair Gray
• ISBN: 9788131932995
• 480 pages
• Paperback
• Published in 2010
• Printed in India (so could be of inferior quality)

• View PDF

Reprinted with the permission of The Society of Homeopaths, from 'The Homeopath' Journal, Summer 2012 edition. Reviewed by Ian Hamilton.

I recently reviewed The Art of Case Taking by Pierre Schmidt for this journal, concluding that this was a formative work for many homeopaths' case taking education. I would still have the same view, but on reading this work from Alastair Gray, note that Schmidt is accorded 22 page references, compared with 140 for Hahnemann and 112 for Sankaran. I was discussing the book with a friend, who remarked that she was astounded by how successful and influential a case taker Hahnemann was and still is. Gray details 16 aphorisms of The Organon as directly concerned with case taking and devotes two chapters to Hahnemann and post-Hahnemann case taking approaches.

Gray is offering here an historical sweep of case taking philosophies and approaches in this the first volume of a planned six part work on The Landscape of Homeopathy. I would say that this book is likely to be a sort of companion to Ian Watson's slim but influential work A Guide to the Methodologies of Homeopathy for students and practitioners alike, who wish to gain a broad understanding of how case taking developed and what is still happening today.

The book is divided into three main sections. Section one, about information gathering to find the remedy, takes up nearly half of the book and deals, as you might expect, with the "old masters". Included here are Hahnemann, Boenninghausen, Kent, Vithoulkas and Roberts, just to quote a few. I noted also that each chapter includes a brief outline of what is included within, which is a useful study aid. There is also a timeline given to locate each main influence on case taking over the last 200 years. There are also useful insights on taking the cases of infants, children, teenagers, men and elderly people.

Section two, getting to the centre and making meaning, deals with Jungian and post-Jungian approaches, so material about myth and metaphor comes up. As you would expect, Norland and Sherr are featured here. Also here are approaches borrowed from other disciplines eg, psychology. Gray also refers frequently to Brian Kaplan's The Homeopathic Conversation which seems to have been an influence on him. There is a whole chapter devoted to Sankaran and Sensation. Gray attempts to give a critique of the method with emphasis on the generation of homeopaths who do not know how to use the repertory as an example. He also includes an extensive interview he did with Sankaran, in which many issues are explored.

The final section is led by a colleague of Gray's, Ben Gadd, on the therapeutic relationship. Here we look at psychotherapeutics, placebo, empathy and patient-centeredness. The book ends with an extensive Conclusion, summarising the scope of the book and then there is a useful Appendix containing questions used by Hahnemann and all of Kent's questionnaire. This is a good reference book, exploring part of a landscape and worth the investment.