Careers

Choosing Homeopathy as a Career (CPH Guide 1):

If you are interested in homeopathy this brief guide will help you to:

• review your motivation to join an alternative and complementary healing profession

• gain insight into some of the factors you should consider when making such a choice.

Homeopathy comes from the Greek words homoios (similar) and pathos (suffering). The founding father of homeopathy was Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), who formulated the ‘principle of similarity’, which states that a given substance can cure in a diseased person the symptoms that it produces or causes in a healthy person. It is a well-documented, scientifically based system of approaching health and disease with over 200 years of empirical research behind it.

Homeopaths approach their clients in a holistic way, meaning that the whole of the body and spirit is dealt with, not just the localised disease. It is a safe, effective and gentle approach to health and provides an ecological alternative to drugs and surgery. It can also be used as a complementary approach, working alongside modern medicines, helping patients to deal with the often severe side effects of treatment programmes. Many homeopaths have started to practise after personal experience of the benefits of homeopathy. Some are qualified healthcare professionals who decide to practise outside conventional medicine.

If you:

have an interest in health issues (your own and others) 
are concerned about current medical approaches to health 
already qualified as a Nurse, Doctor, Dentist , Pharmacist, or
health practitioner and interested in seeking further training 
thinking of changing career/redundant – looking for retraining 
want to return to work after bringing up children/illness etc 
think you have what it takes to be self employed 
would like to be a home prescriber 

Then training to become a homeopath at CPH is your best option!

“Before enrolling on the the part time course I was concerned that my living in Spain would in some way hinder my progress. My main worry was that I would miss out on important aspects of the course by not being able to attend the lectures in person. Ellen put my mind at rest though and gave me the option to enroll as a distance learner and shadow the part timers. It's proved to be the perfect option for me. I have all the benefits of studying from home with the support from the CPH team but also feel that I'm part of the group and am in regular contact with the other students on the course. I really feel as if I have the best of both worlds..” ~ Caroline Sinfield, Spain

What do homeopaths do? – Homeopathy is both a complementary and alternative medicine. The profile of homeopathy is rising and opportunities are growing as more and more people are becoming disillusioned with modern medicine approaches. There is a constantly growing demand for safer alternatives to the drug and surgery based approaches offered by the NHS. Homeopaths treat people with a wide range of medical conditions. They take a ‘holistic’ approach – looking at the individual’s life as a whole, rather than just their physical symptoms. Clients come for help with a wide variety of complaints – from relatively minor conditions, e.g. headache, toothache or insomnia, to potentially more serious illnesses, e.g. asthma or arthritis. The job entails:

meeting patients and asking questions about their condition and their wider lives
choosing the most appropriate method of applying homeopathy.
choosing a remedy most likely to work for each patient – either a one-off remedy or a course of treatment
explaining how to take and store the remedy supplied
advising on diet and other lifestyle factors
monitoring the patient’s progress, through phone calls, email or further consultation
keeping patient records
advertising and publicising the practice, perhaps through talks or seminars
managing the business accounts
keeping up to date with developments in homeopathy and other health issues.
Mentoring and Supervising Homeopathic students

Homeopathy is a demanding occupation. The holistic nature of treatment means clients may confide personal and emotional problems. Building up a practice can be an interesting and challenging process. Some practitioners complement their work by offering other therapies, such as massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, kinesiology or nutrition.

Hours and working environment – Almost all homeopaths are self employed and run their own practice. This may be from their homes, or within a clinic as part of a wider alternative therapy practice. They may also visit patients at home. There are opportunities available in GP surgeries or hospitals as the Government has increased the funding for complementary therapies. Although Homeopaths may need to offer appointments in the evenings and weekends for their clients’ convenience it is increasingly accepted to deal with clients over the phone and by email and this really enhances the flexibility for homeopaths to create their own lifestyle. Each homeopath will decide what the most appropriate hours to run their business are and this varies according to personal circumstances.

Salary and other benefits – As Homeopathy is a self employed profession these figures are only a guide.

fees range from approximately £40 to £80 per hour.(tend to be higher in London and the South East)
a homeopath starting out and working two or three days may earn £16,000 plus p.a. (depending on client base)
start at around £25,000 per year as a full-time equivalent.
the highest-earning homeopaths make around £75,000 per year.
many homeopaths work about 40 weeks a year, leaving time for other interests

Professional Skills – A homeopath needs to:

have a strong belief in, and commitment to, homeopathy
an interest in alternative and complementary approaches to health
a concern about conventional medical treatment and its side-effects
knowledgeable about disease processes and homeopathic remedies
responsive to clients’ personal issues and problems, but remain professional
a good manager

Personal Skills:

an enquiring mind and a willingness to learn
be a good listener, skilled at explaining complex issues in a simple manner
be able to inspire trust, and build a rapport with all kinds of people
analytical, non-judgmental
confident, enthusiastic and energetic to promote and build a practice.

“The course at CPH has been a life changing experience for me. I have started as a distance learner during the first year. It was a wonderful way of introduction to homeopathy. The supervision provided was not only prompt but also at any time I needed it. The program is well laid out, the notes given are very professional & detailed and the lecturers have sound experience in their respective fields of expertise.” ~ Ulli Agenloni, Italy

It is a very flexible career option as it can be started later in life and one you can continue until you choose to stop. You can work part time only or build up a busy practice and develop into a full time occupation with earnings increasing with the growth of the practice. It is possible to set up a practice almost anywhere. Success will depend on you, your confidence, competence and ability to attract patients. So, if you want to be a practitioner it is important to choose a course that will support you in developing these.

Advancement is mainly through building up a practice. With experience, homeopaths may move onto running seminars and tutorials, teaching at colleges or supervising students and other practitioners and writing articles, books and health journalism. They may get involved in homeopathic research, or advise manufacturers on the production of homeopathic remedies. Many homeopaths combine homeopathy with other alternative and complementary approaches to health.

CPH can help you develop the necessary skills, knowledge, expertise, confidence and competence to become a professional homeopath and develop a life style that suits your needs and aspirations. If you want to make a difference in the world and have a successful and effective practice when you graduate, then CPH is the place to start.

To Apply for a Course - click on the link below: