Root Word: Consultation

September 2026

This Root Word series examines the words and concepts we use in herbal medicine and practice.

Hoping you all have enjoyed the summer days. I’m welcoming new clients for herbal consultation this autumn – see more details in the image at the very bottom of the page. I have availability online by Zoom to anywhere in the UK and my in-person appointments are now from Dunblane village centre. You can drop me an message or book a short chat to begin.

Dunblane is well worth a visit. You can take in the Allan Water, the Cathedral (which often hosts music, film and other events), the museum, Scotland’s oldest independent library and the Scottish Craft School is a highlight in the high street.

This month I explored consultation in my root word series.

The word consultation comes from the Latin verb cōnsultō – meaning to consider, deliberate, reflect, take counsel and to take care. In a consultation there is usually a meeting or coming together, a purposeful and mature process, before an understanding, answer or decision is reached.

In herbal medicine a consultation is the meeting of a person, practitioner and the plants. And I like to think that the practitioner acts as an intermediary, helping the plants reach the person.

In healthcare typically the word appointment is used and this has its roots in apointier, an old French word, meaning to make ready, arrange, settle or place. It also stems from the Latin punctum, a small hole or point. So essentially to come to a point about matters. A bit more short and sharp, as we are likely to have experienced in the medical world.

For me the meaning of consultation reflects how things are approached in herbal medicine: seeking, deliberation and taking counsel before reaching a way forward. So not always a speedy approach and different to an appointment or allotted slot in the calendar with a brisk solution or quick fix. I have often found that herbal medicine aligns with the curious seeker who is open to enquiry.

So what does a herbal consultation involve?

It’s basically a structured way of considering health which aims to match the most appropriate plants and their virtues to symptom patterns. We talk through your main issues, but also the twelve body systems as recognised in conventional medicine, to view things in a holistic and joined up way.

I absolutely believe in trying to achieve natural regulation and balance of the body, and I do this by considering how systems in the body are related, taking note of patterns and nuances and asking questions to better understand the story and nature of the problem.

I need to know your allergies, existing medical conditions and your medication, so I can safely prescribe. There are also questions about symptoms which may seem unrelated – but to rule things out. I ask clients to share what they are comfortable with and explain that there is no judgement and it is fully confidential.

The questions and arising conversations can help us better understand what is going on. Discussing symptoms may also help empower by way of having knowledge of what could emerge before a health condition sets in, and on the other side, also help reassure and give awareness of what is going well.

From the basis of our consultation conversations I’m then able to select the most appropriate range of herbs and nutrition to work in synergy with your concerns. It’s an approach rooted in both tradition and science, holding historical knowledge alongside modern clinical understanding and research.

If this feels new, extended, or you aren’t keen on the spotlight, I get you. We are used to brief five minute GP appointments. But it’s not enough time to explore issues holistically or meaningfully. Nor to be able to choose the most appropriate herbal medicine for you individually. In my clinic no one receives the same prescription, though they may share a diagnosed condition.

Finally and importantly, part of the consultation process includes the client reflecting on the information before making a decision about what is right for them. I always feel a person’s preferences and self agency is important.

With consultation I hope that clients can better come to understanding of what is going on for them and their next moves. I encourage people to seek out different advice or opinions and understand why they might be different. As often there is more than one way to approach things and this is how you can benefit from the best of all modalities. I can usually work alongside any other medicines or care you might be receiving.

You can learn more about how things work practically on my consultation page. There is also more about my approach on the my philosophy and core values pages.

Curious about a consultation?

Drop me a message or book a short chat to start.