The consultation part of your appointment takes up to an hour and a half, and you will be asked to return to the clinic session again – approximately 90 minutes after the end of your appointment – for the clinical student and the supervising herbalist to explain your treatment plan, and to organise how you will receive your herbal medicines.

Initial Consultation: In the initial consultation we are trying to build up a picture of your health, looking at all aspects that contributes towards maintaining good health, a detailed case history will be taken to get a picture of any present health issues.  Herbalists treat the whole person and will also look at lifestyle, diet, emotional health and exercise.

Follow up consultations: After the initial consultation, three or four shorter consultation are helpful to assess your progress, this might be followed by three to six monthly check ups if needed. Herbal medicines work in a gentle and subtle way, and may take longer to take effect than orthodox drugs. herbal treatment is aimed at restoring health rather than symptom management. While herbal medicine can treat a wide range of conditions, we also refer patients to other practitioners if necessary.

Consultations take place via a secure video call (rather like Zoom or Skype), and access to the consultation is restricted to Heartwood students, Heartwood team and you. You will only see the supervising herbalist and the student practitioner involved in taking your case, and it is very helpful if you also use your webcam so that they can see you too. 

Consent/GDPR

Before you attend a consultation with Heartwood, we will send you a consent form that we ask you to read and complete, you must be willing for a student to take your consultation. You may also be asked if we can record your consultation, although you will be treated with the same care and attention regardless of your decision. At any time you have the right to withdraw your consent to having consultations recorded and also for previous recordings to be deleted. This will not affect your treatment. Further information will be sent to you prior to your appointment