“HerbaLisl” FAQ’s
I’m new to this.
What kind of herbal practice do you have?
I offer comprehensive Traditional Chinese Medicine and clinical Western herbal consultations, both in person and remotely.
After more than 30 years in clinical practice, my work is grounded primarily in Traditional Chinese Medicine, particularly Chinese herbal medicine and pattern differentiation. I also draw from a deep knowledge of Western herbalism, nutrition and food therapy, medicinal aromatherapy, auriculotherapy, acupressure and other traditional healing practices when they are appropriate to the individual.
My approach is highly personalized. I do not simply match an herb or supplement to a symptom or medical diagnosis. I spend considerable time understanding each person's constitution, health history, current symptoms and the relationships between seemingly unrelated aspects of their health.
My goal is also to help you understand what I am seeing. I believe people benefit enormously from knowing why certain patterns may be occurring, what we are trying to change, and what they can do to participate actively in their own healing process.
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine, commonly called TCM, is a comprehensive system of medicine that developed over thousands of years.
Its underlying philosophy recognizes that the different functions of the human body are interconnected and that physical health cannot always be understood by looking at individual symptoms or body systems in isolation.
TCM also developed from close observation of the natural world. Concepts such as warming and cooling, movement and stillness, nourishment and depletion, dryness and moisture, excess and deficiency all provide useful ways of understanding what is happening within the body.
Rather than asking only, "What disease does this person have?" Chinese medicine also asks, "What pattern is occurring in this particular person?"
That distinction is important.
Two people with the same conventional medical diagnosis may have very different constitutions, symptoms and underlying patterns. As a result, they may require completely different herbal formulas, dietary recommendations and treatment strategies.
In my practice, Chinese herbal medicine is the primary modality, supported when appropriate by dietary and nutritional therapy, Western herbs, medicinal aromatherapy, auriculotherapy, acupressure, meditation and restorative practices.
What kinds of health concerns do people see you for?
My practice is best described as a general herbal medicine practice because I see people with an extraordinarily broad range of concerns.
Over the years, people have sought my help for acute illnesses as well as long-standing and complicated health problems. Some of the concerns I commonly work with include digestive difficulties, menstrual and hormonal issues, pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, anxiety, stress-related symptoms, headaches and migraines, skin conditions, recovery from illness, chronic inflammatory conditions and complex multisystem complaints.
I also have many years of experience supporting people who have been diagnosed with conditions such as Lyme disease, fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders, as well as people seeking supportive care during or following conventional medical treatment.
I do not assume that a diagnosis tells me what herbs a person needs. My first responsibility is to determine whether herbal medicine is appropriate and, if so, what pattern of imbalance is actually present in that individual.
Why can’t you just tell me which herb or formula I should take?
Because good herbal medicine is individualized.
It would be neither responsible nor particularly effective for me to recommend an herb or Chinese formula based only on a diagnosis, a symptom or a brief description of what is happening.
Chinese herbal formulas are designed around patterns. Before prescribing, I want to understand your constitution, digestion, sleep, energy, temperature, circulation, elimination, emotional state, medical history, medications, supplements and many other details.
Sometimes the symptom a person is most concerned about is only one visible part of a much larger pattern.
This is also why self-prescribing can be frustrating. People often choose an herb because they have read that it is "good for" a particular condition, then conclude that herbal medicine does not work when it fails to help them. Often the problem is not the herb or herbal medicine itself. It simply was not the right treatment for that particular person.
Herbal medicine is both a science and an art, and individualized assessment matters.
My friend has the same diagnosis I do.
Can we take the same herbs?
Possibly, but often not.
A conventional diagnosis and a Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern are not the same thing.
Imagine several people who all carry the same medical diagnosis. One may be thin, pale, cold and exhausted. Another may be robust, flushed, restless and thirsty. A third may have substantial digestive symptoms, while another has pain, swelling or insomnia.
Those differences matter enormously in Chinese medicine.
Several people with the same diagnosis may therefore receive very different formulas because we are treating the individual pattern, not merely the name of the disease.
For the same reason, I do not recommend sharing prescribed formulas with friends or family members.
What can I expect during my first consultation?
My initial consultations are intentionally thorough.
I will ask many questions about your primary concerns, but I will also ask about aspects of your health that may initially seem unrelated. Digestion, appetite, sleep, energy, temperature, thirst, pain, circulation, mood, menstrual history when applicable, urination, bowel function, medical history, medications, supplements and lifestyle can all provide important information.
I am also observing throughout our conversation.
Traditional Chinese Medicine places considerable value on information gathered through observation. In person, this may include complexion, skin and tissue quality, posture, movement, musculature, the sound and strength of the voice, breathing and other physical signs.
When appropriate, I also use traditional tongue and pulse assessment. These provide additional information that helps refine the Chinese medical pattern.
Remote consultations necessarily work a little differently because I cannot physically take your pulse, but a detailed history, visual assessment and tongue examination can still provide a great deal of useful information.
Most importantly, the first consultation gives us enough time to actually talk. I believe being fully heard is an important part of good healthcare, and I do not rush complex histories into an arbitrary fifteen-minute window.
Do you use pulse and tongue diagnosis?
Yes.
Pulse and tongue examination are traditional diagnostic tools used in Chinese medicine to gather additional information about patterns occurring within the body.
The tongue can offer clues regarding factors such as fluids, circulation, digestion, heat, cold, excess and deficiency. Traditional Chinese pulse examination provides another layer of information about the overall pattern.
Neither is interpreted in isolation. They are pieces of a much larger assessment that includes your symptoms, history, constitution and everything else I learn during our consultation.
For remote clients, I can evaluate the tongue visually, but pulse assessment is only available during in-person visits.
Do I have to cook Chinese herbs myself?
Usually not.
Chinese herbs are available in several forms, including concentrated granules, tablets, capsules, tinctures and traditional dried herbs that are prepared as decoctions.
I select the form according to the formula, the individual and practical considerations such as convenience and availability.
I also maintain an extensive herbal apothecary containing both Chinese and Western herbs. When appropriate, I can custom-formulate teas, infusions, decoctions and other preparations and provide instructions for preparing them at home.
Food therapy is another important part of my practice. Sometimes herbs can be incorporated into broths, soups or other foods so that nourishment itself becomes part of the treatment.
There is no virtue in making herbal medicine unnecessarily difficult. The best preparation is one that is clinically appropriate and that you can realistically use.
Can I buy Chinese formulas or herbs on my own?
Many herbs and formulas are readily available online, but quality and appropriateness vary considerably.
I am selective about the manufacturers and suppliers I use because identity, sourcing, processing, testing and quality control matter.
More importantly, even an excellent formula is only useful when it is appropriate for the person taking it.
Chinese formulas are not interchangeable symptom remedies. A formula that is extremely helpful for one presentation can be ineffective or counterproductive for another presentation that looks superficially similar.
If you are interested in herbal medicine, a professional assessment is generally a much more efficient route than experimenting with one product after another.
I have herbs left over from an old prescription.
Can I start taking them again?
Please ask me first.
A formula prescribed for you months or years ago reflected the pattern you were presenting at that time. Your symptoms, medications, constitution or underlying pattern may have changed since then.
Even if the original problem has returned, that does not automatically mean the same formula is still appropriate.
Product age and storage conditions also matter.
If you have an old prescription you are considering using again, contact me and we can determine whether it still makes sense or whether you need to be reassessed.
Can herbs be taken with prescription medications?
Often they can, but this needs to be evaluated individually.
Herbs are biologically active substances, and herb-drug interactions are possible. Some combinations may alter the effects or metabolism of medications, while others may increase unwanted effects.
For this reason, I ask for a complete and current list of prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and supplements.
When I am considering an herbal formula for someone taking medication, I look at the particular medication, the herbs being considered, the available interaction information and the individual's health circumstances.
Certain situations require additional caution, including anticoagulant therapy, immunosuppressive medications, some cardiovascular and neurological drugs, and active cancer treatment.
I do not prescribe, discontinue or alter pharmaceutical medications. Decisions about prescription drugs belong between you and the clinician who prescribes them. My responsibility is to practice within my own scope and to make thoughtful decisions about whether and how herbal medicine can be incorporated safely into your care.
When appropriate, I may also recommend that you discuss a proposed herbal treatment with another member of your healthcare team.
Can I use Chinese medicine while receiving conventional medical treatment?
Yes, in many situations Chinese medicine can be used as supportive or complementary care.
I do not view this as an either-or choice.
There are circumstances in which conventional medicine is essential, and there are circumstances in which herbal medicine, nutrition and other traditional approaches can provide forms of support that are not easily addressed elsewhere.
When someone is undergoing significant medical treatment, my approach becomes particularly careful and individualized. I take medications, procedures, laboratory findings and the overall treatment plan into consideration when deciding what is appropriate within my own scope.
My role is not to replace your physician or other licensed medical providers. It is to bring another well-developed medical perspective to the table.
How quickly should I expect to feel better?
There is no single timetable.
Acute conditions may sometimes respond quite quickly. Long-standing or complicated patterns generally require more time.
How quickly things change depends upon many factors, including how long the problem has been present, its severity, your overall constitution, medications, lifestyle, sleep, nourishment, stress and how consistently the treatment plan can be followed.
I do not use a fixed formula such as "one month of treatment for every year you have been ill." Bodies are more individual than that.
Instead, I look for meaningful signs that the pattern is changing.
Sometimes the primary complaint improves first. At other times, sleep, appetite, digestion, energy, emotional resilience or another seemingly secondary symptom begins changing before the problem that originally brought you to me.
Follow-up appointments allow me to assess those changes and adjust treatment accordingly.
My doctor says my condition is chronic or incurable.
Can Chinese medicine still help me?
Sometimes the goal of treatment is resolution. At other times the appropriate goal is improved function, reduced symptom burden, greater resilience, better quality of life or slowing a pattern that has been progressively worsening.
A condition does not have to be considered "curable" for supportive care to be worthwhile.
Traditional Chinese Medicine gives us another way of asking what can be improved within the individual person's physiology and overall pattern.
I have worked with many people who have complicated chronic illnesses. I cannot promise a particular outcome, and I do not recommend abandoning necessary conventional care. What I can do is carefully evaluate the person in front of me and determine whether there are meaningful areas in which Chinese medicine and herbal therapy may offer support.
How long are appointments?
The first consultation is usually the longest because I want enough time to understand both your present concerns and the history that led to them.
Complex cases often contain years of medical history, changes in symptoms, medications, procedures, dietary experiments and other important details. I would rather hear the complete story than rush through it.
Follow-up consultations are usually shorter because we already have that foundation. During follow-ups, we assess what has changed, what has not, how you are responding to treatment and whether the formula or other recommendations need to be adjusted.
As your condition becomes more stable, appointments may become less frequent.
How much do you charge?
My comprehensive initial consultation is $222. I do not impose an arbitrary time limit on the first visit when additional time is genuinely necessary to understand a complex case.
Follow-up consultations are $111 per hour, with a maximum consultation fee of $222.
The frequency of follow-up depends upon the nature of what we are treating. Some situations require relatively close monitoring in the beginning, while others can be reassessed less frequently.
Herbal prescriptions and other products are separate from the consultation fee.
I understand that ongoing healthcare can represent a significant financial commitment. When appropriate, I try to design treatment plans that are both clinically sensible and realistic for the person who has to live with them.
Do you take insurance?
I do not bill health insurance directly.
Some insurance plans, flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts may provide reimbursement for certain complementary healthcare expenses, depending upon the individual plan and its rules.
If you intend to seek reimbursement, I recommend checking directly with your insurance company or plan administrator to determine what documentation they require and what services are eligible.
What is auriculotherapy?
Auriculotherapy is a therapeutic method that uses specific points on the external ear.
The ear contains a dense network of nerve endings, and systems of auricular treatment have developed in both traditional and modern medicine.
Unlike acupuncture, the form of auriculotherapy I use does not require needles. Small seeds or spheres can be secured to selected points on the ear with adhesive, allowing the client to gently stimulate those points between visits.
I often incorporate auricular therapy when working with pain, stress, sleep difficulties, nervous-system regulation, cravings and other symptoms for which it may provide useful support.
The ear seeds can generally remain in place for several days, depending upon skin sensitivity and the individual treatment.
How does medicinal aromatherapy fit into your practice?
Aromatherapy can be much more sophisticated than simply choosing a fragrance because it smells pleasant.
I use essential oils therapeutically when they are appropriate to the individual, considering both their physiological properties and their powerful relationship to memory, emotion and the nervous system.
In some cases, aromatherapy complements an herbal or Chinese medical treatment plan. In others, I may use it as part of work involving emotional balance, meditation, ritual, personal insight or reconnection with the natural world.
I work with carefully sourced, high-quality essential oils and have extensive training and experience in medicinal aromatherapy.
As with herbs, I believe essential oils deserve respect. More is not necessarily better, and their use should be thoughtful and purposeful.
What other therapies do you offer?
Although Chinese herbal medicine is central to my clinical practice, I have training and experience in a number of complementary modalities.
Depending upon the individual and the reason for treatment, I may incorporate or separately offer auriculotherapy, acupressure, medicinal aromatherapy and Reiki, as well as nutritional, dietary and restorative lifestyle guidance.
I do not use every modality with every person. Treatment should be guided by what is useful, not by how many techniques can be added to a session.
How can I tell whether an herbalist is properly qualified?
Herbalism in the United States does not have one universal licensing system, so it is reasonable to ask a practitioner about their education, clinical training, professional experience and credentials.
For Western herbalists, the Registered Herbalist (RH) credential through the American Herbalists Guild is one respected professional credential.
For practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine, national board certification in Chinese Herbology through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is an important professional credential.
Credentials are not the only measure of a good practitioner, however.
Ask how long the person has been practicing, how they were trained, whether they have substantial clinical experience, how they approach safety and medication interactions, where they obtain their herbs, and whether they are willing to explain their reasoning.
And pay attention to the relationship itself.
You should feel that your practitioner listens carefully, respects your concerns, knows the boundaries of their own expertise and is willing to refer you elsewhere when something falls outside their scope.
What are your credentials?
I am Nationally Board Certified in Chinese Herbology through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild (AHG).
I have been in professional clinical practice for more than 30 years.
My additional training and certifications include medicinal aromatherapy, auriculotherapy, Acu-Detox, Reiki and acupressure, along with study and training in a variety of traditional and complementary healing methods.
I have also spent many years teaching herbal medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, medicinal aromatherapy, auriculotherapy and related subjects.
Formal credentials are important to me, but so is the depth that develops through decades of clinical observation. Herbal medicine is a field in which one continues learning for an entire lifetime.
What happens if I’m interested in becoming a client?
The first step is simply to contact me.
You are welcome to briefly tell me what you would like help with and whether you are interested in an in-person or remote consultation. I can then let you know whether your concerns appear to fall within the scope of my practice and how to schedule an initial appointment.
You do not need to figure out which herb, formula or treatment you need before contacting me. That is what the consultation is for.
If we decide to work together, the initial visit gives me the opportunity to understand the larger picture, explain what I am seeing from a Chinese medical perspective, and begin developing an individualized treatment plan.
My Frequently Asked Questions are intended to give you a sense of how I work, but they cannot anticipate every situation. If something is still unclear, please feel free to ask.
Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH, RH
Diplomate Chinese Herbology (NCCAOM), Registered Herbalist (AHG)
"Herbalisl” is a nationally board certified Chinese Herbalist with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Lisl is also a certified Medicinal Aromatherapist, a Reiki Master, an Acupressurist, an Auriculotherapist, a plant photographer, a renowned diagnostician, a teacher of Herbal Medicine and Medicinal Aromatherapy and a published writer in private practice for over thirty years. She is available by appointment.
http://www.herbalisl.com/
Visit her blog:
http://herbalisl.blogspot.com/
Please call 860 - 480 - 0115; email at LislMeredith @ hotmail . com if you have any questions, would like to schedule an appointment, attend meditations, weed walks, or are interested in taking classes.
I am now offering Zoom consultations.
