Herbal remedies are very common in Europe. In Germany, herbal medications are dispensed by apothecaries similar to old-fashion pharmacies in the United States when drugs were routinely compounded. In much of Europe, prescription drugs are sold alongside essential oils, herbal extracts, or herbal teas. Herbal remedies are seen by some as a treatment to be preferred to pure medical compounds which have been industrially produced.

In the United Kingdom, the training of medical herbalists is done by state funded Universities. For example, Bachelor of Science degrees in herbal medicine are offered at Universities such as University of East London, Middlesex University, University of Central Lancashire, University of Westminster, University of Lincoln and Napier University in Edinburgh at the present. Such degrees are just beginning to emerge in the U.S.

Access to Herbal Medicine in the U.S.

In this modern era, there are as many treatment alternatives for psychiatric disorders as there are for medical problems. Yet, the question of whether to use standard, complementary or alternative therapies is often a matter of what is available. For example, if you’re experiencing depression in Europe, you’ll have a much easier time finding a medical doctor to prescribe the herb St. John’s wort than you will if you live in the United States. This is because herbal medicine is considered the first standard of care among many European medical doctors, whereas drug therapy is generally the first choice of U.S. physicians. This is not to imply that drugs are bad, but limited options do translate into a limited standard of care when methods that may be the most beneficial are not available in some instances.

This is the jumping off point for the consumer. In order to learn the available options for a particular health problem, we must do considerable research to find out what works and where to get services. Once a place is found that provides the service we’re interested in, we face the daunting task of determining if the health care practitioner is competent and trustworthy.

While medical doctors in the U.S. have been criticized for not mentioning alternative options to patients and for not giving enough personalized care, alternative healthcare practitioners don’t necessarily fare any better. Just because someone is an alternative health are provider does not mean that he or she is competent or caring. We live in a culture that places too much value on appearances. In reality, charisma does not equal competence. Sadly, many of us do not find out that a healthcare provider is negligent or incompetent until after our health has been compromised.

References
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About the Author

Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and author specializing in the treatment of mental health using integrative medicine and natural therapies. She works with individuals, couples, and families at her office in San Jose, California. Dr. Fredricks' publications include the landmark book Healing & Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems. Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Dr. Randi Fredricks as articles often present the published results of the research of other professionals. Copyright © 2012. To cite this article, please use the following citation: Fredricks, R. (2008). Healing & Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health. Bloomington, IN: Author House.