Why I created Families
David Witko DIHom FBIH RSHom (Hon)

I have been developing homeopathic software for nearly 30 years and while I have received wonderful feedback telling me how my work has aided practitioners I am always striving to do better.

As I travelled the world listening to many teachers explaining their systems and methods, something has become very apparent to me: they all achieve good results!

This suggests to me that many different approaches to case analysis work and while some practitioners get good results focusing on one method or system only, there are also practitioners who use a variety of different methods (depending on the case) who also get good results (so there’s room for versatility)

Who I created Families for

When I developed the Families software I kept in mind two distinct groups of homeopaths:

Those who like to work primarily with a families approach to case analysis – these types of practitioners would want to see the themes of the case pointing to the Ranunculacea family before giving Pulsatilla, for example. Or they may decide a patient needs a mineral rx, see the themes of the Kalis in the case and prescribe Kali-s (a similar rx to Pulsatilla)

The second group are what I would call the ‘more traditional’ homeopaths. Much of the time they will break up the words of the patient into specific rubrics and repertorise their cases.

This group might use the families approach as a supplement to more traditional methods (and homeopathic software) rather than using the families approach exclusively. This group would see the families approach as ‘another string to their bow’ as it were.

In other words when the more traditional approach either doesn’t lead to a remedy that seems to fit well, or when a remedy prescribed in the more traditional way doesn’t bring good results – other approaches are then considered.

Certainly one of the problems with repertorisation is that the polycrests will always dominate the smaller remedies, as mentioned in the following quotation from David Mundy (an eminent homeopath in the UK):

“Rather than jumping to specific symptoms I first decide the Kingdom, Sub-kingdom and Miasm of the case . This can be done by looking at the themes and language of the patient. This is where the ‘Families software’ helps.’

Then repertorise and only consider remedies within the group that you have narrowed the patient down to.

The problem with Repertorisation is that polycrests always come up high - the more symptoms you put in the more likely Sulphur, Lycopodium, Calc etc come up. And if you pick the wrong rubrics you get the wrong remedies coming up.

However, I (do) always place the greatest importance on symptoms with definite Modalities, and that includes physical symptoms. These can and should be repertorised. I think that these days, where much of the case history is emotional suffering, it's a minefield and it's easy to get confused. But…. Headache relieved by urination….. that’s a great symptom! "

When Families might be used

The following scenario shows why being versatile could be very useful!

Just imagine….a client walks through your door. He is 6 feet tall and heavily muscled – it is obvious he works hard in the gym!

A few minutes into the case you have quickly found that he has come for help with his asthma. You find out that he has a thick yellow nasal discharge, he Is made much worse working outside in the sun but that also prefers open (fresh) air. He also tells you that he drinks very little.

Now, what are you thinking?

Like me you might quickly say – this has all the classic keynotes of a Pulsatilla case.

Some practitioners would prescribe Pulsatilla. Others would say - I need to take more of the case. Let me find out what kind of person he is…..how does this illness make him feel,,,and so on

Further conversation reveals that he is actually a very angry person with history of repeated violence. Although he has a very successful regular job he chooses to work 3 nights a night as a bouncer of a local nightclub. His is racist, sexist and every other ‘ist’ you can imagine. He curses and swears all the time when talking to you. He is openly motivated only by money and sex – which he pursues all the time. You feel uncomfortable with him as you sense the violence is ‘real’.

Now what? Would you still give Pulsatilla?

As a homeopath I would expect that you don’t prescribe rx (like Pulsatilla) simply on a few keynotes no matter how ‘obvious’ they seem. If you possess computer software no doubt you would repertorise the case (see ISIS rep chart above) – which would lead you to Pulsatilla and hopefully some other ‘Pulsatilla-like’ remedies for you to consider.

As you know however there are many situations when the patient may return (if you are lucky) after a month to report no improvement from the Pulsatilla you gave. What do you do then?

Many homeopaths are now realising the value of using different case analysis approaches. The Families software allows you to view your cases through the prism of a families based analysis

How does Families work?

One very important thing to understand is that the Families software needs the words of the patient or the themes running though the case in order to suggest kingdom, families and miasms to you. It is unwise to use only physical general rubrics like Lack of Vital Heat with Families.

In our example, using Open Air amel, Bland nasal discharge, Asthma, agg from heat will not give satisfactory results with Families

Rather – themes like: Violence. Money, Sex. Anger, Cursing. Amoral is the stuff that Families thrives on!

And using our example above would lead you quickly to the chart below which shows the Fluorine and Reptile families as the ones to consider.

Using Families will certainly make your case analysis more versatile and will hopefully improve your results.

This may require you to record your cases in a different way to the way you are used to, ensuring you record the expressions of the client not simply their complaints and rubrics. If you do then Families will richly reward your efforts!

How I created Families

Over the years I have been collecting many of the various themes and expressions that homeopaths have observed as related to certain families.

The pioneering work of Jan Scholten and also Rajan Sankaran has widened our understanding tremendously. As more and more new remedies have been proven and themes of more and more families understood our collective knowledge has grown.

I believe homeopathy is indebted to the work of Scholten and Sankaran – without these brave pioneers our work would be poorer. Where Scholten unlocked the elements and minerals for us, Sankaran opened up the plants and animals! By utilising the knowledge of both of these masters the Families software allows you to easily analyse your cases across all the kingdoms.

More recently, these and several other authors have published amazing and informative works that explain the themes of the various families.

I created a large database of words, themes and expressions of all the families – drawing on the findings of many modern day masters. And then I created the Families software to examine the words of the patient and match them to the words to the families!

The result is a tool you can use alongside your favourite repertory software if you traditionally repertorise your cases or you can use it as a primary tool to help get you quickly into the ‘right area’.

Families will allow you to work with the Lanthanides as easily as the Solanacea and the Snakes as easily as the Kalis!

David

Click here to see how Families works

Want to try Families for yourself?

Home | ISIS | AKIVA | Families |OLNE | Support | Contact