I want to speak to you about a sensitive topic that comes up often in both herbal and mainstream medicine circles.
Most people don’t get the results they want from herbs for three simple reasons:
(Here’s an example)
A client once told me she tried supermarket-bought Chamomile tea for sleep. She drank a cup before bedtime for three nights, saw no change and (almost) decided herbs “don’t really work” before getting in touch with Clare and I at our weekly herbal clinic.
But here’s what really happened:
- She was using the wrong preparation: a mild, low quality tea instead of a potent tincture.
- She took too little, for too short a time: three days just isn’t enough to shift a pattern that’s been building for months.
- She was treating chamomile like a green sleeping pill instead of an herb that restores balance to an overworked nervous system and digestive system
That’s why I use a model I call the therapeutic triangle:
- Symptom: what’s happening RIGHT NOW (snapshot in time)
- System: what physical system is really under strain beneath the surface symptoms.
- Synergy: which herbs work together to restore balance (homeostasis)
Let’s take two of my favourite herbs through the triangle:
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
- Symptom lens: Often chosen for head tension and acute pain.
- System lens: Supports vascular and inflammatory balance over time.
- Synergy lens: Pairs beautifully with nervines to ease long-term strain.
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
- Symptom lens: Calms restless nights, frayed nerves and spasms.
- System lens: Helps soothe an overactive nervous system while easing muscular tension.
- Synergy lens: Works gently with other sedative and antispasmodic herbs to support deep rest and smooth flow.
Does it make sense?
I’ve created a digital Herbal Results Tracker so you can see the changes as they unfold (just like a herbalist would).