Dr Brian
Kaplan qualified
as an orthodox medical
doctor at the University
of the Witwatersrand,
South Africa. In 1982
he came to England to
study homeopathy
at the Royal London Homeopathic
Hospital. After completing
a comprehensive training
in homeopathy (exclusively
for medical doctors)
he became a member of
the Faculty of Homeopathy
in 1983 and a Fellow
in 2002. He then studied
counselling, nutritional
dietetics, fitness, yoga,
Autogenic Training, and
Provocative Therapy.
His approach is eclectic
and rigorous, with the
aim of treating the whole
person as well as the
disease.
PHYSICAL MEDICINE
Dr Kaplan uses mainstream
medicine diagnostics
and will treat conventionally
if needed. He will also
make specialist referrals
and arrange for patients
to see consultants in
various fields of medicine
when a specialist opinion
is needed.
Combined with this,
he believes that the
body is often capable
of healing itself but
for various reasons may
not be doing so. In these
situations it can often
be stimulated or catalysed
into healing itself.
To do this Dr Kaplan
uses Classical
Homeopathy.
However he also believes
that patients should
be encouraged to do things
to help themselves as
well as taking tablets.
To this end he also:
teaches patients Autogenic
Therapy
a powerful method
of deep relaxation
and stress-proofing.
It is learned thoroughly
over 8 one hour sessions
after which it can
be used for life
without supervision.
gives dietary
advice and
supervises patients
on short fasts and detox
programmes (See
a good example of
a detox programme.)
advises patients
to embark on healthy exercise
programmes where
cardiac fitness and
core stability are
of the essence. (See
a good example of
such a programme.)
PSYCHOLOGICAL
MEDICINE:
It is clear to most
doctors that a large
percentage of patients
visiting them are suffering
from some sort of psychological
pain or anguish which
may or may not be related
to their physical condition.
Dr Kaplan believes that
doctors must try to relieve
all types of pain to
improve the health and
well-being of the patient
as a whole.
Long-term orthodox psychotherapy
is not a cost-effective
option for doctors, nor
is it a journey most
patients would agree
to embark on, whatever
the degree of their suffering.
What is needed is a technique
that is brief, highly
effective and good value.
After training in Rogerian
client centred therapy,
Dr Kaplan found that
Provocative
Therapy really
fitted the bill. Combining
humour and reverse psychology
to remarkable clinical
effect, Provocative
Therapy is a psychotherapeutic
technique that can be
used by busy general
practitioners.
The Relationship
between Homeopathy
and Provocative Therapy:
Both these modalities
are based on the principle
of ‘like curing
like’ and Provocative
Therapy has been described
as ‘homeopathic’ in
the way it works.
The correctly prescribed
homeopathic remedy results
in the body (immune system)
sorting out the problem.
In other words the body
was always capable of
doing so but needed the
homeopathic remedy to
initiate the healing
response.
Similarly Provocative Therapists
believe that the solution
to a patient’s problem
is already within the patient.
The humour and reverse
psychology of Provocative
Therapy initiates the patient
into becoming aware of
the solution within, consciously
owning it and finally enacting
it.
“From
medical student in South Africa
to homeopathic physician in London, Dr
Brian Kaplan, a long-time colleague and
fellow teacher, shares with warmth and
sincerity the influences that have shaped
his thinking and deepened his insight into
the homeopathic art
of cure. I can warmly recommend
this book to anyone wishing to develop
their understanding of the nature and purpose
of the homeopathic conversation at
the heart of good case taking.”
– Dr
Alice Greene, consultant homeopathic physician, psychotherapist, lecturer and immediate past chairwoman of the British Autogenic Society
