Can flower essence therapy be helpful for dyslexia?

November 12, 2003

However, it is important to keep in mind Dr. Bach's central teaching about flower essence therapy — we are always treating the individual and not the symptom. This means that we must take a careful history of each person and realize there is no one single flower essence for the external condition. Instead, it is important to trace the condition to the originating trauma, or to other emotions and feelings about self-performance, or environmental stress that may be influencing the outer condition of dyslexia. Also, a series of remedies may be indicated as the layers of emotional trauma are addressed.

For instance, in my former profession as a teacher and tutor, I had a remarkable case helping a young girl diagnosed with this condition. She was a very dreamy child who was easily distracted and had a hard time focusing.

In taking her case history I noted how much movement and chaos was present in her life—her parents had divorced and she lived in four different places in just one year—traveling between each parent and their new partners. This underlying emotional trauma of insecurity and overwhelm resulted in her inability to focus. Her way of coping was to be "out of body" and not as focused in present time.

Once I worked with both her and her mother on the underlying problem — including the use of flower essences like Clematis , she rapidly progressed in her reading skills. One year later she was reading two levels ahead of her age, rather than significantly behind.

However, even though Clematis was a major remedy for this "dreamy dis-incarnated" little girl, it is not always the remedy of choice. Other key remedies include California Wild Rose , Dill , Five-Flower Formula , Arnica , Star of Bethlehem , Rosemary , Shasta Daisy , Mariposa Lily , Chestnut Bud , Vervain , Lavender , Indian Pink , Madia , Angelica , and Yarrow . Even these remedies are not the only ones, but are some of the essences most frequently used for addressing various emotional factors associated with dyslexia.

It is also important to look at the nutritional factors surrounding learning disorders. For example, many such individuals need higher supplementation of the Omega Three fatty acids .