The 3 big mistakes people make with herbs

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:

1. She was using the wrong preparation: a mild, low quality tea instead of a potent tincture.
2. 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.
3. 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:

1. Symptom: what’s happening RIGHT NOW (snapshot in time)
2. System: what physical system is really under strain beneath the surface symptoms.
3. 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).