Happiful’s content creator tries a Bach flower remedy session and shares her findings

The first thing to greet me at the top of the stairs, before entering the room I was having my flower remedy session in, was a collection of potted plants. Luscious green leaves seemed to wave me in as Gail Berry, emotional coach and Bach flower practitioner, opened the door to her space.

Before my session, I had heard of Bach flower remedies, but admittedly knew little about them. Like many of us, I’d seen the small brown tinctures of ‘rescue remedies’ sold at health shops, but that was the extent of my knowledge. Thankfully, Gail was quick to give me some background.

The flower remedies were created by Dr Edward Bach between 1920 and 1930. Seeing body and mind as intrinsically linked, Dr Bach wanted to find a natural way of treating the whole person, and flowers lent themselves perfectly to the job. The Bach flower remedy system comprises 38 different flowers and plants, each aimed at particular emotional or physical ailments. 

Dr Bach believed that illness stems from our emotions and becoming disconnected from ourselves. The aim of flower remedies is to help us realign with ourselves and create balance using the vibrational frequencies of the flowers. 

Gail explained that the remedies are created by adding the intended flower to water and leaving it out in the sun, so the water can absorb the flower’s energy. This water is then bottled along with an alcohol preservative. This solution can be taken directly by placing drops under the tongue, or can be added to water.

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As the remedies are preserved in alcohol, those with an allergy or those who want to avoid alcohol may need to consider an alternative preserving agent. Please speak to your doctor for further guidance.

After learning more about the premise of flower remedies, Gail talked me through the two approaches she takes to support clients. One involves a couple of hours of deep discussion, where she learns more about the client’s concern, helping them understand the root cause (often stemming from childhood or even intergenerational trauma). She then uses this knowledge to create a tailored remedy for them. 

The other approach is called the ABC method. This involves the client choosing three flower remedies, guided by intuition, which are thought to represent the issue they’re facing, the behaviours it’s causing and the underlying cause of the issue.

Gail offered me a mixture of the two. She started by asking some questions about my current situation and anything I was struggling with. I was open and honest about some things playing on my mind before choosing my three remedies. As instructed, I did this with my eyes closed, picking the bottles that felt right.

Gail then reached for a book and read out what the flowers I’d chosen were designed to help with, and it was hard to stop my mouth from falling open. The flowers I’d picked with my eyes closed resonated deeply with the issues I’d been sharing. 

It was clear to me at that moment that intuition was an important part of the flower remedy process. As if to prove my point, Gail said she sensed there was something else going on with me, something physical. I nodded and told her about my recent struggles with fatigue and low energy, alongside more generalised anxiety. Heading off to her kitchen counter, Gail mixed up a personal remedy for me, using the flowers I’d chosen and a couple more to support fatigue and anxiety. 

Here’s what was in it and how each flower helps:

  • Century - This is for saying yes when you mean yes and saying no when you mean no, and not being overruled or scared to present your real self. 
  • Red chestnut - This is for worrying excessively about others and what will happen to them. It allows healthy separation to take place without it being uncomfortable and boundaries to be put in place naturally. 
  • Cherry plum - This is for potentially explosive situations. It calms things down so that we have better access to our rational control. 
  • Oak - This is for fatigue when you are running on fumes. It gives you more energy and helps you rest when you are tired not carry on regardless.
  • Aspen - This is for a fear that is pervasive and is good for lowering anxiety.

After putting a few drops into a cup of water, I was asked to sip it slowly and share with Gail any reactions I had, physically or emotionally. At this point there was a cool breeze coming in through the window and the truest reaction I could share was that I felt steady. A pretty lovely feeling.

Following this, I was given my remedy to take home with me, and told to take four drops, four times a day for five weeks. 

The weekend following the appointment I felt calmer and more energised than I had in a long time. I found I wanted to spend more time outdoors and visited a local park, surrounded by flowers. Even this small action reminded me how important it is for me to get into green space more regularly. I found myself feeling more able to distance myself from certain people in my life I was feeling tied to negatively - something I’m also working on in therapy.

The following week was intense energetically at work, and I’ll admit that by the end of it, I felt the fatigue and anxiety creeping back. After a check-in call with Gail (the support following my session has been wonderful) I was recommended to take more of the remedy to help counter this. The remedy is natural, gentle and harmless, Gail reminded me, so it’s OK to take as much as you need.

The way I’ve found the remedy to be the most helpful for me finally clicked this past weekend. Any time I found myself overthinking, worrying or enmeshed, I took some of my remedy. This action has become a gentle nudge that says ‘That’s enough now, what do you need?’.

The idea of flower remedies won’t chime with everyone, but after trying them I’m confident in the role they’re having in my self-care regime. They are widely available in shops, should you want to try them, and of course if you want to explore a more tailored approach, working with a practitioner might be for you. 

As I see it, Mother Nature is the Queen of balance. Flowers know they can’t bloom all year round; they know when to rest and when to shine. They align themselves with the seasons and their environment. When we can bottle this energy and be inspired by it, why wouldn’t we tap into the power of flowers?

Get in touch with Gail to learn more via Therapy Directory or follow her on Instagram.