A New Student Story

My decision to become a homeopath has been the result of upbringing, personal journeys as well as inspiration.  My grandmothers kept and practiced their folk medicine knowledge from Ukraine and tried to pass on their wisdom to me.  A lot of this wisdom entailed a deep appreciation for our gifted bodies and facilitating its ability to heal itself through nourishment of various forms.  However, like most adolescents in their teenage years I never really concerned myself with ‘health’, let alone looking at my health through a holistic lens.  This lead me down a path self-destructive habits of careless use of over-the-counter medicines, oral contraceptives, very poor diet as well as an unbalanced lifestyle.  The results of these decisions manifested with numerous health complications later in my life.  In addition to stressful life events, I eventually reached a point of deep reflection and contemplation on the trajectory of my life.  I found myself starting this new journey by going back to my roots of my grandmother’s teachings.  They helped me to form a solid foundation of self-acceptance and love. From there I went on to explore traditional Chinese medicine, naturopathic doctors, herbalists as well as energy healers.  I intuitively tried to understand my body’s needs while learning, exploring, and forming a deep appreciation for alternative medicines. 

This passion for health is what motivated me to study to become a nurse because I wanted to help others heal. I knew nursing could place in me in countless clinical opportunities to do so.  After being accepted into nursing school I applied myself and developed a deep understanding of the nursing courses.  Clinical practices allowed me to further develop my interpersonal and practical clinical skills.  I was also able to further explore the medical field as I had the opportunity to work in various settings.  Although I absolutely loved my clinical time in the emergency department, other departments throughout the hospital and long-term care facilities had left me with a rather empty feeling.  I could not help but feel that a lot of client’s conditions could have been avoided or properly managed.  This is not a reflection of fault on the individual, rather a healthcare system in which they were not heard and not treated through a holistic lens.  Instead of better understanding the root causes of symptoms, pharmaceuticals were hastily prescribed to manage the symptom.  This was familiar to what I witnessed living on a reserve in northern Saskatchewan as well as working with at-risk and homeless city youth.  Although pharmaceuticals are needed by some, it was devastating to witness them being used as “band-aid” solutions which sometimes only exacerbated health issues. It has become clear to me how vital it is for a client to be listened to during health assessments and considered whole by reflecting on physical, mental, diet as well as lifestyle factors.

What motivated me to focus on homeopathy specifically is a homeopathic practitioner in Saskatoon.  It started when I had been on the internet looking for an acupuncturist for myself.  This search led me to find this homeopathic practitioner.  He had outstanding reviews on google, hundreds of positive reviews that felt genuine and expressed their outmost appreciation for being helped and more importantly listened to.  I was instantly drawn to make an appointment.  At the appointment a very thorough history and assessment was completed. He adamantly listened to my concerns and never came across as judgemental or doubtful.  He took the time to explain to me about why I was experiencing such symptoms and took the time to develop a remedy specific to my needs.  The experience had really left an impression on me.  I instantly became inspired by him.  It motivated me to not feel defeated by clinical experiences, but rather create a space that was in-line with my values of properly caring for those seeking help.  After my experience with him I further researched homeopathy and discovered that the core values which he displayed are fundamental within this practice. This is how I would love to help people.

The path that led me to apply to become a homeopathic practitioner has not been linear.  However, I am grateful for this because it truly has given me the perspective and appreciation of what homeopathic medicine is. I would like to enroll with the Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine with the hopes of graduating and starting my own practice. Afterwards, I would love to gain further knowledge in herbalism, Bowen therapy and acupuncture to expand my practice as well as continue learning. My goal would be to provide access to these alternative medicines and resources to marginalized populations so they can feel empowered to take control of their health. It would be an absolute privilege to continue the legacy of providing dignified care, as if one was being cared for by a grandmother.