From Christina G., RN, Toronto
I feel as if I’ve spent my whole life searching for a way to serve others that incorporates the totality of the person. Over the years I have gained knowledge and skills pertaining to caring for the physical body, emotional wellbeing and spiritual health of the person however; they were all in isolation of each other. In homeopathy, I believe I have found a modality that provides a holistic approach to caring for the entire person.
I grew up with a father who was a doctor and who was my role model. I went to the hospital and did rounds with him on weekends when I was a very young child. Although my father was a kind, caring, respected physician, I very early on realized the limitations in the care provided through the western medical system. Specifically, the idea that people became their injury or illness and the focus of assessment and treatment was limited to said injury or illness. Little time was spent talking to patients about their family structures, relationships, beliefs, community, trauma, nutrition etc. Little time was spent talking to them about anything other than their physical symptoms related to their illness or injury. And so, in my search for the patient within the medical system, I became a nurse.
The first 5.5 years of my nursing career were spent working in a hospital where I worked hard to treat my patients as people rather than illness alone. I saw duties such as bed baths, which are no longer performed by nurses; as not only the time to complete a head to toe physical assessment but also as an opportunity to talk to the patient about all of the things that made them who they were and brought them to this place in their lives. Often I was able to glean information that helped to uncover illnesses that had alluded other health care practitioners. In this position as well as in community visiting nursing, I became skilled at using my knowledge of anatomy and physiology as well as intuition, observation and communication to treat my patients.
There has always however been something missing and so I began researching and studying alternative forms of healing and health care. In 2008, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and after a year of treatment with my physician that provided no relief and side effects from medication, I began seeing a naturopath. With homeopathic remedies, changes in my diet and osteopathy I saw improvements within the first few months and I now live, for the most part without pain. Both of my children now see a naturopath and she is our primary healthcare practitioner.
Over the past five years I have taken courses, attended workshops and gained certification in numerous methods of healing the mind, body and spirit. When I decided to go back to school I researched many programs and found that the philosophy of homeopathy best matched my own beliefs related to healthcare and healing. I attended a philosophy class and a class in acute case analysis with CCHM and was extremely excited by the course content; the knowledge and enthusiasm of the educators; the diversity of the students and the relevance of my previous education and training.
I look forward to beginning my education in the homeopathy program at the Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine and starting on my journey towards becoming a practicing homeopath.
Psychiatric Nursing Gone Homeopathy
From Korri W., Sumner, Maine As I sit down to write this essay as to why I find myself drawn to homeopathy and the journey