In a world where stress and uncertainty are becoming more highlighted than ever, one could say healing is a fundamental human desire. Healing is the act of becoming and feeling whole and safe again after a period of intense stress, uncertainty and/or illness.
This article explores the concept of healing, its origins, and its different approaches.
Etymology:
The word “healing” traces its roots back to the Old English word “hǣlan” which means “to make whole or to save.”
This origin story and the hero’s journey reflects the core essence of healing – the restoration of something which is broken or not functioning optimally.
Conventional Healthcare Models Definition of Healing:
Focus on diagnosing and treating specific diseases or injuries. Also known as conventional or allopathic medicine.
Emphasis:
Disease-centered symptom treatment approach. Utilizing pharmaceuticals, surgery, and other medical interventions to address symptoms and restore bio-physiological function.
Strengths:
Offers well-established protocols, effective for treating acute conditions and managing chronic illnesses. Very helpful in traumatic and catastrophic events.
Limitations:
Does not address the root cause of illness. Medications and surgery can have side effects. Conventional healthcare does not take into account the emotional and spiritual aspects of health.
Alternative Healing Models Definition of Healing:
Offer a broader perspective on healing, focusing on mind-body-spirit well-being and preventing illness. Here are some examples:
Holistic Healing:
Emphasizes treating the whole person – mind, body, and spirit – to promote overall well-being and prevent disease. Practices like yoga, meditation, and acupuncture fall under this umbrella.
Energy Medicine:
Believes in the existence of a life force (chi, prana) that influences health. Practices like Reiki and acupressure aim to manipulate this energy for healing.
Traditional Medicine Systems:
Ancient practices like Ayurveda (India) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offer unique frameworks for understanding health and utilizing herbal remedies, dietary modifications, and other practices to promote healing.
Mind-Body Therapies:
Explore the connection between thoughts, emotions, and physical health. Practices like mindfulness meditation and cognitive-behavioural therapy can be helpful tools for healing.
Key Differences Between Conventional and Alternative Healthcare:
Feature |
Conventional Healthcare |
Alternative Healing Models |
Focus |
Disease-centered |
Mind-body-spirit well-being |
Emphasis |
Treating symptoms, restoring function |
Prevention, root cause, holistic approach |
Practices |
Pharmaceuticals, surgery, medical devices |
Yoga, meditation, acupuncture, herbal remedies, dietary changes |
Scientific Basis |
Strong for established protocols |
Varies depending on the practice, some lack strong scientific backing |
Strengths |
Effective for acute conditions and managing chronic illnesses |
Addresses the emotional and spiritual aspects of health, promotes prevention |
Limitations |
May not address root cause, potential side effects. |
Limited scientific evidence for some approaches. May not be suitable for all conditions. |
The Wounded Healer Archetype
In the past 50 years conventional healthcare has focused on ‘healing symptoms’ at the request of patient-clients. In this format of healthcare, the patient-client is seen as weak and without knowledge and the treating doctor or health carer as being ‘the god who will save’ the patient-client from their symptoms.
However, due to systems failures, call-centre mentality and practices of GP Surgeries, increased clinical negligence due to surgery or mis-diagnosis, along with increased deaths from medications, many individuals feel the conventional system has failed them in some way.
This large group of individuals then sought help from complementary and/or alternative healing. These individuals visit complementary and alternative healers with much the same expectation as seeing a conventional health carer. Treatment was to eradicate and alleviate symptoms.
To be fair to the alternative and complementary health care field, they did not start out this way. This type of health care originally focused on what is termed as Holistic Healthcare.
Holistic healthcare originally stated the root causes needed to be dealt with, however, their concept was dismissed by conventional health care as ‘pseudo-science’ and the demand from client-patients was to eradicate symptoms like conventional medicine. Root causes for the most part, were dismissed by both camps: firstly due to the public viewing conventional and alternative medicine as a saviour and, secondly, abdicating all personal responsibility for life-style management.
However, within the last 20 years, mental and emotional healthcare which had not been mainstream suddenly burst onto the scene. It really began to play out when social media became mainstream. People considered it sexy and okay to air their grievances, hatreds, intolerances, prejudices and everything in between about personal trauma online. The wounds of individuals laid bare to be seen socially via media.
Very often the health carers are as unwell as their patient-clients. Whether it is drug addiction, obesity, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, toxic relationships etc. The wounded healer thrives on ‘wounds’ whether they are mental-emotional or physiological.
Currently, the success of both conventional and alternative healing business relies on people to be constantly ill instead of well. Therefore, for many years due to client’s expectations of miracle ‘cures’ there is much lip service to the ideology of wellness and wellbeing.
The above is very much part of the wounded-healer archetype of thinking and behaviours. And this way of thinking, behaving and managing illness and lack of well-being is transforming into the Holistic Healer Archetype.
The Greening of Medicine – Integrated Healthcare:
Whilst conventional medicine was initially extremely critical of alternative and complementary healthcare practices, due to the advancement of neuroscience, accelerated learning knowledge and physics racing ahead in terms of using sound, light and movement for healing, there is now a blossoming movement towards integrated healthcare.
Integrated health care is what holistic healthcare originally set out to do when it came to healing.
- Philosophy: Combines conventional medicine with complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) to provide a more comprehensive approach to patient care.
- Practitioners: Often involve medical doctors or licensed healthcare professionals trained in both conventional and complementary therapies.
- Focus: Addresses both the physical symptoms and the underlying causes of illness, taking into account a patient’s mental, emotional, and social well-being.
With the advent of the greening of healthcare into the integrated / holistic healthcare model, patient-clients will find they are required to participate actively in their well-being.
The new integrated healthcare model will provide patient-clients with a team of individuals committed to enabling them to look at root causes of illness and how to change their lifestyle, thinking, emotional oversensitivity and reactivity from one of being the victim to one of being self-care.
Summary and Conclusion:
The most effective approach to healing may involve a combination of conventional and alternative modalities. In the end, it is about finding what works best for you to restore balance and wholeness in your mind, body, and spirit.
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