PRACTITIONER PROFILE
One of the most important changes I have seen is wider recognition of natural medicine . Remedial Massage has become more recognised as a valid therapeutic treatment , than when I first started out . Herbal Medicine has become more widely recognised as well . There is a lot more information and awareness about natural medicine available to the public .
How do you envisage natural medicine developing over the next 30 years ? What changes in natural medicine would you most like to see ? I believe that natural medicine will continue to grow in popularity over the next 30 years . I have seen the Herbal Medicine Industry become more evidence-based and scientific . My opinion on this is two fold :
• I do think the Herbal Medicine Industry requires ongoing evidence-based knowledge on herbs .
• However , I also think that it has lost some of the basics of treating systems in the body for improving system health . I think there has been a shift away from treating the person as an Individual with a wholistic view of treating them . The approach of treating the person in front of you with knowledge of their health and history of their health problems and medical conditions , their lifestyle and stress are also important when considering what herbs and supplements to give them . In my opinion , herbal medicine and nutrition have at times become too scientific . We are natural medicine practitioners and not doctors . In my experience , clients want time to talk to you as a practitioner about their health concerns , their stress and lifestyle . We need to give them that time and a wholistic approach to manage their health . This is something we offer them as practitioners that doctors lack , which is a limited amount of time they can spend with their patients .
I would like to envisage more GP ’ s and medical practitioners recommending natural medicine to their patients and more referrals to Natural Health Practitioners , and a more collaborative approach and networking that could include medical treatment alongside natural medicine treatment .
What advice do you have for today ’ s emerging practitioners ? You will start out like I did , which was to follow what you were trained to do as a natural health practitioner . Follow the book , so to speak . If you continue in your given field , you will start to develop your own style and way of working . This , I think is important to remain in the Industry . Why ? I think when you develop your own style and techniques you are listening to who you are as a professional and how you want to work . Trust in yourself and develop your own way of working professionally with clients . People will come to you because of your style and way of working with them .
You will also make mistakes like I did . That ’ s part of learning in any Industry of work . Don ’ t give up when you make mistakes . Take them as a learning experience and grow from them .
Paula is a Western Herbalist and a Remedial Massage Therapist . She is also a Clinical Psychotherapist and offers psychotherapy sessions for individuals , couples and families . Her practice is based in Katoomba , Blue Mountains . Ph : 0429 577 655 Email : bluemoutains . therapies @ gmail . com Website : bluemtstherapies . com . au
Elizabeth C . Gibson
My name is Liz Gibson and I live in the remote city of Mount Isa in Northwest Queensland . I have supported our community for over 30 years .
It was not my intention to become a health practitioner . This happened quite by chance . When my husband was 35 years old , he was diagnosed with arthritis in the spine . The doctors told him that he would be in a wheelchair by the time he was 40 and that there was nothing that could be done except prescribe stronger and stronger pain medication . We had three young children at the time , so this was devastating news for us . As a wife and a mother , I decided to look for alternative ways forward . I studied nutrition , vitamin and mineral therapy and massage . I am pleased to say that my husband never ended up in that wheelchair . He started Judo at 47 years old and he is still enjoying the sport at the age of 74 and not looking to stop any time soon . He is certainly fitter now than he was at 35 .
When my children were young , it was very convenient to run my practice from home so that I could be available to meet my family ’ s needs . When the children were older , I joined the Palliative Care Team at Mount Isa Base Hospital and continued to run my practice . I continued to work with the Palliative Care Team for four and a half years and it was a real honour to help people die with dignity and to support their families through this most challenging of times . Aromatherapy and massage were very helpful modalities for this work .
During this time , I became interested in Primary Health Care and Community Health so I studied and gained my Masters Degree and then went on to study Family Therapy and Relationship Counselling . I have worked in many wonderful and fascinating areas and am now in private practice as a Clinical Family Therapist , a Registered Counsellor and a Certified Gottman Relationship Therapist .
I have been able to integrate the health modalities into my business to assist people to become both mentally and physically well . The last 30 + years have been quite an amazing and exciting journey .
Elizabeth is a Clinical Family Therapist and Relationship Counsellor and is based in Mount Isa , Queensland . She can be contacted at Ph : 0487 089 933 . Email : liz-puck @ hotmail . com
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