Erratum
PRACTITIONER PROFILE
Celebrating 30 + years of ATMS membership
Shirley Lovell
What has kept you practising for 30 + years ? My clients ! They feel like an extended family to me . Some families I have known throughout four generations . I love the close connection , the collaboration and how remedies and treatment can augment a person ’ s life . I also enjoy being selfemployed . That means I can operate in a way that morally and ethically sits well with me .
What have been the most important changes to natural medicine you have seen during your career ? During my 40 years of practice much has changed , but the basic philosophy has remained stable . The basic principles are constant and based on sound theory and many years of experience . Of course there has also been much valuable research and development , and a plethora of new remedies , and many test facilities now available to us . This is very valuable for our profession .
What changes in natural medicine would you most like to see ? I ’ d like to see a little less emphasis on science . Even though I value science and the knowledge it brings , we are in danger of not taking an holistic approach . We need not get bogged down in detail only . We must also look at the big picture .
It would also be great to see more understanding and acceptance of the much maligned modality of homeopathy . It is the cornerstone of my practice . Without it I wouldn ’ t get the same results .
What advice do you have for today ’ s emerging practitioners ? Be kind and patient . Be empathetic yet objective . Don ’ t prescribe for the dis-ease , prescribe for the person . Get out there and enjoy your work . The world definitely needs you .
Erratum
ATMS Education Symposium 2022 This article was published in JATMS , 2022 ; 28 ( 4 ): 216 . An erratum acknowledging omission of author Airdre Grant was published in JATMS , 2023 ; 29 ( 1 ): 36 . This erratum should also have included the name of Louise Rubic . Authorship of this article has been corrected to : Peter Berryman , Kathleen Daniel , Sandra Grace , Airdre Grant , Natalie Hume , Brad McEwen , Louise Rubic and Chantel Ryan .
Daniela Demarchi
What has kept you practising for 30 + years ? The work itself , the meaningful interactions with clients , the mental stimulation from ongoing research . I enjoy foraging for medicinal weeds , preparing individual formulations for clients . Providing a service which informs and helps people to improve their quality of health is personally fulfilling .
What have been the most important changes to natural medicine you have seen in your career ? Natural medicine treatments are now used by some allopathic practitioners . Herbal medicine and naturopathy are taught at universities . Thirty years ago natural medicine practitioners were not required to have professional insurance or to belong to a traditional medicine institution . Government intervention has contributed to the growth of natural medicine by allowing clients to claim treatments on health cover . The unethical removal of natural medicine from health insurance has not deterred the community from consulting traditional medicine practitioners . People have a better and more informed understanding of natural medicine .
How do you envisage Natural Medicine developing over the next 30 years ? I believe Natural Medicine will become integrated into the healthcare system alongside Western medicine . I recently attended a mental health seminar where allopathic practitioners discussed the concerns they have regarding long term use of medication for some mental health disorders .
People are increasingly seeking natural medicine treatments that do not have the side effects that are experienced with medications , particularly for chronic conditions .
What advice do you have for today ’ s emerging practitioners ? Practice the art of listening . Always focus on the whole person . If possible , work with other practitioners for the first years following graduation . In the early eighties Dorothy Hall opened her clinic to her graduates and continued to mentor us through our most challenging first years as practitioners . It takes time to put knowledge into practice . Be kind to yourself .
98 | vol29 | no2 | JATMS