Finding a Holistic Treatment & Practitioner
My name is Gabriel Rosenthal. For 14 years I have been an advanced practitioner of Structural Integration (Rolfingã) and have studied eastern bodywork for almost 25 years. From two main therapies, Ayurveda (Indian Medicine) and Traditional Chinese Medicine, tens of therapies have come to be in favour today. I would like to share some of my thoughts here with you.
Many people today look for some sort of holistic treatment when their problems have not been solved by conventional medicine, when pills, injections or surgery did not bring the desired relief. Many clients realize the importance of holistic treatment where the person is treated as a whole and not as a body part to be serviced.
At first when you ask yourself “What is the most suitable treatment for my problem?” you must understand that there is no ‘one fits all’ treatment. Finding the right treatment is not a question of luck, every person is unique and therefore what helps one will not necessarily help another. It is your choice that will determine what is good for you. If you are a member of a sick fund, speak to your doctor- most Kupot Holim have a holistic department and physical therapy - he might understand or at least know the doctor/head of department and will refer you.
There is no law at this time in Israel that protects patients and reassures them about the skills and competence of holistic practitioners. This brings about huge differences between therapies. Some demand 2-4 years of study, whereas others take 2 or 3 Friday/Saturday study groups. The lack of legislation also allows a person to call himself a ‘therapist’ or ‘medical advisor’ without studying at all. Therefore the patient is ‘on his own’ to research what is on the market.
As to the question of how to find a holistic practitioner, you might decide on a therapy that speaks to you, outside the services you are entitled to in Kupat Holim,-a practitioner in private practice. This article will assist you in selecting a practitioner who will guide you through a series of sessions so that you are free of pain, through quality treatment that gave you the feeling of complete acceptance, based on cooperation and mutual trust so that you could express yourself, your needs and feelings.
1. Considerations (whichever practitioner you choose)
Ideally you would find a good practitioner near to where you live or work. But you may have to travel to the place your practitioner works, since only a few practitioners can treat your condition adequately. This also may be influenced by:
a) the practitioner’s fee being covered by your insurance, not Kupat Holim
b) the practitioner providing you with the best possible care
c) the combination of a & b which will lead you to your decision of who and where
d) the waiting period for your appointment
e) the working hours of your practitioner
f) paperwork – letter from your GP, referral, x-rays, CT, MRI, bone scan etc. (or an interpretation of these)
2. Regular Trained Practitioners
The regular practitioner is able to treat regular conditions, provided that after he receives his diploma from a reliable school with good teachers, he makes a living from his skills, gains experience, and follows up on his study with continuing courses. As he routinely handles low back pain, flu and other everyday problems, he gains experience of neck pain, knee pain, headaches, etc. In this he is often better than the more educated specialist.
3. The Specialist
4. Where do you start?
I. Collect your information.
A good source may be any MD who has learned that complementary medicine is not quackery and complementary practitioners are not witchdoctors, so their opinions may be very valuable. I have treated many MD’s and nurses, mainly for lower back, neck and shoulder disorders, disorders of joints and connective tissues, of muscles and tendons, etc. Obviously all felt that conventional medicine had no answer for them, otherwise they wouldn’t have come. After explanations about how we would address their problem, they admitted never having learned about this in medical school. Our language of communication was anatomy. Naturally, an MD or nurse who has personally witnessed the treatment will give the best referrals. It is also enough that a personal friend or co-worker says, “He has helped me, he might help you too. It’s worth trying!”
II. Evaluate the information
Phone the practitioner. Tell him your problem. See the reaction. You will witness a triangular situation:
you
practitioner process
If you have several referrals, check them out. Don’t go for the first who may be a good salesman. Don’t fall for the one who may be the cheapest. Check your reaction, there must be chemistry and mutual respect between you. Take notes of what each one says. Does the practitioner see you as a whole person, or as a joint to be treated?
III. The first visit
Does he have a personal approach? Does he give you enough time?
practitioner
knowledge experience
Check out the clinic:
· Is this a separate room, clean and organized, well ventilated?
· Are the practitioner’s diploma/s displayed? (remember as there is no law, this throws some light on his studies)
· Is his membership in the NFP Organization (AMUTA) displayed?
Check out the practitioner:
· Does he show interest in your condition?
· Has he dealt with your problem before?
· Does he inquire about your medical past?
· Does he ask for a photocopy of your medical papers, X-Ray, CT, MRI, bone scan?
· Does he ask for information about the same or related problems within your family?
· Does he inquire about food aversions, allergies?
· Does he ask about your family status, children etc?
· Does he take notes of what you say? Does he compile a file?
IV. Final Evaluation – decide
Note:
· Best care/ practitioner/ knowledge and training/ years of experience
· Location (hospital, sick fund, beit rof’im, etc.)
· Travel and time involved
· Insurance cover
· Communication between your practitioner and GP
· Price
Remember, not all specialists are holistic. A specialist may treat your problem, eg your knee, with the utmost care, but forget that around your knee there is a lot of you.
Is it Holistic Medicine?
Many people use the terms holistic, alternative and complementary medicines interchangeably. I will try to explain the differences.
Holistic Medicine is a medicine supporting orthodox treatments; most practitioners have no training in orthodox medicine. It is drugless, only MD’s are allowed by law to prescribe drugs or withdraw treatment prescribed by another MD. Holistic medicine uses mostly vitamins, herbs, diet etc.
Alternative Medicine means ‘choice’ but the term is used mostly as ‘instead of’ (orthodox medicine) using methods that are not normally part of conventional medicine. Most alternative practitioners, acupuncturists, chiropractors, osteopaths etc have a formal, 4-year university education, or equivalent. Therefore they are an alternative to the MD, apart from the use of drug prescriptions.