To CAM Or Not To CAM? That Is The Question

My work as a Traditional Healer is classified by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). CAM is the classification for any form of health care practiced in America that falls outside the parameters of conventional allopathic medicine including chiropractic, acupuncture, integrative medicine, and even traditional healing. Despite recognition as an alternative form of health care in the US and abroad, many people describe healing as woo woo or bogus. I’ve gotten more used to that over the years. It is not the official recognition by the NIH that makes my work as a Traditional Healer valid. It is the results my clients experience. Numerous studies, both randomized controlled and anecdotal, have also demonstrate the validity and the benefits of traditional healing.

Because of my work as a healer, and my interest in CAM therapies for myself and my clients, I read dozens of articles on various health care topics each week. The majority of these pieces are written by scientists and physicians referencing randomized controlled studies, which are considered the gold standard by conventional medicine. The topics I review range from aromatherapy to Covid-19 and everything in between. And yes, there are studies demonstrating the validity and effectiveness of aromatherapy for everything from pain to ADHD.

I am a helper, and as such when a friend or family member speaks about a certain aliment or medical issue that is unresolved, I am quick to reference information I have read that might be helpful for them. I do realize that as a Traditional Healer I am several deviations from the standard medical model. Yet, even when I offer information based on something scientific I’ve read, I am usually ignored. I’ve learned to accept that dismissal, just as I’ve learned to accept the odd looks and strange comments when I tell someone I’m a healer. Nonetheless, it is quite vexing to watch friends and family suffer with various unresolved ailments unwilling to consider a possible helpful alternative. That I still haven't gotten used to, and I doubt I ever will.