The harmful side effects of Western medicine, along with its limited ability to treat and cure many illnesses, have led many individuals to seek alternative healing methods.
There are a lot of alternative healing methods available and new techniques are created almost every month. Even if you stick to those techniques that have been around for quite some time and are not only popular but also show promise, the decision of what alternative healing method to choose can be quite challenging.
Insufficient and sometimes contradicting information can cause confusion and even an inability to decide which way to go, as far as treatment options. Sometimes you will first need to find a therapist and establish a relationship that is based on trust with him, and have him recommend a specific therapeutic method for you.
If you are suffering from physical or emotional problems, the following alternative healing methods might be of use to you:
- Color therapy
- Crystals for healing
- Chakras
- Meditation
- Bowen method
- Magnet therapy
The success of most alternative healing processes depends not only on the method used but also on the therapist and the connection the patient establishes with him. While it might be hard to determine how professional your therapist is, or what level of knowledge he has obtained in the therapeutic method that he practices, know that many unprofessional therapists are mentally and physically hurting their patients every year. To avoid becoming a part of the statistic, you should check for:
- Relevant diplomas
- Recommendations from past patients (always prefer speaking someone directly and don’t settle for reading “thank you” letters)
- General diplomas (many people offer themselves as psychotherapists without first taking any psychology courses and have no real understanding of the human psyche)
Aside from that, you should always trust your gut feeling.
If you feel that this therapist cannot be trusted, that he won’t help you or uncomfortable with your therapist’s attitude, don’t ignore it. There are so many alternatives that you should not hesitate to switch to someone that you feel you can rely on to help you with your problem.
Another thing that you should probably look for in your therapist is knowledge about the mind-body connection. One of the main problems of Western medicine is that it treats each part of the body as something that stands on its own and not as one link in a chain that has many links: all of them affecting one another. Alternative healing methods take into the count that physical malady can be caused by a mental condition and treat the patient as a whole. A healer that overlooks this connection will not be able to provide effective therapy in most cases.
Examples of the mind-body connection include:
- Stomach pain and the need for love and security
- Catching a cold is assigned a repressed anger or sadness
- Heart attack as a call for the individuals to treat people more gently
In homeopathy, for example, you will be questioned about your sleeping habits, your food preferences, your mood since they are all connected and disinformation will be used to determine the appropriate treatment. Another diagnosing tool is reviewing the connection between ailments that initially appear to be unrelated (like various skin conditions and respiratory problems).
