Cultivating Peace While Traumatized by a Pandemic

It may be too soon to truly discuss the repercussions on our culture as the new medical mandate of “social distancing” is taking place. We still cannot predict how the term itself may continue to encourage the majority of people to be an indoor, insular, and screen attached society, who orders food and necessities on demand to their doors. Maybe some people will take a chance and still enjoy walks in the fresh air along the waterfront or on a forest trail. Or maybe, we will forever think of one another as potentially contaminated. So many dramatic “what ifs?” are arising because of a worldwide economic halt. Without tallying up the unexpected harms this has caused in society, many things that we are witnessing at the time of COVID-19 are outright traumatic. We cannot assume any one of us is faring well right now even if our health seems to be in order, but take a moment and give yourself some credit. You are alive and getting through during these uncertain times. This is an emotional and psychological trauma that we as a collective are experiencing. We have yet to collect ourselves and lick our wounds on the other side.

“Trauma:
1. A deeply distressing or disturbing experience.
emotional shock following a stressful event or a physical injury, which may be associated with physical shock and sometimes leads to long-term neurosis.

Similar: shock, upheaval, distress, stress, strain, pain, anguish, suffering, upset, agony, misery, sorrow, grief, heartache, heartbreak, torture, disturbance, disorder, jolt, ordeal, trial, tribulation, trouble, worry, anxiety, burden, adversity, hardship

2. Medicine: physical injury”
— Oxford
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Economical Quarantine

Whether we like it or not, we are being asked to quarantine. Events are being canceled and there are fewer places to go out to. There is even less money to circulate for many who were asked not to come to work. Everyone in the world is witnessing and reacting.

For once however, our society is considering prevention and preventive health measures like never before. The community suddenly is considering hygiene, personal space, and medical leave as responsibilities and rights. We can have a greater appreciation for childcare providers, teachers, healthcare workers, food suppliers, and even truck drivers during the 2020 pandemic. Almost as a new concept, we are considering the health of the most vulnerable people: the elderly and immunocompromised. Breathe deeper for a moment knowing that there is less pollution and mass production worldwide. It is hard to make people, who enjoy living freely, conform to considerate quarantine overnight. Of course, big cities like New York and Chicago are so densely populated, they required mandates immediately. If you are in a place with more miles than people, you may never be mandated to lock down but may practice considerate quarantine. As the world changes dramatically around us, it may help to hold tight to a few of the following mindful measures. These are ways to ease stress and center during uncertain times.


Some Mindful Practices To Consider During Considerate or Mandated Quarantine:

Even when we aren’t bombarded by a media blitz of the pandemic, we can’t avoid news of government protocols and shutdowns. It is the topic of conversation with whoever you talk to. Let’s be grateful that we can continue to adapt in response to the stress of the current situation. We are doing what we must to respond to such a dramatic shift in the lives of so many. The relatively healthy or asymptomatic who are quarantined at this time should be grateful for their well-being. We must all hold space for a transformation of the whole culture.

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If its within your ability, now would be a meaningful time to lend a hand if you can. Maybe you cannot give money or materials, but you can give time. You can offer childcare to parents who still have to go to work, help at the local food pantry or soup kitchen, or rides to those who might not be able to afford gas, or without transportation at all, food if it is within your means, or phone calls to check on your elders. In times of tragedy, humanity survives by remembering this reality is all of ours to witness together. Though we may honor the medical mandates and economic shutdown, social distancing will not stunt our society socially. We will remain in meaningful communities and continue to create reasons to socialize.

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When It Becomes Unethical To Practice

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After a doctorate level of training in medicine, and countless hours taking cases, most students are prepared to be of use to society. They look forward to offering their skills and services to the greater world. Most Naturopathic Doctors also realize how few Americans actually get to experience the power of effective nutrition, herbalism, hydroptherapy, mental emotional consultation, physical alignment and Traditional Chinese Medicine truly alleviate symptoms of what most perceive as chronic or incurable conditions. Naturopathic graduates are trained, ready and most are excited to bring the good news of powerful yet gentle remedies to the public. However, most of these naturopaths are not prepared for the harsh reality of American medicine and business ownership. Many exceptionally bright and proficient practioners end up hiding out under their student debts trying to piece together making a meaningful living. The truth is that these students are prepared to be clinicians and not so prepared to navigate the cut throat business world as new entrepreneurs. The question is: since when is “cut throat” considered a quality we look for in a healer?


Conventional Standard of Care

One huge factor that keeps Naturopathic Medicine out of the main stream is that it is not legally recognized in all 50 states. The states that legally recognize Naturopathic medicine present Naturopathic doctors to be “just as informed as your conventional doctor.” When Naturopaths achieve legal recognition in a state they must agree to uphold the medical “standard of care.” In many ways this is great, Naturopaths and their conventional counterparts are taught the same anatomy, pathology, diagnosis and codes. So for diagnosis purposes the “standard of care” keeps all medical professionals on the same page in the same language.

The tricky part is when the “standard of care” also determines treatments. Naturopaths are taught what the body needs to operate in a natural drug free way, especially when it comes to nutrients, eliminating irritants such as allergens, mold or other excessively toxic exposures, and adopting lifestyle practices that address an overall sense of well being. Although Naturopaths must be well versed in pharmacology and especially so, when many herbal remedies can interact with drugs, Naturopaths however are taught that most conditions cannot be ultimately healed by drugs or pharmaceutical medications. Although these medically trained professionals recognize and appreciate the lifesaving advancements of modern medicine, the underlying belief that the uninhibited body (of most people) can bring itself into balance without chronic pharmaceutical use does not always abide by the American medical standard of care.

Example being, that a naturopath can identify and diagnose “depression” and the standard of care might be a whole list of pharmaceutical drugs, and a referral to a psych professional. Naturopaths pride themselves on being “the doctors who listen” and are more than able to give their clienteles the time of day to validate that depression can be a natural reaction to life circumstances. Naturopathic medicine is meant to individualize care to a person’s needs, and abilities and interest in complying with an agreed upon plan. So in this way a treatment plan might include many lifestyle practices outside the standard of care. By agreeing to uphold the conventional standard of care, naturopaths are not able to be paid for what they are trained to do therapeutically. It is even harder for the field of naturopathic medicine to define a new standard of care when it prides itself on honoring the individual. This means instead of redefining care, naturopaths in recognized states are expected to uphold the standards of the worst health care model in the developed world and the third leading cause of death in this country (medical error).

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Naturopathic Medicine becomes Elitist

It seems to me that most Naturopaths are seeking some type of validation to be considered “real doctors.” I distinctly remember during my first semester of Human Anatomy in medical school when I challenged toxicity in the cadaver lab. How can we as natural doctors accept toxic labs filled with formaldehyde when we are aware that it is a known carcinogen? Weren’t there less harmful ways to learn dissection? Or at least precautions breast feeding mothers and cancer survivors could take in the lab? The first and most common response I got was “Well this is what makes us “real” doctors.” This mindset seems to permeate how naturopathic medicine is paving a way in this country. “We listen more than. . . “ “we are trained in nutrition” “we understand genetics and MTHFR mutations” It seems the field strives to be the super scientist to impress and get recognition from the main stream. Meanwhile the general public still doesn’t know what the heck a naturopathic doctor is.

Don’t get me wrong. I am extremely impressed with the Naturopathic honoring of biochemical pathways, and what micro and macronutrients are required to run pathways in the body. Even the wisdom to know that some heavy metals or epigentic factors may prevent those pathways from functioning despite it having the nutritional requirements met. Upholding the health of the human microbiome is also cutting edge for our field. All of the knowledge is extremely impressive and validated by science. My concern comes when we have many more naturopathic doctors trained at accredited programs, are unable to share their knowledge with the public because of laws and fees created by our own field. The boundaries and restrictions our own field places on its practioners actually makes the medicine less accessible to most of the general American public.

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The Cost of Being in Practice and Higher Public Fees to Afford it All

This is where it all comes to a head. Naturopathic doctors take a risk when they agree to take student loans to further their education. They see a public outcry for remedies and treatments that actually work and don’t cause the patient to go bankrupt. They have a desire to make an honest living in a corrupt world. Often, those who have chosen to purse naturopathic medicine, also have experienced some amazing healing of their own without the help of pharmaceuticals or other drastic interventions. They may also consider that the cost for this training seems more affordable than the 1/2 a million dollars it now cost to complete an M.D. With board exams at $1200, many less fortunate with the training, cannot afford to become “legitimized” by the field. The field uses the board exam to collect money from usually the least fortunate who have completed the accredited programs.

So with all that considered the legitimized Naturopathic Doctors must keep up with their student loans, state fees, costs of continuing education, rent for their office spaces (often hundreds of dollars a month), any equipment they use, insurances (thousands annually) and supplements to stock their shelves with. Most Naturopathic Doctors in my area (between New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts) are then encouraged (nearly forced) to slap an approximately $300 price tag on a visit with them! With prices like that, they also don’t often turn out to be team players when other Naturopaths come to town, it usually results in a turf war. Now I don’t know about you - but I cannot afford $300 out of pocket per visit! And THEN labs and supplements after the fact. Many doctors argue, “well I charge what I am worth, if you under charge you don’t value your own services.”

I value my services. I have seen naturopathic medicine working before my eyes not just on myself. It honestly just breaks my heart to see patients who have typically exhausted the conventional methods, and then come to Naturopathy bankrupted by health care with no healing to show for it. For a Naturopathic Doctor to then turn around and charge them $300 which doesn’t include labs or supplements, it is unethical. If we agree to “first do no harm” exploiting sick and ailing people financially should be out of the question. I know some Naturopaths cater to the rich because of this, but again how does that bring awareness or access to the general American?

Personal Note: I am passionate and in love with my naturopathic training. My top priority is sharing the good news with the public since I believe natural wellness to be an inherent right of everyone on the planet. In fact many of the remedies and therapeutics appropriated by naturopathy were originally and still are practiced by indigenous people across the world, so who am I to be an elitist about it? After four years of striving to offer one on one practice, after being exploited by my own colleagues or people who glean the knowledge but don’t honor it, I will be stepping back to do the more important work - EDUCATION. People still don’t know what a naturopath is and I’d like to see that change for the betterment of all. I also hope that American Naturopathy can take a closer look at what we strive for as a field, what our identity is as a profession, and consider how we can become more accessible to the general public without compromising our principles and training. 

With a passion for enhancing public health and wellness education, New Culture Co is offering selective consultations based on inquiry. Knowledge is a source of healing and longevity, and New Culture provides a resource of traditional naturopathy serving students of all ages.