What are "Complementary" and "Alternative" therapies?
“Complementary and alternative medicine,” “complementary medicine,” “alternative medicine,” “integrative medicine” — we have all seen these terms on the Internet and in marketing, but what do they really mean? The national Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) provides the following definitions:
“Complementary” generally refers to using a non-mainstream approach together with conventional medicine.
“Alternative” refers to using a non-mainstream approach in place of conventional medicine.
True alternative medicine is not common. Most people use non-mainstream approaches along with conventional treatments. And the boundaries between complementary and conventional medicine overlap and change with time.
What is "Integrative Medicine"?
This array of non-mainstream health care approaches may also be considered part of integrative medicine or integrative health care.
For example, cancer treatment centers with integrative health care programs may offer services such as acupuncture and meditation to help manage symptoms and side effects for patients who are receiving conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.
One fact is clear: The integrative trend is growing among providers, consumers, and health care systems, as consumers realize the inherent value and the emerging evidence that some of the perceived benefits are real and/or meaningful.
What role do nontraditional or complementary therapies play in your overall treatment plan?
This will most probably depend upon what value you and your medical provider perceive the complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) therapy will have on your health and overall well-being. People differ in terms of their knowledge base, individual preferences and life experience. We recommend that you find a holistic-oriented physician, if available in your area, who can provide you with accurate and objective information on the subject matter. In truth, complementary and noninvasive therapies, when properly integrated, are of tremendous value for the patient or client, as they educate and empower you to take control of your health, encourage you to self-explore and give you worthwhile tools by which to get to know yourself at deeper levels of your being and reconnect with your essence.
Additionally, we strongly encourage you to proactively conduct your own research on the specific CAM therapy to educate yourself and come to a better understanding as to its benefits, how it works and why. Doing so will also enable you to ask us more in-depth questions on the particular therapeutic intervention you are interested in integrating.
What is "Subtle Energy Medicine"?
Subtle energy medicine works on the body’s subtle energy fields. This specialized branch of CAM affirms that all disease begins in the subtle energy body and then filters into the physical one. In Energy Medicine, energetic disturbances and imbalances are taken seriously because the body is healed by activating its natural healing energies or by restoring energies that have become weak, disturbed or imbalanced. The molecular arrangement of the physical body is in actuality a complex network of interwoven energy fields. The energetic network, which represents the physical/cellular network, is organized and nourished by subtle energetic systems which coordinate the life force within the body. There is a hierarchy of energetic systems that coordinate electro-physiologic and hormonal function as well as cellular structure within the physical body. It is primarily from these subtle levels that health and illness originate. Energy Medicine then aims at rebalancing the energy systems to promote physical, emotional and spiritual health and well-being. It is completely safe, natural and noninvasive.
When a health practitioner engages or works with bioenergy based healing modalities, he or she attempts to identify what may be affecting the energy flow and the body’s self-healing processes of the person being treated, as each person has his or her own unique patterns of energy directly related to the body and health. The first sign that something is not working properly in the body is vibrational or electromagnetic in nature. Damaging frequencies are stored in the cells, and these may build up, unnoticed for years before manifesting an illness. Chemical changes may begin to appear, and then pathogens like bacteria, virus and fungus take hold in the body. Our lifestyles can also create damaging frequencies that can be detected long before physical symptoms appear.
There is much that can distort or disturb the subtle energy fields. Foremost among these distorting influences are physical and emotional traumas or abuse that we experience. Equally important are our emotions, thoughts, thought-forms, beliefs, fears, and perception of feelings, consciously and subconsciously stored in our mind and body, all of which affect our energy fields. Other factors further compromising our energetic fields and health include detrimental habits, congenital miasms, nutritional deficiencies, environmental factors, etc. This is the field out of which physical form manifests, creating our own dis-ease and disharmony. We further compound the problem with detrimental choices and other activities in which we engage in the course of daily life.
Energy based medicine and modalities may include but are not limited to homeopathic remedies, acupuncture, back flower remedies, sound healing, meditation practices, Bio-Electric devices such as EPR Biofeedback Magnetic, radionics and psychic healing. For instance, anyone who has used acupuncture knows that the needles are used to remove subtle energy blockages. When the subtle energy is flowing freely, this life force can naturally restore physical health. According to Dr. Mikio Sankey, author of Esoteric Acupuncture, energetic cords are connected from the subtle body into the physical, and blockages in any of these systems can and will create ill health at the physical level. Using acupuncture or EPR Biofeedback for example, blocks are released in these higher subtle systems to restore balance and health in the physical body.
Will I see results immediately?
According to client testimonials, many of our clients do experience positive results after just three sessions. The answer differs by therapy as well as by how consistent and disciplined you are in following up with the therapy’s protocols and recommendations, just as you would with conventional treatment medical recommendations. As the saying goes, you get out of it what you put into it. Give us a call to discuss your individual needs and therapy of interest to receive a more accurate and precise answer to your question.
Can I support the organization in other ways besides donating money?
A resounding yes! You can contribute and support our mission by simply talking or reaching out to others you know who may need our services, or who would benefit from participating in our programs and classes. Tell them about Healing Hearts Healing Minds, Inc. You can contribute by becoming a volunteer or intern for as little as two hours per week, while getting community service hours or credit for your work. You can contribute by assisting us in organizing fundraising or educational events. There are many ways to positively and actively make a difference in someone’s life. Just call and find out how you can make a difference in someone’s life. You never know when G_D will return the favor to you.
How can I get involved in Healing Hearts Healing Minds, Inc.?
Simply go to the Get Involved section of our website, fill in the applicable form and submit. It’s as simple as that. We will contact you and proceed from there.
Will my health insurance cover the therapies you offer?
Healing Hearts Healing Minds, Inc. is not currently billing any claims to health insurance providers. We are a non-profit organization, and our revenue or funds come mainly from generous donations or contributions to our cause, from individuals, donors and grant-making foundations. Additionally, we do request a nominal fee for service for specific therapies or programs from clients such as yourself to enable us to exist and fill a service gap in our community.
Can I call at any time to schedule a free 30 minute consultation?
Yes. It’s free. We strongly recommend you review all our therapeutic interventions and ask specific questions related to the therapy or therapies you are particularly interested in knowing more about or wish to consider trying. If for any reason we are not available at the time of your phone call, we will return your call promptly at the phone number you indicate in your message.