First-year students at Teleosis are asked to make a presentation on homeopathy to a group of their professional colleagues, to a community organization, or another appropriate venue. While they are often nervous at first – understandably, since fear of public speaking ranks higher in surveys than fear of death – it’s actually a great experience for them. Once they do it, they feel empowered, an important experience for first-year students who are still a long way from the empowerment that comes with professional practice.
In addition, these students are developing an essential skill for launching a practice. Homeopaths need so many skills in addition to case-taking and case-management, materia medica and repertory – they need skills ranging from accounting to public relations, from business management to public speaking to furnishing an attractive office.
Our students have spoken in a wide variety of venues. Professionals often speak to a group of their colleagues, perhaps giving a brown-bag lunch seminar or an in-service to fellow psychotherapists, nurses or physical therapists. Students at schools of acupuncture and naturopathy speak to their fellow students. Others reach out to a group they belong to, such as their church or fellow parents in a Waldorf school.
One enterprising student spoke to her garden club about Arnica and Rhus tox for those achy muscles and backs. Another who worked in a health food store had a ready-made audience.
Some students who were inspired to study homeopathy because of its effect on their children have shared their experiences with a local moms’ group, or with a specialized group for mothers of autistic or ADHD children. A student who had adopted children, and who herself had been adopted, spoke to parents of adopted children about the healing power of homeopathy for these children with multiple traumas from abandonment and over-vaccination. At the other end of the spectrum, a student spoke at a senior center about the value of gentle and effective remedies for our over-medicated elderly.
Since Boston has a cosmopolitan blend of people from many cultures, our school often attracts students from other countries where homeopathy is well known and accepted. Students from India and Russia, for example, have reached out to friends in their own community to make sure they know homeopathy is available in the US as well.
Perhaps the most intriguing venue was the National Bitter Melon Day celebration. Yes, such an organization exists, although we’re not sure why. The sincere and enthusiastic group of young people touting the merits of bitter melon recipes were delighted to learn that Colocynth is also a homeopathic remedy.
Of the many wonderful presentations that our first-year students have created, we have chosen one that might serve as an inspiration to other students to give community talks. Our thanks go to John Fritz of Wellington, Florida, who is also the student who travels the longest distance (a thousand miles) to attend our school. Please view his wonderful Powerpoint introduction to homeopathy.
