BACKGROUND:
The Council for Healing was convened under the inspiration of Dan Benor, MD in June, 2000. Dan invited individuals involved in healing to meet for ongoing discussions of how healing works, how the provision of healing can be improved, and how we might establish unified standards for practice and ethics.
WHO:
Dr. Benor included representatives from diverse branches of healing, training organizations, individuals who practice or research a variety of healing techniques, and naturally gifted healers of his personal acquaintance. The Council includes an active core who meets for telephone conferences monthly and an in-person meeting annually, with a number of advisors kept informed of Council activities and consulted in their areas of expertise.
We by no means represent all traditions or points of view but hope to have a broad enough cross section that healing wisdom can be fairly represented. We listen to our collective intuition, seek outside advice from experts, review available research, operate by consensus on decisions, and work to enhance awareness and acceptance of healing.
We recognize there are many ways to promote healing. Our members promote acceptance of complementary/ alternative/ integrative care on state and national levels, and the work of the President’s Commission on CAM.
The Council for Healing is a 501C3 organization operated by volunteers.
WHY:
Allopathic medicine, although materially oriented, is the primary socially sanctioned approach to helping people address their health and wellbeing in this country. Other approaches to helping people have always been in the background, ranging from religious practices to grandmother’s home remedies. Unfortunately, for centuries there has been suppression of alternative practices ranging from witch burning to the suppression of Chiropractic by the allopathic medical industry. It has literally become a crime to offer to help someone address health issues if not practicing under a legally sanctioned state issued license.
Led largely by increased public interest over the past several decades, there has been a growing investment in the use of complementary therapies around the world and in this country. The public have been voting with their dollars in a major way for these therapies, spending more annually out of pocket than is paid with the help of insurance for conventional medical care. To assure the provision of high standards of care, the Council is working to develop common standards of practice and ethics in members’ organizations that could also serve as a model for other healing organizations.
The Council for Healing has offered education, guidance and wisdom to those seeking healing or working in the field.
WHAT:
Education Training and Practice:
Some of the members of the Council for Healing are involved in official training programs such as Healing Touch International / Healing Beyond Borders, Network Spinal Analysis and Therapeutic Touch, Medical Intuition. We are developing a set of common denominators for standards for practice and ethics.
Cross Discipline Collaboration:
Meetings with representatives of diverse healing modalities (not currently members of the Council) have taken place for cross fertilization of techniques and training, to enhance the capacities of healers and training generally.
Public Speaking:
Many members of the Council for Healing are involved in public speaking. One member provided testimony to the President’s Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. We are a resource to consumers, healers, mainstream medical providers, public policy makers, and researchers.
Research:
Many Council members are involved in conducting research and in the compilation and promotion of awareness of research that has already been done. Research assures us that the treatments we offer/seek actually provide what they claim to do.
It is recognized that research in the field of healing is in its infancy. With the intangible world of healing, we may not even know the appropriate questions. Often, research in an emerging field such as healing, results will create more questions than answers. We view research as critical, because the tools of systematic examination can demonstrate where and how healing is effective or not, reduce error, and open new approaches. Research can facilitate the acceptance of healing and its integration with conventional practice.
Given that scientific research has largely been applied to physical phenomena, new and innovative ways to research the often intangible world of healing must be explored and developed.