Sometimes our sister organizations, particularly those bringing natural healing practices into conventional health care settings, make breakthroughs we want our community to know about and perhaps emulate. The “Sam Buxton Sunflower Healing Trust” has been highly successful in positioning complementary healers into the U.K.’s National Health Services as well as into hospices. We asked them to offer suggestions for steps our practitioners could take. They were very gracious in providing us with the following list:
- Research the hospitals or hospices in your location to find out what is already in place.
- Prepare a personal portfolio of your experience and qualifications suitable for presentation to a hospital or hospice.
- Role-play introducing your therapy to a stranger so that you develop a simple explanation suitable for skeptical ears.
- Ensure that your training has been taught according to established standards.
Note: While there are no established standards for energy medicine within the U.S. beyond our own – which do carry weight – our Certified EEM Practitioners are also recognized by:
- The Association of Energy Therapists (AET)
- The British Complementary Medicine Association (BCMA)
- The Kinesiology Federation
- The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT)
- Continue to refine and upgrade your skills with ongoing professional development training specific to the area of health you want to work in.
- One of the keys to the integration of complementary healers into healthcare is to be paid to be in the post. While you may need to start as a volunteer to get entry, that can change as you establish the value of your services. This is important because, in addition to having your time compensated and your work officially recognized, volunteers are generally not invited to attend multi-discipline team meetings, nursing handovers, or to teach in the induction program for new nurses and doctors. Angie Buxton-King, of the Trust, told us that "these are all great places to help with the incorporation of your services into the larger system.”
To learn more about the Trust and its inspiring activities, visit www.cancertherapies.org.uk.