“Co-operation – Joys and Challenges” was the title of the opening lecture by Dr Cornelia Fellner Featherstone. Laughter, cheers and applause accompanied her entrance for she was carried in by Patch, who then went on to explain that over lunch Cornelia had intimated that she would like to be carried sometimes, rather than carry! In introducing the conference co-organiser Patch described her as being a pioneer and an excellent physician.

MM Conference 1996 – Dr Cornelia Featherstone

In her opening remarks Cornelia confessed to feeling ‘scary’ about the challenges and joys of co-operation, poignantly so as, referring to the multidisciplinary practice set up in 1994 she had recently considered divorce! HealthWorks is a group practice inspired by Cornelia and created with the aim of experiencing the joys of fruitful co-operation and is the culmination of a long cherished dream of hers to work in a multidisciplinary team. For more than 16 years she had, and had at times fervently, believed that a multidisciplinary group practice was the path towards addressing the challenges in health care for the next century, and with the creation of HealthWorks she was on her way to realising her dream. The dream of being in a group where the joys of synergy, group wisdom and team work in health care could be enthusiastically explored, and yet it had all come so close to divorce.

Movingly, exposing the challenges she had faced, she went on to say that she felt that her wings had been clipped and that she had felt disrespected as a doctor within the team. Financial problems had worsened and in the end it was decided to reduce services and relieve Cornelia of the responsibility to meet the costs.

In the turmoil of meeting the challenges of cross-cultural co-operation and receiving such hurtful remarks as “well you would say / think that; come from there; ….you’re a doctor”,  she was committed to the plan of holding a series of one day conferences throughout Scotland on the ‘Medical Marriage’. In an attempt to find answers for her own situation she illustrated her situation with the image of a river, with the river being healthcare and the opposing banks being orthodox (Square land) and complementary medicine (Round land) (see Fig.l) with some bridges across the river. Some are intact, others broken and yet others rather shakily still being put together.

MM Conference 1996 – Fig 1

This analogy was an attempt by Cornelia not to take the situation at HealthWorks personally. Expanding her concept of the river she told delegates that Square land represented the establishment with its features of power, privilege and prestige whilst Round land represented the ‘counter culture’ featuring freedom, choice and flexibility (see Fig 2.). She felt that her natural home land was Round land and over the last four years she had crossed over to Square land. Depressingly she had been shocked by the disrespect she experienced in her home land. Focusing on the diagrams below she explored and addressed the two archetypes, attempting to acknowledge the cultural differences. The orthodox world placed the emphasis on cure and the complementary (holistic) on ‘healing’ though of course there are places where they meet (see Fig 3.).

Responding to Dr Featherstone’s honest attempt to validate her truth and explore the two lands delegates expressed their thoughts and wisdom on the ‘Health Care River’.

• Someone speaking from the orthodox health system said that their approach was loving and caring but was more pressurised. There was ‘no certainty’ and people from the complementary ‘side’ could be more rigid. Cornelia agreed that doctors are very generous and caring and for many, if not most, money was not the driving force.
• Its an exciting time and we are all learning a new language. There is fear on both sides as we move into something new.
• Questioning Cornelia’s perception of ‘Square and Round’ someone asked why the emphasis was not placed on similarities, suggesting that her view created separation…
• The financial crisis in the NHS is worsening and we on the holistic side don’t co-operate at all. This is an example, when the system collapses and people cross over they will find us on the holistic side more egoistic! …
• Dr David Reilly suggested that we are all in the river, it is a circle, it goes round; we meet or we look in different directions and we hold hands too.

Cornelia concluded by saying that for her the picture had become less biased and she had learned to claim respect for herself. Delegates responded with heartfelt applause.

‘Nothing compares to you’
(Sinead O’Connor)

When Cornelia introduced Dr Julian Kenyon to us she said that she had been haunted by him as he had not told her what he was to speak about. The only thing he had been prepared to say was that he had news of exciting new developments that would affect everyone in the conference.

Sounding confident, if not diffident, rather that arcane and mysterious, Julian announced he wanted to talk about two things with the prime intention of empowering our belief in our personal dreams. Sixteen years ago he and his partner, Dr George Lewith, had started their own centre with the aspiration that it would ‘grow beyond them’, thus enabling them both to do other things. In a quickly learned lesson they realised that to do this they had to expand and hand over to others. Now, he was excited to reveal for the first time that ‘we are floating on the stock exchange in the USA’ as a way of expanding the centres internationally. Centres would be opening up in California, San Diego, Michigan, Columbia and also in the UK too.

As well as divesting ownership to other people coming into the group this would significantly open up opportunities for doctors on both sides of the Atlantic in complementary medicine. He added that he hoped it would grow to a finite size and empower others to do the same.

Their model required each doctor to be proficient in two or three different therapies and crucially the ‘power base is controlled on both sides of the fence’ and ‘it works because it is empowering’. He saw complementary medicine being used increasingly and stated that ‘we are making a push away from private medicine’.

Their annual turnover is £700,000 and in the USA they would move to a public system. Acknowledging there are political problems he hoped there would soon be a new Labour government in the UK as this would speed up public access to healthcare.

‘That is a grandiose plan’ he admitted but it works and doctors are currently being trained. However, to gain a certain level of expertise it would take around 10 years to fully train.

Scarcely pausing for breath Julian continued by saying that this global expansion would leave him more room to work for ‘Dove Healing Trust’, a charity set up by himself and his wife. The trust is dedicated to scientific studies of the subtle energies. Over £700m had been raised for the trust so far. The trust has a spiritual aspect which enables the scientist to bring the spirit into their work. The vision of the many research groups who conscientiously worked at bringing science and spirit together was ‘breathtaking’. As all this had started in a small back room he ventured the hypothesis that we were all capable of doing something similar. This global spiritual collaboration is already under way and what Julian would most like to see are the scientists of the far east being involved, “perhaps a start could be made by including those from Singapore” he said.

Julian briefly mentioned the research into using vibrational medicine, e.g. sound frequencies, in the approach to cancer and suggested that in the end ‘music may cure us all’ as there has been some very interesting results amongst the cancer research centres from around the world.

In concluding he mentioned that the timing for his projects had been ‘heaven sent’ by the movement of the heavenly bodies and that the cycle had ended today. An even greater surprise for him was the timing of his talk as originally he had been scheduled to speak later in the evening but Cornelia had asked him to speak first which meant that his announcements had coincided with the time of the full moon. “This is entirely in keeping and the full moon is exactly now here, and it is nice that I have been able to announce all these exciting plans of expansion here at Findhorn, thank you” he finished.

‘Curioser and curioser’, said Alice

David Reilly opened his talk by saying he would like ‘to focus on factors that unite us’, adding that we could be, or, should be less married thereafter.

On the night of the full moon he mused about the wonders of human interaction and quoted John Ruskin, “When love and skill are involved expect a masterpiece”. All of us were in pursuit of the masterpiece of living and united in an ordinary and awesome way. We all see clients/patients and are, or will be, patients. More than this we are united in Universal tradition and it is a privileged and wonderful place to be.

Healing is a vocation and we need the wisdom, in pursuing great skill and knowledge, to accept our gifts. We were united in not wanting to harm anyone and in seeking to improve our skills and knowledge, and to be successful.

He quoted Michelangelo, “A question of letting sculpture out of marble”, and this was the heart of what this conference was about; uniting and using the tools for the sculptor. He encouraged us to ‘watch those moments of emergence’ adding that ‘we’ve heads wise enough to put our hearts in our chest’.

Continuing, he said that one of the places the ‘treasure of human encounter’ was buried, is in the placebo response. ‘It is one avenue, one door to open human encounter’. To laughter he ventured that a few years ago doctors would not visit ‘placebos’ in daylight and then both wistfully, thoughtfully and reverently he said that it is a miracle that we heal. He proposed that it is time to talk about life and healing; things that heal and things that don’t. Magic was important in this inquiry and we should forget calling it the placebo response. Placebo is more than a mechanism.

A man admitted to hospital with chest pain had been injected with saline and cured! Miracle magic or was it all in the mind? A prominent doctor had claimed saline was as good as morphine for 40% of post operative cases… Exploring the theme of magic and symbolism David said colour can be crucial in changing depression to upliftment.

Because there were so many factors in the healing response he considered it vital ‘to keep a sense of doubt and wonder about the outcome’ and quoted from Hypnosis Journal: “It seems best results are when the patient has faith in the doctor, the system and the hospital”.

He concluded by saying ‘I’d like you to take away this image of wonder and mystery’ and to consider how powerful the phenomenon is. Here he presented statistics of case studies showing, both clinically and statistically significant, differing responses to drug and placebo. ‘What is going on’ was the question he posed when the graphs showed so many responses and had us asking another question ‘Is something of our intention being transmitted to the patient?’.

In summarising he said ‘we must try and focus more simply on being alive, on being a person… with my patients I use less and less of anything. I listen more, or touch and exchange ideas and I can feel the difference, and that is the way to go’. This is ordinary… This is living.

Responding to a question on the human encounter he counselled the need for simple compassion and listening. If someone comes having been told they will have pain for the rest of their life, often he would say “No you won’t”. He would also ask during the consultation ‘are you on top of it?’, a poetic and gentle question which put the suggestion in the patients mind of ‘I can be on top of it!’.

‘Find the voice within you. Adventure into our individual and universal hearts…’

MM Conference 1996 – Participatory Forum

After ‘music to find your seat by’ Cornelia and Dürten both explained how they had chosen to dare creatively after hearing that Caroline Myss was unable to attend. They had decided that they would hold a participatory forum aimed at finding the voice of strength within us. Though a risk it would enable as many of us as wanted to share our own experiences. This forum took the shape of a ‘fish bowl’ and it would enable in depth discussion. All delegates were encouraged to come from a personal experience, where appropriate using Caroline’s taped theme as an inspiration.

Cornelia opened by describing how since childhood she had suffered chronic migraine headaches. This had been a great teacher and had made her more compassionate though at times she had ‘beaten herself up’. She acknowledged it as being a humbling and humiliating experience as well as a teacher.

A delegate echoed the theme of illness as a great teacher, adding that she brought this into her work. “Probably the bottom line for many cancer and HIV sufferers is they’re punishing themselves” she concluded.

An acupuncturist admitted that his approach in ‘liking to deal with certainties’ had recently been threatened by a mystery illness. Well meaning people had said “how have you got this?” or “have you tried this…?” which irritated him as the message was that if he did this or that he would be okay. The questions he valued most were the ones which asked him what he was learning from the experience, but he would have liked it even more if others had joined him in his quest. Acknowledging that he may have created the illness, which is better now, ironically he did not know the cause or how it was that he got better. He did suggest that we need to let go of our certainties!

Someone else said ‘the healing process involves me exposing my vulnerability’ and accepting that they didn’t know where they’re going or whether they or their patients will heal! This extends to people who commit suicide. ‘I accept that it might be for their soul purpose’.

Another delegate quoted Andrew Harvey, ‘When we heal ourselves we heal others’ and then went on to tell of the 96 year old lady who decided not to treat her cancer. One night while cleaning her up they were reminiscing about the dances at Blackpool Winter Gardens with Reginald Dixon’s organ. There he had danced with his mother and she with her late husband. On an impulse he asked this old lady for a dance. Wrapping her arms around him they waltzed around the ward her demeanour changed and he felt that was the moment of healing for them both.

MM Conference 1996 – Participatory Forum

Healing rather than curing was the crucial aspect for one delegate who spoke of the soul’s yearning to transform and how life’s wanderings make her compassionate. She felt that people ‘heal into death’ and spoke of her time working with HIV patients in San Francisco. Though seemingly a ‘city of hell’ life was exquisite because ‘we lived fully present in each moment’. Many people died, not cured, but healed.

Cornelia rose and said that part of her was throwing a tantrum saying ‘I wants patients to get better, to recover and to enjoy life, to be cured!’.

Telling for the first time in public of a childhood trauma a delegate spoke of the ‘healing into wholeness’ process and how mutual respect is essential for a healing relationship.

Someone referred to the ‘guilt of illness’ mentioned on Caroline’s tape and that she had made a commitment to herself to be well.

A colour therapist said it was vital to allow what needed to happen, happen. There is successful failure on different levels. ‘We don’t heal people, we create an atmosphere for healing to take place’.

Other heartfelt truths were:-
The person being treated has to want to be healed, the wish comes from within.

It is important to be honest and nourish my ‘YES’ for life.

My mission/learning is to say yes to my life and allow a sick friend ‘to be’. I let go.

It is important to express my heartfelt feelings with clarity and love.

It is important to speak the unspeakable and risk the consequences, especially if you have the pathology of being nice.

A homoeopath questioned aloud her role with a patient who seemed content to talk to her wounds and not heal. She wondered whether she should challenge her patient or trust in the process.

In response someone said ‘we work on an assumption that everyone wants to heal, and they don’t and recalled a young patient suffering from leukemia who continually diced with death as ‘a way of getting attention’. The patient died but ‘I think they healed’.

The biggest healing is to tell the truth and not necessarily a universal one, but a truth right now, i.e. ‘What would it be like if I am healed?’.

I care passionately for the NHS. It is sick and I think it does not want to recover.

Perhaps some people are afraid to live, rather than afraid to die.

I deeply believe everyone wants to heal.

The participant who suggested near the end of this dialogue that the next Medical Marriage conference should be about consummating the marriage drew applause and a wry acknowledgment that based on the ensuing dialogue this prospect seemed a long way down the road.

On the theme of ‘valuing our gifts, respecting our limits’ the dialogue, honest and open as it was, centred around the panel but involved all delegates. It was at times explosive, challenging, boring, frustrating, thrilling and joyful. At one point it seemed like a power struggle rather than a blissful ‘give and take’ marriage with both holistic and orthodox sides ‘stuck, in their positions.

And yet, it was recognised that it was an accurate mirror of reality and as Patch observed ‘this is mild and healthy and is a sign that you are trying to change things’.

MM Conference 1996 – Stephen Gordon

Stephen Gordon from the Society of Homoeopaths remarked that our shared gift was our desire to treat and look after patients, his personal gift being homoeopathy, and the recognition that ‘I cannot meet all requirements so I look to, and for other paths – including allopathic and surgery’.

Hugh MacPherson, a practising acupuncturist, had raised a concern that the policy of the British Acupuncture Society (for doctors who practise acupuncture) would like to allow only doctors to practice in the UK. He stated that if he and his colleagues came under threat they would fight back.

MM Conference 1996 – Hugh McPherson & Julian Kenyon

Julian Kenyon said that he believed ‘there is a place for lay practitioners’, also stressing the need for co-operation between the two sides. In his centre complementary therapists were given their own territory and power base.

Hugh MacPherson said that lay practitioners ‘do not want to be controlled by doctors’ adding that there is a great need for therapists to set up their own codes of conduct and good practice.

Pointing out that homoeopaths were professional because they earned a living from their practices, Stephen Gordon told the conference that many homoeopaths objected to the term ‘lay’. Moreover he felt that doctors who wish to practice complementary therapies should receive proper training and not ‘dabble’.

MM Conference 1996 – David Reilly

For David Reilly the most contentious area concerned ‘postgraduate supervision’. ‘When you put up a plaque identifying yourself as someone in health care you move into a whole new area’, he said adding that there is a growing concern around therapists who purport to be professional. It is important to consider that a medical doctor only becomes a consultant or specialist after more than 10 years supervised clinical experience!

At this point after both sides had promoted and defended their form of health care Ben Fuchs voiced the role of a patient, “As a patient I feel scared”, he said, “if you guys are questioning each other’s competence how do I know what is best?!”.

A delegate suggested the formation of clinical teams and Julian felt that this model worked for simpler problems but not for more complicated cases. Talk centred on the merits of a trained specialist team working together and the realms of standards, ethics and responsibility. This squabbling went on for some time and was for some thrilling, for others boring and frustrating.

‘Cometh the hour, cometh the hero (or in this case heroine)’ as community resident Muriel McVivar demonstrated her gift of intuition and quietly left the hall to open up the community centre bar. Hours later, after convivial sharing of differences and ideas over drinks, impromptu Patch-led dancing and lively collective drumming we all concluded that we valued the human connection beyond differences. And we particularly valued Muriel’s gift of intuition!

‘I’m so excited, I just can’t hide it’

As we all recovered our breath following Patch’s lead and dancing to the rhythms of good old Rock n’ Roll to warm us up, Patch observed that in all the talk about healing and why people don’t heal no one had mentioned wellness!

He himself confessed to being a joyful co-dependent wanting he and his patients to fall in love with each other. “When I was an MD just after completing my training I would spend around seven minutes with someone. Now I spend three to four hours with them to try to find out just who they are”. He went on to say that the vast majority of Americans are bored, lonely and afraid with the belief that ‘life is a bitch and then you die’. For Patch it is clear that he is doctor of people and not of diseases. He has called his “silly hospital” ‘Gesundheit’ as it is German for wellness and as a clear statement of intent – ‘I want people to wake up each morning so excited for the day that others will say “what are they on!” ‘.

During training in medical school Patch did not get one lecture on ‘wellness’ and in the last 25 years America has embraced exercise and a healthier diet but the reason I can dance at 51 is because I exercise daily for one and a half hours because I want to rock ‘n’ roll.

MM Conference 1996 – Patch Adams

When Patch decided to explore wellness and extend friendship he looked around for ‘well people’…. and boy did he have to look hard. In wanting to celebrate life and people he found that the worst disease is loneliness and not cancer or aids. Loneliness has more depth and pain. For a few people God and nature are enough but for most of us we need people. ‘To be well you must learn to have, and be, a friend’ Patch told us all and illustrated it thus. ‘I never sit by myself in a cafe or bar, I always go and sit next to someone who is by themselves, or maybe in a group of two, and introduce myself’. Quoting a line from Les Miserables ‘to love another is to love the face of God’ he went on to suggest that the reason he is loved so much at Findhorn is because he is so friendly – ‘be disgustingly friendly and you will be loved wherever you go’.

Reciting passages from Walt Whitman and E.E. Cummings Patch ventured that ‘fun is as important as love. Love is the most talked about; sung about; written about concept but without fun… Fun is love in action…’ The silly hospital is so thrilling and exciting so that we seduce you into paradise in order for you to learn wellness. In fun there is a gold mine and boredom could be seen as a medical emergency! Cynicism is worse than cancer. Patch believes, ‘the greatest playmate we have in the world is our imagination, to which there is no limit. Even the great ones explored only a fraction of their potential’.

We are so far away from wonder and curiosity we think children are curious and wondrous! ‘Just think of our adult potential’ and to illustrate this he recited Neruda’s ‘Brief Moment with A Lemon’ (Imagine our lives if everything we saw had a poetic voice).

There are so many great wellness medicines and wisdom is one of them. This has been very important to him, absorbing the wisdom of humanity and creation. Patch has hundreds of books and often, late at night, he would stand next to them and salivate! If you do not know how to express love, read Neruda’s hundred love songs to Matilda – he will help you to say it.

Patch went on to prescribe the medicine of community for the illness called fear. ‘Community is everything for me. I never feel someone else is a stranger. I have found my community in service and my first paper was on the ecstasy of washing dishes. Service and Love; Service and laughter. The best kept secret is how good you feel when you give…!’.

Going on to extol the virtue, glory and healing power of nature Patch quoted from E E Cummings’ ‘o sweet spontaneous earth’. He told with awe of how bamboo had grown again within hours of the Nagasaki nuclear explosion. ‘Get out of the city and spend time in nature’ he told all delegates.

Peace is a wellness medicine which we have not tried, it is a very important one. Peace is the only wellness medicine we don’t know because we have yet to uncork the bottle of peace. ‘I hold a dream that a million people could walk into Bosnia for peace and people would see it on TV, pack their bags and come – Yeah!’ Another great medicine is hope. No matter how bad things get you can always have hope.

All through his talk Patch had spoken movingly, lovingly and profoundly, he concluded in the same way by talking of his love, zest for life and humanity; confessing that ‘passion had taken over me’. By being sure that we are all grounded in love and fun he gently and passionately suggested that we need never have another bad day.

To the dying strains of ‘Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah‘ the delegates were ready for this final part of the conference. This was the time when the various themegroups reported back on the resolutions made during their time together and to see what conclusions there were about the conference.

To end:
Cornelia invited delegates to reflect on their most outstanding impression and what had been their most important personal experience.
Some of the feedback reported:-
* It had been well worth attending and on the river analogy ‘Health is the mainstream and orthodox and complementary medicine were tributaries’.
* Thank you all … I’ve become happier in this beautiful atmosphere and its been a healing experience for me.
* I have felt that people are coming from their hearts with their intuition and professionalism.
* I intend to go back on my ward and stroke people’s hands.
* I applaud the fact the we have all had an opportunity to speak up.
* Why can’t we all be called healthcare workers?
Delegates were then asked to make a commitment to contact someone from the directory of participants in one months time to review progress Blessing cards were shared.

Therapeutic Touch by Jean Sayre-Adams

Therapeutic Touch (TT) is a healing art which rebalances or repatterns energy fields to allows pain relief, self healing and relaxation to occur. TT is widely researched and has become a part of mainstream nursing in the US. It is viewed as a natural human potential which can be activated by the intention and commitment of one who wishes to help or heal.

Jean Sayre-Adams worked as a staff nurse with AIDS and cancer in San Francisco, California. She successfully integrated TT into her nursing practice and has been teaching TT for 16 years – for the last 12 years in the UK. She is director of the Didsbury Trust and founding member of the steering committee of the Royal College of Nursing Complementary Forum.

Change Management by Stephen Wright

There are many ways of implementing change, from imposing it on people to ‘bottom up’ methods which allow people to create and pursue their own agendas for change. This session explored the different approaches and examined their relevance and practical application to those who practise the healing arts.

Prof Stephen Wright is the director of TENDA, the European Nursing Development Agency. He is an international lecturer in nursing, editor of the journal European Nurse and is a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing, works closely with government to further nursing policies.

Subtle Energy Information as Tool for Healing by Christine Schenk

High sense perception is part of the subtle body anatomy, as are meridians or acupuncture points. When subtle body sense ‘organs’ become active, physical symptoms and psychological crisis can occur. This workshop illustrated how to recognise such symptoms and how to deal with the patient when their own high sense perceptions are still untrained.

Christine Schenk is an international teacher and lecturer on subtle body anatomy and founder of the CHRIS technique (cellular harmonising and regenerative integration system). She works in collaboration with the Spiritual Emergence Network, founded by Stanislav Grof. Her main interest is in training health care professionals in energy work and the development of high sense perceptions. She has been clairvoyant herself since childhood.

Recovery from a Modern Mystery Illness by Graham Wilson

Looking at his personal experience Graham walked the participants through his recovery from a modern mystery illness, ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, explaining the steps using Western scientific terminology. A ‘breakdown’ proved to be the emotional and physical release which allowed him to start his recovery programme drawing on the Chinese methods of  chi kung . This workshop demonstrated the power of kinesthetic awareness and showed how simple mental and physical techniques could revolutionise our present health care.

Graham Wilson was a successful industrial scientist when his health deteriorated dramatically due to ME/CFS. After his recovery he has dedicated himself to sharing his experience and teaching health care professionals and sufferers alike.

Fun Death by Patch Adams

Can we invite death with a song? This workshop gave an opportunity to look at perspectives on death and dying. Could we perhaps have a ‘midwife’ to help us on our way? Delegates explored this exciting concept as they shared about their different attitudes towards death and dying. It was a joyous workshop looking at various ways to make death fun.

Patch Adams is medical doctor, professional clown and social activist. He is a man with a big heart and a tremendous passion for joy. He brings that into medicine as he advocates friendship as the ultimate healer and the concept of the ‘silly’ hospital.

Intuitive Music Therapy by Dorothea Juno-Johnston

This workshop introduced music and sound as healing tools. Participants left having found their own ‘voice’ and with the basic tools for helping others to find their ‘voice’. Those who believe they cannot sing found they have a voice after all.

Dorothea Juno-Johnston is a psychotherapist in private practice in North Carolina, US. She teaches meditation, Therapeutic Touch, energy healing, and psychosis vs. spiritual emergence. She has been a lecturer in psychology in nursing, human services and criminal justice programmes.

Laughter Meditation by Dyhan Sutorius

Laughter is a very special phenomenon. The therapeutic value of laughter is greatly underestimated. It is a good anti-stressor and can enhance relaxation. Laughter meditation is a structured exercise comprising of 15 minutes with 3 stages:
1) stretching all the muscles, 2) laughing (and/or crying), and 3) silence.
Whilst not a therapy in itself, laughter meditation can be very therapeutic.

Dyhan Sutorius, trained medical doctor, specialised in dermatology, gave up orthodox medicine and searched for a holistic perspective. His quest led him to Nepal and India where he learned the laughter meditation. He is the founder of the Centre in Favour of Laughter in the Netherlands.

Healing Workshop: How to Give Healing by Robin Robinson

This experiential workshop guided participants through the necessary steps required to enable them to give healing and develop further the natural healing gift we all possess. There are thousands of spiritual healers in this country giving their services as complementary therapists. A handful of general practices in the UK incorporate healing in their services. The aim was to de-mystify spiritual healing and make it accessible to anyone working in a caring environment.

Robin Robinson is a Healer Member of the National Federation of Spiritual Healers. He has been giving healing for more than a decade and runs a weekly healing clinic as well as healing groups.

Colour Therapy by Pamela Blake-Wilson

This workshop explored colour therapy and the approach used at the Centre for New Directions at White Lodge in Tunbridge Wells, including the influence of individual colours on our state of health. The ways were demonstrated in which distant colour healing can affect emotional, psychological and physical states. The role of colour in nutrition and in holistic health care in general was explained.

Pamela Blake-Wilson teaches certificated courses in colour therapy qualifying membership of the International Association of Colour Therapists.

From the Love of Power to the Power of Love by Richard Bryant-Jeffries and Lynn Frances

We are often encouraged to ‘take our own power’ yet this can be very destructive: it must be tempered with a love for all things and all people, otherwise it is selfish and greedy. The world needs strong, powerful people with a loving and compassionate vision. In dance we can experience these qualities and know what it feels like to possess them. The workshop took participants on a journey in Sacred Circle Dance and visualisation, through the stage of love of self and the discovery of personal power to the realisation of a greater love whose power knows no bounds.

Lynn Frances has been a teacher of Sacred Circle Dance for over 12 years and is keen to use this medium for enabling people to deepen their self-awareness. Richard Bryant-Jeffries is a client- centred therapist with a long-term interest in the interface between psychology and spirituality.

The aim was to facilitate networking and exchange of ideas and experiences. The following details were available in the conference folder and an exhibition gave an opportunity for visual displays of the different projects.

Andrew Manasse – Cavendish Centre, Sheffield
A multidisciplinary service offering complementary therapies to people with cancer and their families. Started in 1990 by David Simons. Financed partly through fundraising via ‘Friends of the Cavendish Centre’ as well as through grant from public and private institutions and partly through the Cancer Relief MacMillan Fund. It developed gradually growth from one person to a pilot scheme and eventually becoming a charity in 1992.

The major lessons learned were the need for assessment, appropriate limits. The choice of therapists was found crucial. The hope is to work in/with Sheffield Hospital Trust, as provider but independent and to do appropriate research
Andrew started working in the Cavendish Centre as Assessor in January 1996.

Anthony Barlow, Lindsay Harper – Complementary Therapy Centre and Wakefield FSHA Pilot Study

Aims are to offer the public access to complementary therapies by referral from non-fund holding GP’s, to test satisfaction by clients and GP’s. It started October 1995 by the Wakefield and District Hospitals Contributory Scheme and is financed by a fund set aside by WDHCS Ltd and administered by the local health authority. The pilot study has an input from the audit department, research department and from a consultant from the local health authority. Pilot project in first 6 months will give exact figures on usage and socio-economic breakdown in the second phase the client/GP satisfaction will be monitored. Major lesson learned in the process was not to have too broad a base. We used all our 28 therapists in 18 disciplines and 13 GP practices. This translates into a lot of work for 2 people! Future goals are to duplicate the centre and study elsewhere in the UK.

Lindsay Harper (project coordinator), and Anthony Barlow (chief executive) joined the project in 1995.

Chris Allison – Fairfields Clinic of Complementary Medicine

The clinic provides a comfortable, relaxed setting in a private house for the practice of complementary therapies and medical treatments, and aims to combine the benefit of both approaches. It started in 1995 in the present form when the present director, Chris Allison, took over what was mainly a family planning clinic up till 1992, and with his wife Ann bought the present house in 1995 as their home and use part of it as the clinic (comprising of three consulting rooms, and office and a waiting room). It is financed by fees charged to the clients, and by the therapists’ rent for the use of the consulting rooms etc. – and from personal resources of the director.

Development Stages: a) 1950’s-1987 Family Planning Clinic; b) 1987-1992 part family planning, part complementary therapies in rented rooms elsewhere c) 1995 – as described above. The clinic retained some original ‘medical’ treatments (HRT clinic, chiropody, vasectomy), but is now mainly for psychotherapy and complementary medicine.

Major lessons learned: It’s too expensive to rent treatment rooms from someone else. It’s better to own the property if possible, and combine the costs of clinic and home. It can be difficult to get planning permission – we succeeded on our fourth attempt.

Beware of high fees charged by accountants and solicitors. It is better to work out the answers oneself.

Future Goals are to become the best known and established clinic for complementary medicine in North Hampshire, and to develop existing good links with GPs and hospitals.

Chris Allison clinic director and psychotherapist, started to work at the centre in 1991.

David Reilly – Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital
The project provides homeopathy (and other complementary therapies) alongside orthodox treatments in an NHS hospital on an in-patient (20 beds) or out-patient basis. Extensive, multidisciplinary postgraduate education is also undertaken on behalf of the Faculty of Homeopathy, making this programme the largest of its kind in the UK.

The project was started 1880 by a few doctors. In the beginning it was financed privately by the Houldsworth family and Mr and Mrs Fyfe. Once the NHS was established it became fully NHS funded.

It is now part of the Acute Medicine Directorate of the Western Glasgow Hospitals Trust (serving the West part of Glasgow from a University Hospital base). The medical staff consists of 2 consultant physicians, 1 associate specialist, 2 SHO’s for the in-patients work and 15 part- time clinical assistants in the out-patient department. All medical staff (apart from SHOs) are members of the Faculty of Homeopathy. A senior registrar is being reappointed at the moment.

The development stages were: 1880 homeopathic dispensary, 1914 Houldsworth Hospital, 1921 Children’s Homeopathic Hospital, 1930 Houldsworth Hospital moved to the premises in 1000 Great Western Road, 1944 both hospitals came under one management, 1946 integrated into the NHS, 1992 incorporated in the Western Glasgow Hospitals Trust. Major lessons learned was the importance of the integration of homeopathy and complementary therapies with the medical establishment.

Future goals and aspirations are the new hospital facilities – see the displayed plans. All staff are dedicated to transfer the special therapeutic atmosphere and healing environment of 1000 Great Western Road to the new site and work towards further integration of other complementary therapies into the service.

Dr David Reilly has worked in the Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital since 1985 and is now Consultant Physician.

Henrik Langaard – Research on unconventional cancer therapies in Denmark

Objectives and Aims are to map the use of, the patients experiences with, motives to choose and the costs with unconventional cancer therapies provided by 26 practitioners (11 of whom are medical doctors) to approximately 500 patients with a 5 year follow up. The project is till in the planning stage. It was started by a broad initiative group of doctors and complementary practitioners.

Henrik Langaard, medical doctor, practitioner and teacher in Kinesiology.

Hugh McPherson – Northern College of Acupuncture, York

Objectives are to train aspiring acupuncturists. It was founded in 1988 by Hugh McPherson and Nicholas Haines. It is financed through student fees. The organisation is a non-profit company with no share holders and limited by guarantee. lt saw a steady development, and is now validated as Master of Science degree and professionally accredited. The project has eight years worth of lessons, and we are still learning. Future goals are to consolidate our achievements, to nourish our community.

Hugh McPherson was with the project from the beginning and is the principal of the college.

Judy Porter – The Old Hospital Healing Centre

In its four rooms we hope to provide a quiet, safe and comfortable space where people can come and ease their suffering, be it coping with major illness, sharing a trouble or simply ‘be still’ for a while. We intend to run on holistic principles. There will be an open door, five and a half days a week, providing healing, massage and counselling for all comers, regardless of ability to pay. There will be a comprehensive library and information service on all aspects of complementary care. Our intention is to work in close harmony with orthodox medical practitioners. When the two work together, wonderful things can happen.

The project started by Judy on 28 October 1995 plans are to open on 28 October 1996. To begin it is financed through donations and private loans. A charity is being formed consisting of Judy and three others to sustain the centre. The development stages were 1) finding the building, 2) planning permission for change of use and 3) funding through the newly set up charity.

Lessons learned were to deal with each stage one step at a time and keeping the overall structure small. Not to be too ambitious for the resources, both human and practical. Aspirations are to encourage others to set up similar centres based on the experience we continue to glean.

Judy Porter is a healer and cancer survivor who believes its time to ‘give something back’.

Lynn Frances, Richard Biyant-Jeffries – Self Awareness in Dance, Guildford

Objectives are to facilitate the recognition of individual potential through community dance to develop the power of dance as a therapeutic medium and in personal development.

In July 1993 Lynn and Richard started a partnership to develop of a series of workshops on various themes with national and international promotion and the production of a range of leaflets and articles. Finances came from them personally. They plan further expansion of themes and outreach into new sections of society and such as their work in health care and business.

Lynn Frances and Richard Bryant-Jefferies with the project since 1993 as facilitators, project managers, working with marketing and workshop design.

Mark Kane – MSc in Complementary Therapies Studies, London

Aiming to explore the interface between complementary and mainstream medicine, and further collaboration amongst tribes with different language and culture, it started in 1995 as the academic courses at the Centre for Community Care & Primary Health Care out of the research activities of the Marylebone Health Centre founded by Patrick Pietroni and collaborators in 1987. Finances come from a grant giving foundation and from the FHSA. The organisation structure is that of a GP partnership and ancillary staff including complementary practitioners. The structure moved from autocracy through democracy to a reflective, co-inquiring cooperation.
Lessons learned:
‘No one said it would be easy.’ The learning was in the areas of research, collaboration, integrity, and recognising limitations. From that stem the following recommendations for others to avoid omnipotence, splitting, and projections. And to pay attention to all the usual interprofessional dynamics which are generally recognised. The future goals for the project are to   1) survive 2) to develop reflective positive research and a model of integration of care provision, research and academic work.

Mark Kane is involved since 1994 as senior lecturer, clinician, and researcher.

Mike Fitter – Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine, York

The foundation aims to bring through research and education the traditional Chinese system of acupuncture more centrally into the National Health Service. In 1993 Richard Blackwell, Mike Fitter and Hugh McPherson started the work of the foundation. It is financed through charitable donations and research grants. The organisation is a registered charity with a board of directors. The development stages were: development of strategy and research programme; initiation of research projects; training courses in research methods for the practitioners. The organisers learned that it is important to develop a well grounded ‘base’, and that it takes a lot of time and effort to get ‘mainstream’ research funds. Their goals are to become a nationally and internationally recognised centre of excellence for acupuncture research.

Mike Fitter has been working with the foundation since 1993 and is the research director.

Mike Fitter – Acupuncture Research Resource Centre, York

The Acupuncture Research Resource Centre aims to provide information on research into acupuncture, to support the development of practitioner/researcher and to help increase awareness and acceptance of acupuncture. It started 1994 as a joint venture of the Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and the British Acupuncture Council. It is financed from professional subscriptions to the BAcC /FTCM. It has a management committee of 5 from BAcC and 2 from FTCM. The development stages were 1) concept taken to professional body, 2) staffing – strategy, 3) ‘inner’ work/database, ‘outer’ work – information provision / networking. The lessons learned are the importance of appropriate skills blend being sought for specific projects (e.g. computer skills), clear objectives of good contacts and good management.

Future goals and aspirations are to be the focal point for practitioner/researchers in the profession and to be recommended as the source of quality information, comment and advice.

Mike Fitter has been with the centre from the beginning and is a member of the management committee.

Monica Fant – Santa Monica, Poland and Mexico

Offering holistic care for degenerative diseases such as arthritis, cancer, heart disease and others since 1989 in Poland, and since 1984 in Mexico. It was started by Prof. Lindahl – Sweden, Dr Donsbach – USA, and Gõran Asp – Sweden. The financing was private. It was organised as a joint venture and developed through improvements of the protocol, increase of qualified doctors and other staff and number of beds (today 50). In the process we have found a great need for the holistic way of treating the patients and hope that holistic care of treating patients are so commonly used in our society that Santa Monica is no longer needed.

Monica Fant works since January 1993 as medical advice manager and coordinator for Santa Monica in Poland, working in Sweden.

Pamela Blake-Wilson -The Centre of New Directions, White Lodge, Kent

The Centre of New Directions was founded as a centre for spiritual teaching and research into all aspects of healing. It is now broadening this into the concept of a 21st century community, active locally, nationally and internationally. It provides an active teaching programme in spiritual psycho-therapy and colour education clinic. It was started 1958 by R P Beesley. It is a charity with a board of directors. The major lessons learned are the need for clear focus and communication and the simplicity of approach – one step at a time.

Pam Blake-Wilson has been with the centre since the 1970’s and is now Director of Colour.

Patch Adams – Gesundheit Institute, Virginia, USA

Aims are to create a whole system approach to health care delivery, addressing every problem comprehensively. Gesundheit is now building a 40 bed free hospital, fully interdisciplinary with extensive gardens, where no malpractice insurance is carried, and staff lives with patients. It started 1971 as a large house used as a 24hr/day hospital for 12 years. The last 13 years were spent with fund raising and recently the building of our ultimate fantasy hospital has started. Originally mostly funded by staff, this is slowly being replaced by outside donations. Gesundheit is a tax exempt non-profit corporation operating with consensus and close friendships. After 25 years we have a functioning head of directors that are taking a role in our project there is less anarchy. The major lessons learned are to have massive patience, very clear visionary mission statement and heart, not to sacrifice idealism, not to borrow much, and put great effort into relationships, make fun an ethic. Feel the thrill of your quest. The recommendations are to avoid borrowing, whiners, and ethical compromises.

Patch Adams, medical doctor, professional clown and social activist started the project in 1971.

Richard Bryant-Jeffries – Surrey Health Primary Care Alcohol Project

Aims are to reduce levels of alcohol intake and to raise awareness of alcohol issues in primary care. The project was started in January 1995 by Richard Bryant-Jefferies in the function as GP liaison officer, funded jointly by social services and health service. Its organisation consists of a steering committee composed of community nurse manager; drug/ alcohol manager; health commission primary care manager. The development stages were 1) Initiating links to GP services, 2) Presentations, 3) Training Sessions, 4) In surgery alcohol counselling and 5) Information leaflets/posters. Difficulties encountered where those of encouraging people to admit to alcohol problems, pressure on time/space at primary care level, limitations of purely orthodox approaches and problems in obtaining funding for complementary services.

Future goals are increased involvement of complementary therapies and an expansion of project to the whole of Western Surrey and NE Hampshire.

Richard Bryant-Jefferies started in January 1995 to work with GP liaison, counselling, training, and project management.

Sara Miller – Grief, Loss, Death and Dying, Bristol

Aims are to provide a comprehensive service around serious illness, death and bereavement for patients and supporters. The project is financed through fund raising and the Bristol Cancer Help Centre. Sara and a co-facilitator are running the groups, with input in service from the BHCH therapy team. The lessons learned are ‘do not compromise! Go for what you want from the start’.

Dr Sara Miller started the project in 1995.

Sara Miller – Woman to Woman, Bristol

Sara Miller started in 1995 to provide holistic women’s health care, both complementary and orthodox financed through personal funding. She is the director working with a network of complementary therapists. The project has grown organically through following requests, and offering more sessions as demand increases. Major lessons learned are: Do not compromise! Go for what you want from the start. The project plans to continue its expansion and development.

Dr Sara Miller, 1995, director.

Sheila Hobbs – Massage Therapy in Nursing, Mid Glamorgan, Wales

The aims are to demonstrate the effectiveness of massage by research in different clinical areas.

Finances are yet to be secured. Sheila is applying for funding. The organisational structure consists of a clinical supervisor, Sheila and three ITEC trained nurse massage practitioners. The development stages were 1) training nurse massage practitioners, 2) writing research proposals and 3) applying for funding. The main lesson learned was that everything takes so long to implement, but you can get there in the end. All you need is your enthusiasm and a lot of patience. The future goals are to make massage training available to all nurses and therefore to provide NHS patients with a choice of alternative therapies.

Sheila Hobbs – Ward Sister in the NHS started the project in January 1996.

Stephen Young – Creative Living Centre, Salford

The aim is to create an environment where people are approached as individuals with mind, body and spirit. The centre will acknowledge that everyone has the ability to realise more of their own potential. The services accessed through the centre will allow people expressing emotional distress or mental health problems to cope with their problem without having to necessarily access main stream health care. It was started in July 1994 by Mind North West in cooperation with a group of users of mental health services, therapists, and mental health services of Salford NHS Trust and has developed through a process of partnership and requiring no organisational structure. It is financed from Mental Health Services of Salford NHS Trust. The development has been captured and recorded in “Managing Without Shoes”. The main changes have been on a personal level. The structural changes to formally integrate with mainstream services have yet to come. The major lessons learned were in the area of management style, developing partnerships, and listening to users.The future goals and aspirations are to successfully provide a centre for complementary and creative therapies that is fully integrated into the community and its relevant services.

Stephen Young works since October 1994 to represent the NHS Trust and to facilitate the development of the project.

Medical Marriage – the new partnership between orthodox and complementary medicine.

Marriage has always been a stormy affair – often ending in separation. An attempt to marry orthodox medicine to complementary medicine also may seem doomed to failure. However, this was not just an ordinary conference – this was a Findhorn conference inspired by the Findhorn spirit and philosophy. Something good must come out of it. After all if a caravan site on a rubbish dump in an isolated spot of North East Scotland can become a thriving spiritual community with an International reputation then nothing is impossible.

Much of the conference was devoted to thinking about HEALTH, WELL-BEING, DIS-EASE, CURING and HEALING. Health is far more than just the absence of disease. The WHO definition of health is a state of complete physical, psychological and social well-being and not merely the absence of illness and infirmities. Too often in orthodox medicine we treat the illness and not the patient. We strive to cure, ie remove the symptoms and fail to heal, ie restore wellness, or well-being. We often fail to understand the role of ill health in the life of the patient – what do the wounds mean ? Why will they not go away ? Why do they fail to heal ? We have to consider the whole body, the whole being, the spirit and the soul – the holistic approach. Failure to do this results only at best in a cure, a removal of symptoms, and not in healing.

Some would consider the contents of the conference bizarre. We heard about HAPPY DEATH from Patch Adams, a doctor and clown from Arlington, USA. In his HAPPY HOSPITAL he sees dying people who want to die happy amongst friends. We all have to die – one day it will be our turn. Why does it have to be so sad – so medical ? Far better to die amongst friends than surrounded by strangers, plugged into machinery in hospital or intensive care wards. Enter Patch. At the patient’s request he has visited the dying disguised as the Arch Angel Gabriel, complete with wings and a harp, or arranged custard pie fights as the patients drew their last breath. This is not to make light of the grief of loss and bereavement of those left behind, only to give a happy send off to those who request it. When asked about the comatosed patient Patch suggested putting on them a funny rubber nose. That way at best somebody might take notice of them, perhaps even talk to them. Who knows what is going on in the brain of the comatosed ?

Monday morning again saw Patch lecturing – this time on WELLNESS AS A FOCUS FOR HEALTH CARE. No Monday morning blues here – we all got up and danced some rock and roll before turning our minds to the serious business of happiness – happiness and well being as the determinates of health.

In the workshops we had options such as laughter meditation, therapeutic touch, subtle energy information, music therapy, spiritual healing and colour therapy. We learnt of the healing benefits of spiritual circle dances. Holding hands in a circle we learnt dances that took us from the love of power to the power of love. The power of these dances has been known since the dawn of civilisation – we even sing the words to these dances at Christmas only now we call them carols or Caroles, circles. I can see many raised eye brows at the idea of starting each session with a few moments meditation and the lighting of a candle. Sometimes we held hands and sang a song. What has all this to do with modern medicine ? The answer is that it has everything to do with modern medicine. The truth is we often fail to heal our patients. We often do not have a diagnosis. We do not know what the chemicals we freely administer actually do. We do not know why some patients get better and others do not. We have lost the ART OF MEDICINE and cannot accept that the SCIENCE OF MEDICINE is failing to answer the problems of our world – the violence, the disaffection of so many people, the loneliness, isolation, the bitterness, the loss of the soul. We don’t listen to our patients. We don’t allow moments of peace, quiet moments to still the mind and allow healing to take place. We have lost the art of medicine.

Unfortunately there is still too much mistrust between orthodox and complementary practitioners. We see them as quacks – they see us a poorly trained fly-by-nights. Dr Cornelia Featherstone, joint organiser of the conference, has had to abandon for the moment a practice in partnership with complementary medicine. The gulf of mistrust is still too wide – a river still flows between us with very few bridges. The church may be booked but we are not ready for the marriage yet.

This was an international conference with over 100 delegates – doctors, nurses, psychiatrist and representatives of many branches of complementary medicine. I have learnt more about disease, cure and healing this weekend than at any other ‘Orthodox’ PGEA meeting. It has been for me a very humbling, healing experience.

I shall do all I can to bring bride and groom together.