Empowerment Model

At the start of getting my Master's in Natural Health, the first book I had to read was "The Natural Reader" by Susie Hale, Ph.D, a professor of traditional naturopathy from Clayton College of Natural Health. The book was about the Clayton College model of empowerment for natural health practice. The model provides the framework for a practitioner to empower the client.

The book begins with a description and background of allopathic, "Western" medicine and their medical model. Western medicine's model is based on diagnostic and prescriptive communication, reducing the individual to a set of symptoms. This has proven to be very effective for acute illness or trauma. For instance, when I compounded fractured my femur I was a big fan of this model.

The book then goes into the need for the empowerment model in the future. The importance of empowering the individual through knowledge allows each person to take greater personal responsibility for his or her own health, instead of viewing the person as a set of symptoms and thinking a simple pill is the solution.

Each person controls, for the most part, their environment and what they put into their mouth each day. This is much like the mindset of being an entrepreneur, being personally accountable, rather than expecting others to provide for you.

Within the empowerment model the practitioner is in a position to support each individual equally. Together the client and practitioner become a team to achieve greater health and healing for the client. The team environment created should reinforce the goal of the empowerment model from the physical setting to the communication; conveying the message of respect, receptiveness, and support. Verbal and nonverbal messages should clearly communicate a relationship of integrity allowing for respectful and open communication.

Communication is key to functioning within the empowerment model. The choice of words being used is designed to educate, support, and encourage the client to actively participate. Words interpreted to be prescriptive or diagnostic are to be completely avoided.

The Client should always receive educational information to make informed decisions immediately or in the future.

I found this book to be very empowering. The end gives specific client complaints and examples of diagnostic responses, prescriptive responses, and educational responses. I have reread the book numerous times in order to condition my brain to think differently.

The process of using educational language, avoiding prescriptive and diagnostic verbiage, which I have been so accustomed to using was really hard. I am sure I may have slipped a time or two, but I continue to try to do better. :-) It is always good to hear it multiple times, it takes a while before our brain develops the habit of changing our everyday normal tendencies.

As I build towards the launch of my solution to our current worldly situation, I will be looking for plenty of people willing to participate in the conversation and in the solution. Participating in the conversation and following along in and of itself will bring about change.

Here are some very inspirational people setting wonderful examples for a sustainable planet. Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man, Annie Leonard aka The Story of Stuff, and Mike Adams aka Health Ranger for example. Each of these people are sharing their stories and providing education from their perspective, while contributing to the conversation.