“Doctor As Teacher”
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
by Erin Stokes, ND, Medical Director at FoodState®
“Doctor as Teacher” is one of the six core principles of naturopathic medicine that can apply across many modalities. These principles guide the way that a ND practices. “Doctor as Teacher” is a primary tenet that drew me to this field because of the potential it has to change people’s everyday lives by encouraging self-responsibility for health. (The word doctor originally comes from the Latin verb - Docere - meaning “to teach”). In this model, there is an emphasis on educating patients so that they can be empowered with the knowledge they need to take charge of their own health.
What does this mean in practice?
An example of this principle in action can be seen with the therapeutic modality of clinical nutrition. In the naturopathic model, a patient will leave the office with both specific nutritional suggestions and a deeper understanding of the reasoning behind each one. It has been my experience, that when a person understands the “why?” underlying the treatment, whether it is nutrition, botanical medicine, a homeopathic remedy or a supplement, they are much more consistent and successful at implementing it in their life. I believe that this is due in large part to the fact that they feel empowered with the knowledge they need to take charge of their own health and well being.
Whether someone is a naturopathic doctor, an acupuncturist, a chiropractor, a medical doctor or any other type of practitioner, when they truly listen and understand the person sitting in front of them, a highly individualized treatment plan emerges. Ideally this plan is much more than a slip of paper that lists instructions. “Doctor as Teacher” fully expressed means that there is a dialogue between practitioner and patient. This is a collaborative dialogue where the practitioner understands that one of the most powerful things they can do is share their knowledge in a way that serves the patient on their journey towards optimal health. INNATE Response™ is committed to fostering community, dialogue and education to support all practitioners who endeavor to embody the principle of “Doctor as Teacher”. We invite you to visit innateresponse.com to learn more about our upcoming Seasonal Therapeutics Webinar with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, and more educational opportunities.
What does this mean in practice?
An example of this principle in action can be seen with the therapeutic modality of clinical nutrition. In the naturopathic model, a patient will leave the office with both specific nutritional suggestions and a deeper understanding of the reasoning behind each one. It has been my experience, that when a person understands the “why?” underlying the treatment, whether it is nutrition, botanical medicine, a homeopathic remedy or a supplement, they are much more consistent and successful at implementing it in their life. I believe that this is due in large part to the fact that they feel empowered with the knowledge they need to take charge of their own health and well being.
Whether someone is a naturopathic doctor, an acupuncturist, a chiropractor, a medical doctor or any other type of practitioner, when they truly listen and understand the person sitting in front of them, a highly individualized treatment plan emerges. Ideally this plan is much more than a slip of paper that lists instructions. “Doctor as Teacher” fully expressed means that there is a dialogue between practitioner and patient. This is a collaborative dialogue where the practitioner understands that one of the most powerful things they can do is share their knowledge in a way that serves the patient on their journey towards optimal health. INNATE Response™ is committed to fostering community, dialogue and education to support all practitioners who endeavor to embody the principle of “Doctor as Teacher”. We invite you to visit innateresponse.com to learn more about our upcoming Seasonal Therapeutics Webinar with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, and more educational opportunities.
Disclaimer: All data and information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. Innate Response
Formulas makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for the content. All information is provided on an as-is basis.
© 2010 Innate Response
Products
Information
Policies
My Account
Help
(Your shopping cart is empty)
0 Comments :
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home