In a message dated 6/2/2007 1:03:33 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, a.knauff@... writes:

I really am stunned.  I understand your all-embracing compassion, your desire not to hurt anyone.  In Germany, they have a "tradition", created under Hitler, called the "Heilpraktiker".  This is a "health practitioner", not unlike what you are referring to as our "cousins".  They attend undefined training programs or varying length and complexity.  The only requirement is that they be native-born Germans, true Aryans, a Hitler thing.  Some of the training programs are rather good. These folk practice in distinction to the NaturArzt", the "nature physician".  The NaturArzt is similar to the American naturopath, someone who attends a 4-year medical school and takes extra training in the art and science of natural medicine.  They are MD's who specialize in naturopathic-type medicine. 

 

I personally think this is a reasonable solution to the problem you pose.  For me, the problem is not that there are people who are "...naturopathic healers from non-CNME schools...are they doctors? obviously not. but they learn and embrace our philosophies, and learn about some of the same modalities. why shouldn't we embrace them...sure, we can and should make distinctions...".  The problem is not that there are lay people who want to practice natural healing.  The problem is that these people want to call themselves "naturopath".  The problem for me is that this word, "naturopath", has a very specific meaning.  It means "physician, trained in the arts, sciences, and modalities of natural healing".  The meaning of "naturopath" was established and defined through the blood, sweat, tears and joys of people like Benedict Lust, John Bastyr, Ralph Weiss, and many others, who studied hard and put themselves and their resources on the line to create and perpetuate this profession.  As we have finally succeeded in making that name mean something, and something specific, along come some people who want to appropriate the name, without the meaning, change the meaning, and call themselves "naturopath" because the word has history and meaning.  If all that these people were interested in was embracing the philosophy and some of the modalities (without the training), so they could joyfully help the sick, they could do that by calling themselves "health practitioners", or "health counselors", or "partially trained not-real doctors", or correspondence healers, or whatever they wanted.  But what they insist upon is calling themselves naturopaths, and claiming a false dichotomy based upon whether the CNME has or has not accredited one's school.  In other words, they want to cash in, literally or figuratively, upon the blood, sweat and tears of Benedict Lust, Mona Morstein, Harold Dick, John Bastyr, Jared Zeff, Jim Sensenig, Joe Pizzorno, Pam Snider, Bruce Milliman, Rich Barrett, Rita Bettenburg, Dick Thom, and hundreds of others of our colleagues.  I am pleased as punch for them to pay their money to Clayton College or LaSalle University or whichever "school" they want, and then go out and practice health counseling, or whatever other ill-defined thing they want to call it.  But if they want to use the word "naturopath" to describe what they do, which is what this whole issue revolves around, that is going to cause me to react vigorously against their fraud, because this is what it is.  The fact the Clayton College issues an "ND degree" is a falsehood and a fiction.  Clayton started in 1980.  Lust established the 4-year medical training model in the early part of the last century.  These people, whether well meaning and ignorant, or not, are perpetuating a fraud that directly affects me and my beloved profession, and does so quite negatively. 

 

Get it!?!?!?  If your mom sees an "ND" after someone's name, what does that mean?  Does it mean that they studied anatomy, and physiology, and homeopathy, etc., at a rigorous, physician's level?  Or does it mean anything the person wants it to mean, because they may be well-meaning?

 

Jared Zeff, ND

Salmon Creek, Washington