09/06/2026
HEALTH & HEALING
There is a longstanding philosophical debate about what constitutes healing and how we should evaluate it.
The point at which perspectives often diverge is the concept of “energetic” healing. Many healing traditions—including homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Reiki, and others—propose forms of energy or vital force that are not currently measurable by accepted scientific instruments.
Some practitioners and patients regard these concepts as fundamental. Mainstream science generally remains skeptical because such mechanisms have not been demonstrated in a reproducible way.
Most people would agree that a human being is more than a collection of biochemical pathways.
Experiences such as meaning, connection, hope, emotional state, spirituality, relationship, expectation, ritual, and personal narrative can profoundly influence how illness is experienced and how people cope with it.
These dimensions are often underemphasized in a purely reductionist biomedical model but valued as an essential part of what constitutes a person when framed in a more holistic way. Different people place different weight on these dimensions. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the experiences people report are unreal. It means that different frameworks are being used to interpret those experiences.
Even though homeopathy, nutrition and nutraceuticals can work as stand alone interventions, I also think they are worthy complements to the conventional.
Ultimately, we have chosen to be space holders for healing. What often matters more than we care to admit, is meeting people where they are at on their healing journey and providing a space that welcomes health for the mind, body and spirit.
