Let Science Be Your Guide?

I had an interesting, albeit ultimately dissatisfying interaction with a young naturopath recently.  At first, I was keen to learn about her approach to disordered eating and her treatment techniques, but it seemed that the more questions I had with respect to her training and methods, the vaguer and more unsettling her responses.  She could not provide any research support for her treatment recommendations, saying that she does what she does “because my patients love it! It works!”

In their 1990 book, Follies and Fallacies in Medicine, Petr Skrabanek and James McCormick wrote: "The physician's belief in the treatment and the patient's faith in the physician exert a mutually reinforcing effect; the result is a powerful remedy that is almost guaranteed to produce an improvement and sometimes a cure" (p.13). This is also known as the Placebo Effect. When it comes to some “alternative” treatments, my feeling is that the placebo effect accounts for much of symptom amelioration. Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it seems like a risky investment for the patient.   Furthermore, the outcome of “natural” therapies are not necessarily positive.  Clinicians who practice “emotional release,” for example, may encourage clients to have emotionally cathartic experiences, without being able to provide appropriate psychological support. Herbs and supplements are not without side-effects.  We just don’t know enough about these treatments at this time to conclusively say what they can and can’t do.  The science has not yet caught up with the industry.

Lest I seem terribly science-biased, though it may not always be apparent in the office, I do have a spiritual side. I had a major transformative period in the 80’s when I read Castenada, Grof, Jung, and Joseph Campbell.  I learned the symbolism of tarot cards, handled crystals, and danced barefoot at drumming circles. I think of that period fondly and as an absolute necessity for my personal development and evolution as a Psychologist. Today, I feel spiritual connection through nature and the occasional yoga class. I get a kabbalah “tune-up” each morning in my email inbox – a lovely way to start my day (see my Links page).

All that said, when it comes to the practice of psychotherapy and medicine, I let science guide my decisions when both working with and referring patients elsewhere. Professionals who provide services based on empirical research are far more likely to give clients the best bang for their treatment buck.

If you like the idea of natural medicine and it works for you, then that’s what’s most important: that you get the support and treatment you need.  Maybe we don’t always have to know the “why” or “how” of a treatment to give it value.  Caveat emptor, or “let the buyer beware” seems appropriate here, as does a wonderful quote from Vladimir Nabokov: “The greater one’s science, the deeper the sense of mystery.”

With love,

Ellen

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