Open-ended questions require more explanation by the patient which will give the homeopath more information.

Healing is about empowering the patient.

Abuse is an insidious part of our everyday world.

from p.1

Clearly, whether in a classroom setting or on an individual basis, it is essential for health practitioners, regardless of gender, to develop better communication skills and to understand the perspective of their patient. It is obvious in the above case that by letting personal ego issues arise, harm can be done by missing the remedy and/or by traumatizing the patient during the case taking process. Neither Amanda nor Sara needed further trauma. They had had a lifetime of it in the past year.

With the male homeopathic instructor, his statements to his students and Sara were not healthy. They were violating and abusive. In the role of a healer, should he not have considered the level of trauma that Sara had been through with a premature birth? She had been at the brink of life and death for twelve months. The instructor's behavior shows his lack of understanding of women's issues, particularly connected to the birthing process and the associated emotions. How clearly did he truly see Sara if he could not see her degree of pain? She was still feeling post traumatic stress. To traumatize a vulnerable patient further suggests that the instructor has many wounds and power issues fogging his view of patients and life. How could any trust be built between practitioner and patient? No healing benefit could be expected from this type of scenario.

This case clarifies what is not acceptable in relating to patients. In this confusing world filled with mixed messages it is difficult to know what is appropriate communication at all times. However, there are basic guidelines to follow, which will enhance listening and understanding between the male homeopath and female patient, or a female homeopath and a male patient.

In the homeopathic case taking process there is a great amount of patient information to be gathered before a remedy can be found. Questions must be asked. Phasing of questions should be in an open-ended format. Open-ended questions require more explanation by the patient which will give the homeopath more information.

Here, for example is a closed-ended question: "Have you ever had a broken arm?" This can be better phrased in an open ended way like this: "Tell me about any broken bones you have had." The closed-ended question will have a "yes" or "no" as response. With the second inquiry all information about broken bones will be given. Simply, limit the number of questions which require a simple yes or no answer.

After receiving the information from the open-ended question, ask: "What else?", or "Tell me more." These are wonderful prompts which allow the patient to go deeper on issues if there is still more to tell.

Another very important aspect of communicating is active listening. In case taking, listening to the patient is essential. Many may think that listening is easy. However, most people listen while running their own inner dialogue. The result is either important pieces of information being missed, or judgments and assumptions being made prematurely. One of the greatest causes of misunderstanding is assumption. In the role of a homeopath, if there is something unclear about what the patient has just stated, ask for clarification and more information. Assumptions can lead to incorrect remedy selection. In the case presented, assumptions were made by the instructor which could have lead to harm for the patient.

A component of good active listening is asking relevant questions about what the patient is saying. This helps to establish rapport with the patient and reassures the person that the homeopath is interested in helping. During this phase, rephrasing of an important point made by the patient gives the message that the homeopath is understanding what has been communicated. This strengthens the bond of trust between practitioner and patient.

It is obvious that a major element of effective communication between a homeopath and a patient is establishing trust and confidence. Our society is geared toward the male holding the power and authority. Additionally, the act of a person seeking help automatically implies a powerless position. It, therefore, becomes the responsibility of the male homeopath to equalize, as much as possible, the imbalance of power. Healing is about empowering the patient. In the classroom example from above, no empowering took place, instead, the opposite occurred. Obviously, anger and loud outbursts only created greater imbalance. All homeopaths must come to terms with their own shadows buried in their psyche. Otherwise the unresolved issues are often projected out in life and onto the patients where they might do further harm.

To summarize, healthy communication techniques are:

1. Ask open-ended questions.
2. Use phrases of, "Tell me more", or "What else?", to illicit deeper information.
3. If anger or shouting are present, no effective healing can occur. The patient should leave immediately.
4. Actively listen to what is being said. Stay focused and hear what the person is saying.
5. Rephrase parts of what the person has stated and repeat them back.
6. Ask relevant questions.
7. Avoid making judgments about was said.
8. Do not make assumptions of what was stated.
9. Attempt to equalize the imbalance of a power position if it exists.

These techniques can be used in any setting where people are trying to relate to each other. By using these suggestions, rapport, trust, and a caring atmosphere will develop. Unconditional acceptance of others is one of the greatest tools for healing.

Before closing, let me make one last comment concerning power. In a patriarchal society such as ours, males have authority and power. The female gender has the second position. A process of cultural conditioning already begins before a child's birth. This imbalance of power helps recreate and adds to the illness of the society we live in. Additionally, people in authority such as doctors and lawyers are automatically given power. Anyone who is perceived as having greater knowledge is imbued with being greater better. It happens in our daily lives to all of us. The problem which often arises, is that a person of perceived power may become abusive, intimidating, and/or degrading. However, because of their status they don't have to face up to the consequences of their actions. Their dysfunctional and hurtful behavior continues unchecked.

The instructor in the classroom in our case was abusive and degrading both to the patient and to the students. Twenty students and this writer, a friend of the patient, did not confront him on his behavior. Of the students, several were more educated and held higher degrees than the instructor. But since we saw him as the one in control, the one with power, he was not reprimanded for his violations to others. Abuse is an insidious part of our everyday world. It can occur before we even notice it. As each of us seek out homeopaths or other health care providers, we must actively guard against being violated by those who are supposedly healers. If a patient feels degraded, humiliated or violated by a homeopath, this is the time to change homeopaths.

As students and peer professionals, what course of action should they take when professional ethics are obviously violated? In this example the students, too, were caught in the abuse cycle. Intimidating behavior will only stop when the person is confronted. Is it not time to break the silence of abuse to bring balance and healing back into our society?