Day 52
2/21/17
Today, during an interactive portion of herbal school-ing, we students practiced taking a patient’s case history. During the half hour portion each person took to dish out all of our private baggage, my partner and I realized something: just the act of intimately sharing our state of mind was therapeutic in and of itself.
When we go see a doctor, psychologist, acupuncturist, or faith healer, part of the healing happens when you explain the reason you are there. You state your condition, and tell a background story of your journey. It allows you to unload some mental and emotional burden into a safe space, without fear of judgment (granted there has to be some trust about this). It also allows you to hear out loud what has been bothering you, and may even spark some insight as to what led you to these issues. Oftentimes, the answer lies in the story; it just helps having another perspective to see clearer.
Having good friends to talk to, or strong family ties, helps us unload and diffuse some frustrations. Studies show that good social support and community presence is linked to vitality and longevity. However, it’s also important to have a completely unrelated person listen to your problems, with no bias and fresh eyes. A bond between healer and patient can be therapeutic and healing on so many levels, beyond just a simple advice offered for a simple problem. Most cases are complex, because humans are complex and have so many layers of intricate building blocks that function or malfunction. That trust and faith you put into the healing process by opening up allows the healing to take place in that space.
