Western medicine and complementary therapy are practised side by side at Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic in Plumstead, Cape Town, where volunteers are performing Reiki and wholism healing on patients and staff.
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The idea was conceived in 2005 when Yvonne Reynolds, a counsellor at Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic, heard about a collaborative approach between social workers and complementary therapists that addressed the psychosocial needs of both patients and carers.
The programme was initially developed and implemented at Sue Ryder Care in the United Kingdom. Here the focus was on giving individuals with neurological and other disabilities a chance to live their lives with dignity and respect. This was achieved by means of home care, therapies and counselling, factors which all helped to integrate them back into the community.
Bringing it back to Cape Town
Reynolds shared certain aspects of this concept with the haematology patients at Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic on Wednesday mornings.
First, the patients were invited to meet with other patients who had the same or similar illnesses, and were given the opportunity to engage with their families.
The next step was to supply patients with coloured pens and paper, giving them the freedom to express themselves on paper.
A few months later, members of the Wholism Healing Association of South Africa (WHASA) joined the Wednesday morning sessions and offered treatments to anyone who was interested.
Staff also benefits
Before long, the wholism healers spread the philosophy on to the staff members, who also started to engage in the therapy.
“The nursing sisters need healing too,” says Reiki master, Virginia Sanders. “Their work can be emotionally draining as they are often the first on the scene when a patient is struggling to deal with their own mortality or have lost the ability to cope altogether.”
Patients and staff members who have taken part in the programme are very positive about it and report that they felt more relaxed, mentally alert and lighter after a treatment. Others feel that it’s helping them on all levels of their wellbeing.
During a Reiki treatment, the flow of energy is re-aligned in the body. This flow of energy clears obstructions as it moves through the body and signifies a connection to the understanding of one's purpose on earth and the easiest, most successful way of achieving it.
Reiki does not interfere with traditional medical treatment, but facilitates its benefits. It speeds up the healing process and provides a source of restoring energy while one is ill, under medical treatment, or in recovery.
‘A profound experience’
“Volunteering in this environment has been a profound experience for me,” says Sanders. “I came in expecting to heal and cure patients from their ailments, but my attitude at that stage only hindered the healing process.
“Now I have the pleasure of being in the company of amazing healers who taught me to respect where a person is in their healing process. Instead of trying to fix them, I just support them wherever they are,” Sanders adds.
The original members of this volunteer programme started an association called “Choice” in order to maintain the integrity of complementary therapy and further the integration with western medicine.
“Thus far we have worked with compassion, respect and integrity and will continue to do so,” Sanders says. She applauds Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic for being aware of the holistic needs of individuals.
The programme has now expanded outside of the haematology unit and includes patients and staff in other wards too.
Choice is looking for more complementary therapists to volunteer their time at Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic.
If you are interested, please contact Virginia by sending an e-mail to reikicape@gmail.com or have a look at the Choice website on www.healinginhospitals.co.za. – (Health24, August 2007)
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