Holistic Psychotherapy & Healing

COVID-19, the corona-virus, now being called a global "pandemic", is here and we have to cope with it. Measures to contain its spread may feel extreme and challenging (school and work closures, social distancing, isolation and quarantining of any persons suspected of being infected, and incessant sanitizing of all surfaces).

Here are some suggestions for keeping our immune systems strong, and taking care of ourselve​s emotionally​ in the face of uncertainty, as we gradually reduce the scope of our lives to staying at home for an indefinite period of time.

A person with chronic eczema comes in for a homeopathic consultation. After reviewing the case, I give her a dose of “Sulphur, 30C”. She comes in two weeks later, excited, because the eczema is largely gone, her sleep is better, and she has noticed a desire for healthier, less processed foods.

What does this mean? Is it that she had a “sulphur deficiency”, which the remedy filled? Not at all. In fact, sulphur is a common part of our daily diet, and the amount of sulphur in one dose of a remedy is miniscule. Skeptics actually point to this issue to “prove” that homeopathy “cannot possibly work”. There is far more elemental sulphur in one bite of broccoli than in the dose my client took, which began to heal her of her eczema.

Every now and then a news story describes a change in how we make sense of things in the world. In this blog entry I would like to share two such stories that are fascinating, and in some ways, radical new ways to look at recovery and healing.

The first story has to do with the role of medications to treat psychosis. Consider this prominent psychiatrist’s conclusions, in a recent article in The Washington Post.

The traditional rule of thumb among psychiatrists has been that for people who chronically hallucinate or are delusional, antipsychotic medication is necessary, and in most cases, to be taken for the rest of the patient’s life. But these drugs have powerful side effects and are often toxic to the kidneys over long periods of time. Could it be that – for many patients with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other mood disorder with psychotic features – the best treatment may be NO drugs?

Psychosis is (fortunately) not that common a symptom. But what else has conventional medical wisdom gotten wrong? Are we missing the mark with all our medications for depression, AD/HD, and anxiety as well? I generally advocate that a person use the least amount of medication on which they can effectively function, and to enter into an ongoing dialog with their prescribing physician about what that proper amount is at a particular point in time.

Second, a fascinating line of research, published in the journal Nature, shows that memories can be passed down from parent to child at the cellular level. Considered impossible for decades, it has been shown to occur with animals and their offspring. See this summary of the research on the BBC news site.

If this same process happens with humans as well, we may have to consider that a person could at times be coping with trauma symptoms (anxiety, phobias, autoimmune reactivity) that make no sense based on his or her own life history. Instead, the symptoms may derive from the traumatic experience of a parent or even a grandparent many years prior, such as abuse, neglect, or exposure to war. Psychotherapy may have limited value in treating such cases, as there are no conscious memories to work with. However, energy modalities such as homeopathy or Reiki may be of some help.

The number one source of stress for most Americans today

What is the hardest thing for most people to address directly in therapy? And that also happens to be a source of significant stress for the majority of Americans? Is it sexual issues, feelings of isolation, or aggressive impulses, perhaps?

No. It’s money – or more specifically, the emotional and compulsive ways we manage our spending.

At school, students learn penmanship, reading skills, how to use a library, and even (at a good school) how to play tennis. But how many of us learned – in school or anywhere else – the skills needed to successfully and wisely manage our spending?

Read on to learn how to gain mastery with this easily overwhelming topic.

In my previous article, I had introduced the notion of “radical acceptance.” This term refers to a deep spiritual stance of accepting the world around us as it is.

When we acknowledge the facts of our life (including the attitudes and behaviors of other people) without judgement or hostility, it becomes possible to respond with tremendous peace, thoughtfulness and kindness to even the most difficult circumstances.

If you have not read Part I yet, I strongly urge you to do so now before proceeding further with this article.

Just as Springtime brings the energy of cleaning out the house, the garage, the garden beds — so it is also a perfect time take renewed care of your health and well-being. You have a chance to get energized with two health and wellness fairs coming up soon.

At these events, you will be able to meet with and interact with a homeopathy practitioner (myself) as well as a number of my colleagues who offer other healing modalities.

At my table, I will be talking about the top homeopathic remedies that bring immediate relief from seasonal allergies, as well as offering mini-consultations to give people a taste of how to select the right remedy to address any health issue.

If you have a friend who may be interested in learning more about improving their health, this would be a great opportunity to help them access information on alternative healing approaches. Please come to one of these events, bring a friend, and stop by my table to introduce yourselves!
    ~ Ameet Ravital, PhD, DiHom   ... ameet@ravitalhome.com.

Sunday, April 21st, 2013
9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Health & Wellness Fair
Temple Sinai
1401 N. Limekiln Pike
Dresher, PA 19025
This event at Temple Sinai synagogue brings speakers and demos on a wide range of subject areas from Neurofeedback, hypnotherapy, nutrition and yoga, as well as tables from a number of different practitioners, including myself. A food vendor serving nutritious, kosher food will be available if you would like to have lunch while you are there. You can learn more about the event at the event web site.

Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Wellness & Resource Fair
Journey’s Way
403 Rector St
Philadelphia, PA 19128 (Roxborough)
This second event is held at Journey’s Way, an Adult Day Center in Roxborough providing a wide array of innovative resources and programs for Philadelphians 55 and up. Come tour the center, learn about their many programs and resources, and interact with exhibitors of many modalities. There will be health screenings, seminars, games and prizes at this event. And, of course, an exhibit table on homeopathy staffed by myself. For further information call the Center at 215-487-1750.

Why are relationships so often challenging? Whether we are talking about marriage, romantic partners, our parents or our own children, too often what should be satisfying and mutually rewarding is filled with resentment, anger, or frustration.

The challenge in any relationship

A relationship is an expression of a desire. In regard to my children, I have a desire to see them grow up to be healthy, happy, successful and contributing to the good of others in some way. But I also have a desire to be treated kindly and respectfully by them, to have them behave well in the world so that I “look good”, and to be shown appreciation for everything I do for them.

With a best friend, I desire to see her happy, do well in her job and with her passions. But I also have a desire to be heard, to be given support during difficulties in my life, and to be validated and complimented for my successes.

It is these two sides of every relationship – desiring things for the other person; and desiring things for ourselves – that get us stuck or confused. Almost always, if you are honest with yourself, the problem results from either 1) not knowing how to make our desires heard and supported; or 2) not fully accessing our deepest desire for the other person’s well-being.

Read on to learn how radical acceptance provides a powerful skill for improving any relationship.

    Do you wonder whether what you are eating is healthy? Whether you are eating the right kinds of foods to address health symptoms you’re experiencing? Are you puzzled by the often contradictory and complicated reports of what kinds of foods are currently “recommended” by experts? Read on, and learn how homeopathy addresses these issues – often quite differently than conventional nutritional advice. Then, if you’d like to follow-up, call to schedule for my new package program that includes an initial homeopathic consultation and unlimited 3 month follow-up support.

The community is invited to a free talk on Thursday, January 24th, 2013, from 6:00-7:30pm on:

“Homeopathy, Food and Wellness”. I will be addressing the core philosophy of homeopathy as it relates to self-awareness, self-care and balance.

The event will be held at the Weavers Way Community Room, located at 555 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, next to Weavers Way Mt Airy. We will have light appetizers during the talk.

Please register by calling  267-357-6962 or by email to ameet@ravitalhome.com by Monday January 21st, 2013 Feel free to bring one -- or more! -- friends who might like to learn more about homeopathy and wellness. Space is limited so you are encouraged to register early.

Do you have enough money? Are you able to take care of your expenses without stress, knowing that you have enough resources for everything you need?

If you can’t answer “yes” to those questions – or if you spilled your coffee laughing while reading them – you are certainly not alone! Most people relate to money with some tension, because our culture has some very confused and inconsistent messages about it. Coming at it as a psychotherapist, I’d like to talk about money as a form of relationship to the world. Since our culture tells us some very mixed up things about how to relate to the world, it makes sense that we would get confusing messages about money as well.

So, how exactly is money a kind of “relationship”?
Money identifies the degree of power we have over resources that other people want. If you have more money, you can appropriate – and consume – more resources than someone who has less money. That is how our culture has set things up. It also means that the more of one resource I appropriate (buying that new 60-inch plasma screen TV at Best Buy), the less of other resources I have access to (oops – no money to pay the gas bill!)