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Establishing a sense of rapport and trust with your practitioner is an important element of therapy if any benefits are to be derived from nonconventional treatment. Another key factor is, of course, the competence of the practitioner.
A note about choosing a practitioner: Keep in mind, licensure or certification does not necessarily mean the practitioner is competent and able to provide adequate, skilled, intuitive and/or proper care for those who choose to use him or her. We see this throughout the established medical profession all the time. It only means they passed the "basics" in education for that field of practice, but it does not mean that they are able to adequately put the education into practice in the field while taking care of patients or clients. The old joke: "What do you call a graduate of medical school at the bottom of his class?"; the answer "Doctor". Not all practitioners are healers. There is a difference. There are many, many, fine and very skilled healers throughout the world that have the knowledge, intuition, and skill to do their trade very well whether they have "credentials" or not. Not all alternative therapies have "credentials" attached to them.
Finding a good practitioner may be simply a matter of trial and error, and there are many people who prefer to rely on word-of-mouth recommendations. This approach is not infallible, however. What may work for one person, may not work for the next person. You will have to listen to and trust in your intuition and do not be afraid to "shop around" until you find a practitioner that "works" for your needs and your personality.
Training, if obtained and/or available, for complementary practitioners can range from as little as a correspondence course lasting only one weekend to 3 or 4 years of full- or part-time degree study. Training may have consisted of apprenticeship or a mentoring with an experienced practitioner along with a great deal of self-study. Many healing practitioners may have an existing talent or aptitude for their "art" prior to receiving formal or informal training. In this instance, the training then "fine tunes" natural abilities that are already present in the healer/practitioner. There can be many paths available to obtaining the skills and knowledge needed for many of the healing disciplines. The issue of how to establish adequate standards of training, ethical practice, and disciplinary procedures has been a problem for complementary medicine for years, and is an issue that has still not been resolved for many forms of therapy. This means that you may have little means of redress if anything goes wrong during your treatment or if you are dissatisfied with the treatment you receive. At the very least, you must be able to feel confident that, should you have any serious condition that has so far remained undiagnosed, it would be recognized and you would be advised to seek professional medical help if the complimentary practitioner suspected the problem lay beyond his or her expertise.
If you are planning to self-refer to any form of complementary medicine, you should first consider the following important issues.
TRAINING & CREDENTIALS
Make sure that the complementary practitioner you are considering is adequately trained, experienced, and reputable, especially if the therapy is one of those that is called a "discrete, clinical discipline", such as chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, acupuncture, naturopathy, or any type of herbal medicine. Since therapies such as these involve the use of either physical manipulation or invasive techniques (i.e., you swallow medication or have needles inserted into you), they can be potentially harmful.
Before embarking on any course of complementary treatment you should ask your practitioner the questions outlined below:
- What are the practitioner's qualifications? What sort of training was undertaken, and for how long?
- How many years has the practitioner been in practice?
- Does the practitioner advise your health care provider of any treatment given?
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Some disciplines have professional associations to regulate training, provide a code of conduct and keep a register of members. For others, particularly noninvasive therapies, standards vary greatly.
It may be helpful to ask the following questions:
- Is the practitioner registered with a recognized professional organization, and does this organization have a public directory?
- Does the organization have a code of practice, specifying the professional conduct required?
- Does the organization have a complaints system and an effective disciplinary procedure and sanctions?
- Can the practitioner give you the address of the organization?
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION
Is treatment available on referral by your health care provider? Some therapies, such as chiropractic, osteopathy, and acupuncture, are becoming accepted into mainstream medicine.
Can you claim for the treatment through your health insurance, if you have it?
What is the cost - both short- and long-term - of treatment?
How many treatments might you expect to require?
Is the practitioner covered by professional insurance so that you receive compensation if the practitioner is negligent?
In most cases, unless the state requires a license to practice for specific discipline, non-licensed practitioners are not be able to obtain professional insurance. Not all disciplines have licensing available.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRACTITIONER
Avoid any practitioner who makes you feel uncomfortable. Trust and empathy are important, and treatment is unlikely to succeed without it. Treatment is often conducted on a one-to-one basis, and may involve removing clothes and being touched. Avoid also any practitioner who seems to be making excessive claims about the treatment or who guarantees a cure. No form of treatment - conventional or complementary - is perfect, and miracles should neither be expected nor promised.
After your initial consultation, ask the following:
- Was the practitioner's conduct entirely professional?
- Did the practitioner answer any questions clearly and thoroughly?
- Were you given information to look through at your leisure?
- What is the practitioner's attitude toward any conventional medicine you may be receiving? Avoid those who suggest changing your conventional medicine without first consulting with your health care provider.
MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information - Professional Organizations
Naturopathic Physicians (Massachusetts)
A LICENSED naturopathic physician (N.D.) attends a four-year graduate level federally accredited naturopathic medical school and is educated in all of the same basic sciences as an M.D. but also studies holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness. In addition to a standard medical curriculum, the naturopathic physician is required to complete four years of training in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology, and counseling (to encourage people to make lifestyle changes in support of their personal health). A naturopathic physician takes rigorous professional board exams so that he or she may be licensed by a state or jurisdiction as a primary care general practice physician.
These Naturopathic Physicians are members of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. For more listings contact the Massachusetts Society of Naturopathic Physicians:
Email: MassNaturopath@aol.com
For more information about finding a naturopath in your region contact:
www.naturopathic.org: Find An N.D.
Brookline:
Shiva Barton, Beacon Progressive Medical Associates
(617) 277-4150 - Friendly general practice for children and adults using homeopathy, nutrition, acupuncture, botanical medicine, and other natural therapies. Other services in our center include chiropractic and massage.
S.L. Barton, N.D., Lic.Ac.
1152 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA 02146
Office = 617-277-4150
Fax = 617-232-0566
E-mail SLBartonND@aol.com
Hingham & Brookline:
Barbara S. Silbert DC, ND
57 Water Street
Hingham, MA 02043
Office: 781-740-2325
Fax: 781-740-7873
Email:BSSDCND@aol.com Primary office is in Hingham and a second office in Brookline one day a week. Brookline visits are by appointment only.
Boston: Paul Giordano, (617) 364-5656
Boston: Barry Taylor, (617) 254-7700
Chelmsford: Edward Ellis, Jr, (508) 453-3035
Chestnut Hill: Lynn Hsu, (617) 739-1001
Concord: Janet Beaty, (508) 287-5352
Hadley: Kevin Murray, (413) 585-1511
Haydenville: James Lemkin, (413) 268-3500
Seekonk: Paul Giordano, (508) 336-4114
Worcester: Jodie Tonelli-Chapin (508) 754-2707
Chiropractors
LOCAL CHIROPRACTORS (Salem-Beverly Area)
Salem Chiropractic Association
73 Lafayette Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-741-9416
Green Chiropractor PC
310 Lafayette Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-744-1123
Palombo Chiropractic Office
1 Colonial Rd
Salem, MA 01970
978-744-3590
Fantini Chiropractic Office
20 Central Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-745-5454
Dupilka Family Chiropractic
48 Congress Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-745-6224
A Rosen Chiropractic
528 Loring Ave
Salem, MA 01970
978-745-6868
Gordon Chiropractic PC
76 Federal Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-745-8862
Beverly Depot Chiropractic
142 Rantoul Street
Beverly, MA 01915-4241
978-921-4440
Beverly Venti Chiropractic
332 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915-3362
978-927-2270
Chiropractic Family Health
579 Cabot Street
Beverly, MA 01915-2548
978-927-5825
Franson Family Chiropractic
181 Elliott Street # 101d
Beverly, MA 01915-6115
978-927-8466
Gauthier Chiropractic Office
72 Sohier Rd
Beverly, MA 01915-2654
978-927-5880
Kintish Chiropractic Office
58 Dodge Street
Beverly, MA 01915-1043
978-922-0127
Mager Chiropractic
139 Elliott Street
Beverly, MA 01915-3205
978-922-1605
New Life Holistic Health
38 Enon Street Rear
Beverly, MA 01915-1139
978-922-1723
Russell Center For Chiropractic
319 Elliott Street
Beverly, MA 01915-2421
978-927-2607
Troy Wheelwright DC
Wheelwright Chiropractic
319 Elliott Street
Beverly, MA 01915-2421
978-921-2110
Midwives
WHAT DO MIDWIVES DO?
The word "midwife" means "with woman."
In the simplest terms, a midwife is a knowledgeable and experienced person (usually a woman) who helps a woman have a healthy, normal pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby. A good midwife does this by offering education, counseling and support before, during and after the baby is born, by not interfering unnecessarily with the birth process, and by getting appropriate medical attention for mother or baby if it should be needed.
A midwife who provides the Midwives Model of Care offers the kind of thorough, respectful, woman-centered care. A midwife can be an excellent choice for maternity care for women who are healthy (no serious medical conditions) and expect to have a normal pregnancy. However, you should be aware that while midwives practice in many settings, it is still rare to get the Midwives Model of Care in a hospital setting. Typically, the most likely place to receive the Midwives Model of Care is in your home or a free-standing birth center, because usually it is difficult for caregivers to give the woman-centered, individualized Midwives Model of Care under the rules and standard practices of today's hospitals.
KINDS OF MIDWIVES IN THE UNITED STATES
For a number of reasons, midwives in the United States vary in their expertise, their education, their credentials, their legal status and the place where they can help a woman give birth. Knowing about the different kinds of midwives can help you be an informed consumer and aid you in finding and choosing a midwife. Remember, not all midwives practice the Midwives Model of Care.
"Two broad categories of midwives exist in the United States: nurse-midwives and direct-entry midwives. Nurse-midwives are educated in both nursing and midwifery, while direct-entry midwives focus their professional preparation on midwifery alone. In order to practice as a nurse-midwife, one must be a certified nurse-midwife (CNM). Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are midwives (mostly direct-entry midwives) who have met all the requirements for the CPM credential. Other direct-entry midwives may have met certification requirements of their state midwifery organization or practice without outside certification.
Direct-entry midwives are especially prepared to attend births in out-of-hospital settings (free-standing birth centers and individual homes), and almost all practice in these settings exclusively.
Most Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) practice midwifery and attend births in the hospital setting, though some work in birth centers and a very few attend births in the home setting.
Many direct-entry midwives, with or without a certification credential, are also licensed by their state. Some states license direct-entry midwives; in other states these midwives practice but are not regulated by the government; and in other states, practicing midwifery may be illegal or unlawful.
Lack of national certification or licensure does not necessarily mean that the midwife lacks the knowledge or skill to practice the Midwives Model of Care. At the same time, just because a person is a midwife does not guarantee that they provide the Midwives Model of Care. Therefore, if you are looking for a midwife, ask questions to find out if an available midwife (or other caregiver) will be able to meet your needs and provide the kind of care you seek.
MIDWIVES MODEL OF CARE
The hallmark of the Midwives Model of Care is respect - for the mother and baby, for the family, for the birth process itself. The Midwives Model of Care is fundamentally different from the medical model of care for childbirth, and it offers numerous benefits to mother, baby and family. However, most parents will want to educate themselves about many aspects of childbirth and be willing to take responsibility for their choices.
Whenever you are choosing a health care provider, it is important to interview the caregiver to learn about how she/he practices. Use the information in the Midwives Model of Care brochure as a basis for your questions when looking for a midwife or other maternity care provider. See how their answers compare with the information in the brochure. Think about the parts of the Midwives Model of Care that are most important to you, and be sure to ask specific questions.
Ask for references - other people who have had their babies with the midwife who would be willing to talk with you and answer questions. Asking the midwife questions and talking with several others who have worked with that midwife can help you understand the reality behind the words and avoid misunderstandings.
Many parents also have found it useful to ask themselves questions about what is most important to them and how they think they would feel in various "what if" situations. Asking these questions can help you understand your own values and feelings.
For help regarding questions you might want to ask, read the Midwives Model of Care brochure. This brochure is available from Citizens For Midwifery and can be downloaded in PDF form.
Additional resources (on other websites) that may be helpful are:
The information in these articles is compatible with the Midwives Model of Care.
HOW TO FIND A MIDWIFE
Finding a midwife can be challenging, and because of differing legal status from state to state, finding a direct-entry midwife can be especially challenging! Your choices are going to be dependent on several criteria: the legal status of midwifery in your state, the kind of midwife you're looking for, and the availability of midwives in your area. Here are some suggestions:
- Determine the legal status of direct entry midwives in your state by looking up your state in the Legal Status Chart. Legal midwives are more likely to feel comfortable advertising their services.
- If your state licenses midwives, you may be able to obtain a list of currently licensed midwives from your state government.
- Midwives may advertise in the Yellow Pages or in health care directories. Midwives may pay for listings on a number of "find a midwife" sites on the Internet. Bear in mind that not all midwives choose to advertise, so these listings are usually incomplete. Because of this, if there are no midwives listed for your area, this does not necessarily mean that no midwives practice in your area.
- Another way to find direct-entry midwives, and midwives who attend home births, is to contact your state midwifery organization for direct-entry midwives. Find this information by clicking on CFMidwifery.org: State by State Guide to Midwifery in the United States.
INTERNET DIRECTORIES OF MIDWIVES
- MassachusettsMidwives.net: Massachusetts Midwives - Find A Midwife
- American College of Nurse-Midwives: Professional organization for nurse-midwives.
- BirthPartners.Com: Searchable listings of midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, breastfeeding support, and much more.
- Midwives Alliance of North America: Contact for lists of members in your area.
- MidwifeInfo.Com: Comprehensive resource about midwives, listing many in their directory.
- Childbirth at Home: A Labor of Love: A web site dedicated to information about midwifery and other childbirth options. Specifically Southern California.
- Massachusetts Friends of Midwives: For seventeen years, MFOM has advocated for a broad spectrum of birthing options for women and families throughout Massachusetts. Check out their Seventh Edition Directory of Birthing Resources.
- Midwifery Today: The journal for midwives across the country! Publications available for midwives and consumers. Web site includes searchable database for midwives, doulas, and other childbirth related options.
- A Better Birth: Home to the Pregnancy and Child Directory.
- Midwives' Association of Washington State: Includes directory of midwives for Washington State.
- Association of Texas Midwives: Links to midwives practicing in Texas. Also check the Texas Department of Health, website for a current listing of documented midwives in Texas.
- American College of Nurse-Midwives: For information and directory listings of Certified Nurse Midwives.
- Midwife.org: Nurse-Midwife Directory
- MidwifeSearch.Com: A Midwife and Doula search engine for the United States, Canada and other countries.
- GoddessMoon.org: Midwife Listings
- Alternamom.com: Midwife Listings
- Boston-Parent Zone: Parent Resources - Midwives & Doulas
Acupuncture Resources
ACUPUNCTURE LOCAL PRACTITIONERS
Acupuncture With Steve Down
85 Constitution Ln
Danvers, MA 01923
(978) 777-6113Chiron Healing Arts
85 Constitution Ln
Peabody, MA 01923
(978) 531-9100Jayne L. Fallis, Acupuncturist
192 Lafayette Street
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 745-5321Elaine Walsh, Lic.Ac.
Massage Yoga Polarity & Associates
2 Edwards street
Beverly, MA 01915
(978) 927-2664
Website: www.newlightacupuncture.com
E-mail: Elaine@newlightacupuncture.com
Old E-mail: ewacupuncture@earthlink.net
Elaine specializes in Japanese style acupuncture and Needle-free Low Level Laser Acupuncture for pain, numbness/paralysis and tissue repair, asthma, infertility. Needle and laser acupuncture work in synergy and, when combined, can accelerate the healing process and reduce treatment time. She will often use Low Level Laser Acupuncture alone when treating children, dogs and needle-phobic clients. She does home visits. She currently teaches Introduction to Low Level Laser Acupuncture at New England School of Acupuncture.North Shore Acupuncture & Healing Arts
7 Federal Street
Danvers, MA 01923
(978) 777-6113Oriental Culture Institute
130 Centre Street
Danvers, MA 01923
(978) 774-6664Panarese Susan Acupuncturist
110 Newbury Street
Danvers, MA 01923
(978) 777-8855Total Health Acupuncture
110 Newbury Street
Danvers, MA 01923
(978) 777-8855
Four Paws Acupuncture
Jeanie Marie Kraft, M.S., Lic.Ac.
Acupuncture & Herbal Therapy, Nutrition For Dogs
Jeanie makes canine acupuncture house-calls on the North Shore of MA.
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 729-9593
Email: woof@fourpawsacupuncture.com
Website: www.fourpawsacupuncture.com
Norman Kraft, MTOM, L.Ac.
Body & Soul Wellness Center
60 Washington Street #201
Salem, MA 01970
Phone: (978) 394-4490
Email: nkraft@myacudoc.com
Website: www.myacudoc.comCoastal Acupuncture
April Shewan, Lic.Ac.
I am a licensed acupuncturist practicing in Beverly Farms. Although my practice is full spectrum I focus mainly on women's health.
26-28 West Street
Beverly Farms, MA 01915
(978) 922-4111
Email: aprilshewan@comcast.net
website: www.coastalacupuncture.net
If you are a local practitioner (Salem, Beverly, Marblehead, Peabody, Danvers) of the holistic arts and you would like to be included as a listing on this page, please send me your information by email and I would be happy to put up a listing for you.
PaganMidwife@aol.com
MoonDragon2@aol.com
Website Maintenance & Web Design
By Leather Dupris
MoonDragon Birthing Services & Dragon's Lair Pagan Parlor
Salem, Massachusetts
moondragon2@aol.com
