‘We're Hands-On People’: Healing Diabetes in the Absence of Traditional Healers in an Aboriginal Community in Northern Territory, Australia.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashleigh Elizabeth Mitchell ◽  
Trisia Farrelly ◽  
Robyn Andrews
Keyword(s):  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Holistic Healing ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Aboriginal Populations ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Biomedical Treatment

This study of a remote Aboriginal community in Australia’s Northern Territory in 2014 sought to understand diabetes from a local Aboriginal perspective. Participants drew on a variety of holistic healing methods in the absence of an individual or individuals identified as holding a healing role in the community. The study offers an alternative to the common assumption that all communities can identify specific individuals as Aboriginal healers who are central to maintaining Aboriginal beliefs and wellbeing who contribute to holistic health (Clarke 2008; Maher 1999; McDonald 2006; Seathre 2013; Williams 2011). This research found the seven adult Aboriginal diabetes patients participating in the longitudinal ethnographic study actively engaged in self-healing strategies. Moreover, diabetes clinicians could combine local remedies and biomedical treatment to heal diabetes within the clinic, as well as actively engaging the patient in their own treatment, effective to reduce the symptoms and prevalence of diabetes in Aboriginal populations.

Narratives and processes – Developing a responsive parent–child program to empower local facilitators in a remote Aboriginal community

2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502199241
Author(s):  
Carolin Stock ◽  
Maggie Kerinaiua Punguatji ◽  
Carmen Cubillo ◽  
Gary Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Play Therapy ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Parenting Program ◽  
Research Translation ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Parenting Support ◽  
Pilot Implementation ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Parent Child

This article presents the results of a retrospective study that critically examines the development of a responsive parent–child program from conceptualisation to pilot implementation. The development of the Play to Connect program was a continuation of research translation work of the Let’s Start parenting program which was delivered in remote Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory, Australia from 2005–2016. The impetus for the Play to Connect program came from the community need for parenting support that could be delivered by local Aboriginal workers living in the community. The aim was to bring research and community together through the co-creation of contextually relevant knowledge directly useful for local Aboriginal facilitators. Embedded in a dynamic cycle of planning, delivery, observation and reflection, the team of local Aboriginal staff and visiting practitioners designed and piloted an innovative, user-friendly and adaptable parent–child program which was underpinned by the evaluation findings of an existing program, drawing on the framework of play therapy. The 2.5 year long process of development brought about action and change for the local Aboriginal staff. They valued the co-creation of the program and resources and reported increased knowledge of child development and confidence to deliver family support in their community. This study shows that the development of Play to Connect was more than “tailoring” a parenting program – it was a way of creating sustainable support around a program to increase the chances of continuity of implementation and successful community engagement and development.

The Importance of the Posterolateral Area of the Diaphragm Muscle for Palpation and for the Treatment of Manual Osteopathic Medicine

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Bruno Bordoni ◽  
Stevan Walkowski ◽  
Allan Escher ◽  
Bruno Ducoux
Keyword(s):  
Functional Anatomy ◽  
Diaphragm Muscle ◽  
Physiological Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Physical Aspect ◽  
Osteopathic Medicine ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Solid Foundation

The eupneic act in healthy subjects involves a coordinated combination of functional anatomy and neurological activation. Neurologically, a central pattern generator, the components of which are distributed between the brainstem and the spinal cord, are hypothesized to drive the process and are modeled mathematically. A functionally anatomical approach is easier to understand although just as complex. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is part of osteopathic medicine, which has many manual techniques to approach the human body, trying to improve the patient’s homeostatic response. The principle on which OMT is based is the stimulation of self-healing processes, researching the intrinsic physiological mechanisms of the person, taking into consideration not only the physical aspect, but also the emotional one and the context in which the patient lives. This article reviews how the diaphragm muscle moves, with a brief discussion on anatomy and the respiratory neural network. The goal is to highlight the critical issues of OMT on the correct positioning of the hands on the posterolateral area of the diaphragm around the diaphragm, trying to respect the existing scientific anatomical-physiological data, and laying a solid foundation for improving the data obtainable from future research. The correctness of the position of the operator’s hands in this area allows a more effective palpatory perception and, consequently, a probably more incisive result on the respiratory function.

Pluralistic Tendencies in Healing Abantu Illness in the Contemporary South Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 986-1005
Author(s):  
Kholekile Hazel Ngqila
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Causal Link ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
The Body ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Biomedical Practitioners ◽  
Social Causes

Ukuhanjwa illness was used as an example to understanding abantu illnesses. With attributional theory ukuhanjwa illness is attributed to spiritual and social causes rather than biomedical causes, whereby causal link is socially constructed between ukuhanjwa illness and entry into the body by familiars. Issues explored included conceptualisation of ukuhanjwa illness. The focus of the chapter is on the reasons for continued pluralistic tendencies in healing regardless of the expectation by the West that people should be focusing on the use of the fast evolving biomedical healing methods. The ethnographic study took place among the Southern Nguni people of OR Tambo District Municipality (ORTDM) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Data was collected using qualitative and ethnographic research methods amongst a sample group of 50 participants. The sample was composed of traditional healers, mothers of children who have experienced ukuhanjwa illness, elderly people (male and female), biomedical practitioners and nurses.

Energy Medicine and Gastrointestinal Disorders

2019 ◽  
pp. 293-306
Author(s):  
Ann Marie Chiasson
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
The Body ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
Energy Medicine ◽  
Energy Field ◽  
Pain Syndromes ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Skilled Practitioner ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel ◽  
Chronic Pain Syndromes

Energy medicine (EM) consists of a range of modalities and techniques that work with the underlying energy field of the body. Techniques range from hands-on healing to using vibration, movement or sound. There is moderate evidence that energy medicine significantly decreases many types of chronic pain and is most utilized in patients with chronic pain syndromes. Energy medicine prevalence of use and evidence, specifically in GI disorders, has been less investigated. There are a few small studies demonstrating evidence for decreasing symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Despite the lack of specific data for GI disorders, due to its role in increasing relaxation and decreasing pain, it can be a useful adjunct therapy. Most energy medicine modalities have specific techniques for GI disorders. Finding a skilled practitioner, as well as learning how to use self-healing techniques, can be valuable additions to a patient’s plan of care.

Australian Football League clinics promoting health, hygiene and trachoma elimination: the Northern Territory experience

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josie R. Atkinson ◽  
Andrea I. Boudville ◽  
Emma E. Stanford ◽  
Fiona D. Lange ◽  
Mitchell D. Anjou
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
State Government ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Developed Country ◽  
Australian Football League ◽  
Australian Football

Australia is the only developed country to suffer trachoma and it is only found in remote Indigenous communities. In 2009, trachoma prevalence was 14%, but through screening, treatment and health promotion, rates had fallen to 4% in 2012. More work needs to be done to sustain these declining rates. In 2012, 25% of screened communities still had endemic trachoma and 8% had hyperendemic trachoma. In addition, only 58% of communities had reached clean face targets in children aged 5–9 years. Australian Football League (AFL) players are highly influential role models and the community love of football provides a platform to engage and strengthen community participation in health promotion. The University of Melbourne has partnered with Melbourne Football Club since 2010 to run trachoma football hygiene clinics in the Northern Territory (NT) to raise awareness of the importance of clean faces in order to reduce the spread of trachoma. This activity supports Federal and state government trachoma screening and treatment programs. Between 2010 and 2013, 12 football clinics were held in major towns and remote communities in the NT. Almost 2000 children and adults attended football clinics run by 16 partner organisations. Awareness of the football clinics has grown and has become a media feature in the NT trachoma elimination campaign. The hygiene station featured within the football clinic could be adapted for other events hosted in remote NT community events to add value to the experience and reinforce good holistic health and hygiene messages, as well as encourage interagency collaboration.

Community-Based Strategies in Aboriginal Criminal Justice: The Northern Territory Experience

1995 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Tyler
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Ideal Types ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Correctional Services ◽  
The Past ◽  
Community Justice

Recent attempts to involve the remote and small town communities of Northern Australia in their own policing and correctional services have often been held up as a model for developing Aboriginal criminal justice policies. Such a proposal raises important questions as to both the construction of the post-colonial ‘community’ in remote and settled Australia and the sociological principles by which these criminal justice schemes (eg night patrols, community wardens, community corrections) have been constituted. The paper explores the constructions of the Aboriginal community over the past two decades (ethnographic, politico-administrative and postmodernist) as a background to the development and implementation of community-based criminal justice schemes in the Northern Territory. A typology of post-colonial criminal justice strategies is developed which identifies four ‘ideal types’ in which the initiatives may be positioned. These are the mediative (community wardens, night patrols), the educative (community justice programs), the neo-colonialist (new forms of imposed European laws and policing) and the incorporative (pervasive and totalising forms of control). The possibility of transposing these Northern Territory schemes to other Aboriginal situations is then critically evaluated in the light of differing socio-political constructions of ‘community’.

scholarly journals Seekership, Spirituality and Self-Discovery: Ayurveda Trainees in Britain

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 423-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya Warrier
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Holistic Healing ◽  
The West ◽  
Self Knowledge ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Depth Interviews

AbstractThis paper examines the backgrounds and motivations of persons trained or training as Ayurvedic practitioners at two London-based institutions offering Ayurveda programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It draws upon in-depth interviews with individuals at various stages of their training and practice in order to examine the paths that bring them to Ayurveda, their motivations for undergoing training, and the ways in which they apply their knowledge of Ayurveda during and after their training period. The findings here corroborate what other scholars have demonstrated in the case of Asian traditions like Yoga and Ayurveda in the West. These traditions have inevitably undergone shifts in meaning by virtue of their assimilation into the Western, in this case British, holistic health milieu. Most significant in Ayurveda’s case is the shift away from a preoccupation with remedial medicine (the bedrock of mainstream Ayurveda in modern South Asia), to a focus on self-knowledge and self-empowerment as a path to ‘holistic healing’ (understood to address mental and spiritual, not just physical, well-being). Even though the Ayurvedic curriculum transmitted at the educational institutions in London is based largely on that taught at Ayurveda colleges in India, the completely different orientations and dispositions of students in Britain (as compared to their South Asian counterparts) ensures that the Ayurveda they go on to apply and practise is radically different—this is ‘spiritualised’ Ayurveda, in radical contrast to the ‘biomedicalised’ version obtaining in modern mainstream South Asian contexts.

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