Health Academy Portals

Every symptom is of an individual kind. Most diagnostic systems tend to group and

generalize symptoms. The purpose of the Health Academy is to discover and unfold the

particular meaning of the symptom for the affected individual. This is accomplished

through a panel of diverse health practitioners who get to know clients' context and

their physical, social, psychological, and spiritual backdrop. Rather than giving answers,

practitioners ask questions to understand clients' individual and larger world.

We understand dis-ease as a process and journey for which it is helpful to have

supportive companions along the way. When a person is not at ease or is not feeling

well, we do not regard the person as having an illness. Instead, the person remains

healthy and has symptoms in need of understanding. Symptoms are thus guideposts

pointing the way. Using this metaphor, people helping understand symptoms are thus

travel companions. These travel companions assist persons who are not at ease with

themselves.

As an introduction, the travel companion emphasizes to their clients that all healthcare

practitioners rely on their inner knowing, guiding the healing journey. This means

practitioners trust clients' intuitive understanding of themselves and the world.

Everything is understood as meaningful and contrasts with a viewpoint in much of

modern science that all is random. Clients are thus encouraged to follow their own

process, sharing with the panel all feelings and thoughts arising within them.

The travel companion, who might also be called a healthcare coordinator, summarizes

the panel's recommendations, suggestions, and/or ideas and relays those to the client.

Such a summary is meant as a base for a dialogue with the client to ensure that all is

understood and more questions are answered.

1 Step: Understanding

As a method, a panel consists of 4 to 7 practitioners who ask the client questions for up

to one hour. The panel is selected based on experience and knowledge in holistic views

of healthcare and medicine.

Sessions are meant to be very interactive. After the panel has had the opportunity to

learn from the client, he or she debriefs what was learned and discusses it with the

client.

The client pays a flat rate for the 60–90-minute session that compensates all the

practitioners and the healthcare coordinator. Based on the client's ability to pay, this flat

rate will be determined on a sliding scale.

2 Step: Change

We see the above as a first step, that is, recognizing the meaning of the symptom. The

first step is followed by the second step, which addresses the client's treatment. This

includes lifestyle, nutrition, expanding awareness, psycho-spiritual unfolding, and bodily

applications such as massage, chiropractic treatments and such.

3. Step: Healing

Healing always entails the activation of a client's self-healing processes. Healing occurs

on all three levels of our existence: the biological or body, the mental and

psychological, and the spiritual level. In this step, accompaniment is essential. It

constitutes our core vision: supporting the client on the healing journey.

For example, such accompaniment can entail the form of regular weekly, even daily,

check-ins – as needed – with the client, counseling sessions, assisting clients with

practitioner appointments, and supporting or assisting with nutritional plans.