SL writes: “So many of my friends are turned off to essential oils because of their link to witchcraft. I just don’t understand why it matters that witches use the same oils. What difference does that make?”
Category Archives: Self Help
Beware of Strange “Healers”
AE writes about a “chiropractor” that she and her father have been seeing in California, a suspected illegal immigrant using the name Javier Lozano. They know little about the man except that he is married, goes to Mass weekly, works as a plumber during the day, and will accept only donations for his services. I will let AE describe what this “healer” does when she visits him.
Understanding the Difference Between Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The field of health care has a lot of new players these days – and many of them have little or nothing to do with conventional medicine. There’s complementary medicine, alternative medicine, whole medical systems, mind-body medicine, integrative medicine, etc. These fields are inundated with New Age practitioners, so it’s a good idea to learn what they are and what to watch out for.
Chiropractic Therapy
JD asks: “Could you please explain to me why chiropractics is listed as New Age in the Pontifical document, Jesus Christ, The Bearer of the Water of Life? What are its New age connections?”
The Pros and Cons of EMDR Therapy
HM writes: “Is EMDR a New Age therapy? I’ve participated in it through my counseling for OCD. It was first presented to me by a Catholic therapist, a wonderful woman who explained that it is effective in people with PTSD and especially OCD because the light bar distracts the front part of the brain, enabling the long-term memory portion of the brain to tap into traumatic memories and reprocess them appropriately. It seemed scientific to me and actually helped calm down many ‘triggers’ for my OCD.
Can Catholics Use Hypnotherapy and EMDR?
Sue from Pennsylvania asks about the use of hypnotherapy to treat anxiety disorders.
Are Tinctures New Age?
EH asks: “Are tinctures considered new age? Here is a comment from a friend of mine I received in an email who is considering using a tincture as a digestive aide: ‘I found out that…(it) is called tincture for people with digestive disorders whose intestines cannot absorb…it is not called homeopathic in writing at all… it is called an alcohol tincture and things like cayenne pepper are soaked in the 12 percent alcohol so I am trying to see what I can find out about tinctures…'”
Watch Out for Wacky Allergy Treatments!
MA asks: “I’m wondering if you’ve run across any negative information on ALCAT or other companies who test for food sensitivities. Supposedly, if a person is sensitive to a certain food, then staying away from that food allows the body to heal. Scientifically, it makes sense to me, and I don’t see any elements of New Age in this. What do you think?”
Can Catholics Use Alternatives to Treat Serious Illnesses?
JD asks: “I don’t see any mention in the Catechism about Catholics being forbidden to use alternatives such as homeopathy or acupuncture to treat illnesses like cancer or diabetes. Is this true, and if so, can you tell me what documents contain this teaching?”
Julia Cameron and Why Dying to Self is the Only Way to Unlock our Full Human Potential
LL writes: “I have a son, Chris who is a reiki master and is now taking a course called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I did a bit of research on this and it looks very new age. Is this something you have touched on in your program before?”
