I agree Simon with what you say and am please you have brought this thread to the top of the list as I have just realised that Avril baker has not phoned me back yet!!!! I will phone again during the weekend.

I didn't imply being 'above'. The point I am making is as Homeopaths we are part of the healing profession, and it's not just our patients that are healed in the process, we as practitioners are healed too, remember the 'wounded healer'. In supervision we can address these issues in a safe environment. Why should the group process be uncomfortable? Surely being in a group of like minded individuals will empower a person not destroy them . The self-relective route has been created because of a need. Homeopathy is an isolating profession and it's very easy to ignore ourselves and our own health. Supervision and group assistance allow us to see how we react to the group, no matter how painful this might be. I don't enjoy the 'group process' because I am exposed to my more vunerable side but I am aware that the issues raised need to be addressed not ignored. By all means submit your cases to The Society in the old route but be aware that the healing professions are there to protect us not only from our patients 'stuff' but our own. The group process can enlighten where we have become stuck in our practice and reduces the need to blame others for our own inadequaces. It addresses why we might not be earning enough, it teaches about boundries, it puts us into perspective. If you feel you have looked at these areas then practice in isolation, relying only on the Internet for company. I am part of a local group and we interact with each other, learn about each other, make tea, drink, chat, share 'stuck' cases, promote ourselves and the profession during Homeopathy Awareness Week and can help each other when we're sick (even Homoepaths get sick) cover for each others holidays.........Do you have all this in your private practice???????Don't knock the group, it represents a bigger picture ...................... no man is an island.
Simon

I am not knocking the group but the time it takes. There are not enough hours in the day for me or enough pennies to spend on the weekends that are part of the process as they are not not held anywhere near me. I have homeopaths from my college days that I phone if stuck on a case and also supervision every month.

I agree with Hoppitt on this one.
It's fine for a professional body to demand professional development of its members, but not personal development.
One can never force personal development on someone, and I find that these group sessions usually turn out to be useless because most people are understandably closed to revealing their innermost [and most important] difficulties in a public setting where there is no prospect of serious long-term consideration of the issues raised.
If people are open in such a setting, it stirs up a lot of things for them which are left unresolved by a weekend group session. Usually though participants sensibly restrict matters to a toe squirming exercise in deferral of personal issues. They "behave" and pretend that their practitioner issues are totally unrelated to their lives as a whole and the discussion turns to superficial matters.

By contrast, in my experience the reason people have difficulties with building their practice is often related to their own personal case issues, and these are in no way things that should be expected to be revealed to a group of strangers over a weekend. Homoeopaths respect their patients feelings and confidentiality and they should respect one another's right to privacy as well.

I find the attempt to do this group work by the Society insensitive and on the border of bullying if it is to be used as an entrance criteria. No other professional organisation asks this mortifying self-revelation of its members in public.

'mortifying self-revelation of its members in public.'
Hello, anybody there????No one is asking ANYONE to reveal themselves enough to mortify them. Your fears are completely unfounded. I suggest that you look at your statements and take issue with your perspective.The Society is an honourable organisation in exisitance purely to help us in our practice, not to 'mortify' us or 'bully' us. You forget you have choices and if you have chosen your route, stick to it but STOP flinging dirt at the process. All it is doing is revealing you own inadequacies and fears.I am looking forward to the challenge that the Society has erected.Life isn't always cushy or safe or fun and it needs to be addressed not ignored.
I am sick of hearing only the negative points of Hom practice. We have been given a 'holy' skill, to heal and be healed and if it doesn't quite fit or it feels uncomfortable then we should be looking at why and healing that too not blaming The Society for introducing a new approach. Whatever happened to kindred spirit....
Simon

Simon- you say we have choices but we won't have if they take away the 10 case etc entry route!
Good luck to those who choose the reflective route- it does seem popular with the majority judging by all the names printed in The Homeopath- never saw that many entering the register before!
However i also agree with Ricky about the cost etc- these groups are rarely held in the North ( not what we in the North class as the North anyway!) and the expense incurred can be very high. Also a colleague of mine works full time so it is very difficult for her to get so much time off- what option will she have ?

Just because i would choose to go down the old route does not mean i am some sad Homeopath with only my modem for company!
I too am part of a local group who meet regularly like yourself to discuss a wide range of topics including difficult cases.

[This message has been edited by Hoppitt415 (edited 25 February 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Hoppitt415 (edited 25 February 2001).]

Well, mortifying self-revelation in public seemed to be what was asked at college regarding this kind of thing. And it's the Devon lot that have got hold of this and run with it.

I think homoeopathy is wonderful, it's the Soc's new methods that I dislike. And I don't find it good value either - THE COST OF REGISTRATION BY THE OLD METHOD USED TO BE AROUND £60 I THINK, AND IT HAS INCREASED TO £300 SO AS NOT TO BE CHEAPER THAN THE NEW ROUTE. I find this hard to accept since it is so unfair to those prefer the old route and are subsidising the new.

As for bullying, you Simon seem to be fulfilling my delusion in that capacity. re:
"if you have chosen your route, stick to it but STOP flinging dirt at the process". This is just what happens if people come out and speak their minds regarding the Society. People like you who are confident in their deployment of "process work" turn into bullies who make the rules. Group process work is not for quiet-natured private people like me and lots of other competent practitioners, and I wish the Soc would respect that and maintain the ten case route at lower cost than the labour-intensive new route. If they did I might stay.

Also why should homoeopaths have to behave in proscribed fashions if practising competently? All that matters is that the homoeopath is effective and decent. They are quite welcome to be old curmudgeons in Burnett fashion if they wish. If they choose to enter into self development that is quite up to them as individuals.

Avril baker from the Societ of Homeopaths left a message on my answer phone to say that no descision has been made yet and when(not if I noticed!!) it is made they will announce it in the newsletter and that A YEAR'S NOTICE will be given. Those who are already in the process will be allowed to complete it. She invited me to phone her tomorrow so I probably will!! Watch this space.

No one is bullying anyone. Without proper supervision and self-reflection it's very easy to blame the world-and-his-wife for your problems.Registration with The Society includes insurance and compares VERY favourably with The Acupuncturists (£450) Osteopaths (£1000+)Herbalists (£400) etc. To me it's not the money that's the issue. It's as if 'the Devon lot' have pushed your buttons somehow. Anyway I thought you studied there so surely you must be aware of the type of Hom's they are trying to produce.
Leave The Society.Work on your own.Become a recluse and burn-out. Be isolated but don't blame the Society or 'the Devon lot' for your unhappiness.
Simon

[This message has been edited by simon (edited 27 February 2001).]

Have just confirmed my last posting about registration with Avril Baker. There are no plans to stop the old way until it looks as if applications are drying up even more than they are now as she says the new way is more popular. She also said that there would be a year's notice and even that would be negotiable with those who have started the process.

Hoppitt -maybe you can breathe more easily now and please relay this information to your study group.