First off, I want to apologize for how some of my posts during this series may sound to some folks. I’m not trying to bash anyone’s belief structures while doing this series. That is not my intention. You get to believe whatever you want - Jesus, Allah, Abraham, Law of Attraction, atheist - all are welcome. I don’t need to believe what you believe and you don’t need to believe what I believe for me to treat you as a human being and have a lovely conversation about whatever you want. I have done my best to be as familiar with as many different groups’ belief structures as I can so that everyone feels welcome and understood at my practice.
I recently referred to the religious nature of many wellness folks in a past post, and though many of them will hate that I did that, spirituality has replaced many organized religions for a large segment of the population. There are different groups who believe in slightly different versions, much like how Christianity is organized. There are also groups with vastly different beliefs from what one would typically think of as a classified religion, but they are no less valid to that person.
Many of my posts are written to specific audiences within the wellness world, and almost always because people have asked me to write something to address a specific issue. I do try my best to be respectful within them, but I am also aware that questioning the validity of various beliefs within the wellness world, especially alternative medicine, can feel like a personal attack to some, the same way that me questioning the validity of any particular religion may feel like a personal attack for people. To be very clear, I am not attacking the beliefs, I am strictly talking about the science and how that applies to your recovery and rehabilitation journey during this series.
I just want to say upfront that my intention with these posts is to help people stay safe within the wellness world. The same way that it’s important for Catholic’s to be upfront about their history, it’s important for the alt med world to acknowledge and be upfront about theirs as well. So please know that I am in zero way attacking anyone’s personal beliefs, I just want to make sure that everyone is safe to explore whatever belief system they choose and that they don’t get swindled while doing so.
So, with that said, let’s take a look at how you can best protect yourself while exploring all of the vast and varied experiences within the wellness world, because there are a lot of shady folks doing some really not cool things within this world and we really have to get a lot better at owning that and calling it out.
The problem with con artists and predatory practitioners is that they’re incredibly good at lying. No one hangs a sign that says “I’m a liar - don’t trust me”. They are amazing mimickers and can be very convincing. Unfortunately, they also usually have a troupe of people around them that have been groomed over time to act as their deflector shields. This group of people are often used to explain away their behaviour, cover for them, and enable their victimization of others. These folks almost always have no idea. They may have noticed the red flags, but the person is so good at convincing them that they’re really harmless that the flags are dismissed and explained away.
To be clear - not all of the practitioners who display some of these signs are intentionally predatory. You have to remember that the wellness world is profit driven, so a lot of things that are used to manipulate the public can be done by good people who just don’t know any better. Wellness is a business in Canada. Which is unfortunate and needs to change. Because it’s this business mentality that allows the predators and con artists to operate almost completely unchecked. To protect the public from the truly bad actors in the wellness world, we as practitioners need to really look at our own practices, how we operate, how we advertise, and do some soul searching about what changes we need to make.
Con artists and predatory practitioners are interesting. The bad ones use your weaknesses against you. The good ones use your strengths against you. Either way, society will blame you for being duped. But here’s the thing about getting conned - it basically proves that you’re a good person.
Think about it - the kind of person who gets duped by a predatory practitioner is trusting, compassionate, hopeful, questioning, and tends to want to stick up for the underdog. It’s a real ‘the shadow proves the sunshine’ situation.
And the wellness world is rife with potential victims. It is a feeding frenzy smorgasbord of all kinds of folks just desperate for help, as well as a bunch of well meaning people looking for the newest ‘next big thing’ that they can hype to bring in clientele.
It is a disaster that’s not just waiting to happen, it is continually happening. Right now. All day every day. And we aren’t doing much about it.
And sure, free will and informed consent and all that, but a lot of the people trying to navigate the wellness system aren’t in a place to be able to make good decisions for themselves. It’s a predator’s paradise. And we just stand back and watch it happen.
So, in the spirit of not just being a bystander to something horrific - here are some ways that you can protect yourself while you explore. Because the wellness world isn’t all bad. There are some amazing experiences and true and genuine help to be found here. But until regulation comes in, there are some things you should know to keep yourself safe.
Think of it like going to a rave. There is the genuine potential for the most transcendental experience ever, or a horrible victimization that will take you years to recover from. The thin line separating those two things is a bit of preparation and a few safety tips like don’t accept drinks from strangers, stay with a buddy, and we all go home together no matter how much you might want to hook up with that person in the moment.
So, what are some things to watch out for while navigating the wellness world? I’m so glad you asked!
Does it sound too good to be true? That’s because it probably is. Real science and trustworthy practitioners will give you both the benefits as well as the risks to any particular treatment. They will discuss the pros and cons, take time to answer questions, and make sure that you have access to outside sources of information and other health authorities while undergoing treatment. Be skeptical of any ‘this is amazing!’ remedies and cures that have no potential downsides because everything comes with some risks. All of my patients have sat through the ‘and here are all of the horrible things that could potentially happen to you over the next few days and if any of them happen this is what you’re going to do about it’ talk. Multiple times. Because it’s actually important. Anyone who skips it should be suspect.
Do you feel skeeved out? Trust your instincts. There are moves that I do that are true and genuine osteopathic techniques that I take the time to super over-explain because there is the slightest hint of a possibility of inappropriateness. I’m always amazed that people are like ‘yeah yeah, just get on with it.’ People in pain are willing to go through just about anything for relief. That’s where the danger is. And why it’s super important that we actually take the time to over-explain and not cross that line. If you feel skeeved out on top of that? Trust it. It’s also why, if someone brings forward feelings of inappropriateness to me, I tend to trust them.
Be wary of testimonials and anecdotes. We tend to believe anecdotes. We are a word-of-mouth reference driven business model. When we see the progress that someone else has made doing the latest trendy thing, we tend to believe that that thing must work and try it for ourselves. We will then actually dismiss any research or evidence to the contrary. The wellness world is real bad for confirmation bias - we cherry pick evidence to support our claims rather than make claims based on the available evidence. It’s just bad science. Now, that said, as clinicians, it can sometimes be difficult to base your practice on only the stuff that has good evidence. Clients often come in asking for a specific treatment that they’ve heard or read about when I know that that’s not what they need and they often don’t love it when you try to explain that to them. When money is part of the equation and you need that sale, practitioners are more likely to give in and do that treatment rather then risk losing a client. I’ve had clients get VERY mad and storm out when I refuse to do something I know they don’t need that risks hurting them (and then almost always come back a few days later to apologize because what I did do worked). I’ve been on the other end of this and can totally appreciate the frustration. I have gone to doctors convinced that I know what’s wrong with me only to find out I was totally wrong and grateful that they know their jobs better than I do. We need to foster an environment where questioning is okay, but so is trusting the expertise of the person who actually does this for a living.
The government DOES want you to know; science usually CAN explain most things; you probably don’t need a supplement; cancer is actually very complicated, and no, there aren’t secret cures doctors don’t want you to know. Conspiracies are fun and all, but don’t fall for the click bait headlines. The world is complicated enough. Have you tried keeping a secret? Guaranteed you’ve told at least one other person. Now imagine a giant organization of people who are trying to keep a secret. It just doesn’t happen. There are all kinds of free courses or low-cost courses. If you believe that no one has ever isolated a virus before, join a course that teaches how to do that and see it done for yourself. I have literally done it. It’s actually not that hard. People who spout nonsense but refuse to do the education that would refute their beliefs are often suffering from a mental health condition. There are all kinds of educational experiences that can show that to you. Take them.
Don’t let desperation cloud your judgment. I hear often from folks that they would be willing to do or try anything just for some relief. Recognize when you are in that place and maybe don’t try that new amazing cure all thing you found online until you’re in a better headspace to judge the risks.
Just because someone looks good, does not mean they are healthy. Just because someone is skinny and has good muscle tone does not mean they are someone to follow for health advice. I know a lot of folks who look good but survive on diet soda and kitkats. Looks aren’t everything.
Beware of victim blaming practitioners. You’re just not trying hard enough. If you were really committed then you’d be seeing results. You just need to pay me more money and then you’ll notice a change. Run. Run fast and far.
If it ain’t working for you after 4 treatments, it’s probably not going to. If you have zero improvement after a few treatments, then you need to try something else. Anyone who tells you differently is lying to you. Now, as a caveat - small progress is progress. And a curious part of the human brain is that sometimes whatever pain you are in is the worst pain you’ve ever had. I have had people come in saying that they are in the exact same pain and it’s actually a completely different body part than it was last week. Or they say that they’re in the same amount of pain but last week I had to help them put on their shoes and this week they’re complaining while untying their laces. So objective measurements and good note taking is key here.
Check for certifications. Is this a regulated industry? What’s the accrediting body? Is there an association? Is this someone who took a 20 hour online course or did they go to an actual University? Background details are important.
You wouldn’t ask your car mechanic to check your teeth, don’t expect a massage therapist to know what you should be seeing a doctor for. The number of pictures of rashes I get asking what it might be is astounding. Same goes for mental health support. I took extra mental health training specifically because I found that I am often the first place that people disclose a mental health issue and I wanted to make sure I was able to provide the right support to get them the appropriate help when it happened. I am not a substitute for medical care. One of the first questions I ask people is ‘have you seen your doctor about this?’ And when the answer is no, guess what I tell them they need to do? Make an appointment. I have training to provide some immediate support and help you access the appropriate resources, but I am not designed for long term care. Know who is? Your doctor. Each of us has a responsibility to ask the appropriate people for the right help. And I can help you to determine who that appropriate help might be, but it’s up to you to ensure that you take that advice.
Till next time, folks!