Finishing the Course

I am in the process of finishing an herbal health course so that I can receive certification. I had great hopes to be done by December 2008 but may not finish until the end of this week. I have learned so much! One of my greatest "discoveries" was that there really is field of science where psychiatry and health is combined for healing. This field is called orthomolecular psychiatry. Orthomolecular psychiatry involves treating a person by giving them a biochemical workup and appropriate therapy. Dr. Michael Lesser, a CA psychiatrist and one of the founders of the orthomolecular psychiatry movement, found that fully 67% of his psychiatric practice was suffering from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Le me give you some background as to why this was such a discovery to me. I graduated in 1995 from Baptist Bible College with a B.S. in Bible and a minor in psychology. My course was called "pre-counseling". I learned that counseling can only be adequately done with the Bible as its foundation. I read books by Larry Crab and Jay Adams. I was very fired up to go out and help people to change and overcome their psychosis using the Bible and traditional psychological methods. I was married the next day, moved to IA from PA, and went to work looking for a job with a Christian counseling ministry. I beame very discouraged when I was not hired because I was lacking the necessary experience or a MA.

I took a job as a student aid at the local public school for a 5th grade girl with severe cerebral palsy. This was a great experience for me as I had been educated in Christian institutions all my life and had no experience in local school campuses. God then began blessing us with children and I taught piano lessons from our home so that I could disciple our sons 24/7. Through the experience of pregnancy, childbirth and raising children I began to delve into alternative medicine. I was continually amazed at the amount of information (and scientific studies)that was available about healing not only common illnesses with herbs and nutrition but also diseases and psychological problems.

Now I can look back and see a little of the journey...if I had begun counseling right away I may not have been as interested in looking for alternative methods to bring healing to others. God has used my family and friends to help guide me into His way. My dreams involve owning a natural food store, getting my herbalist certification, and possibly exploring the field of orthomolecular psychiatry. Right now I am striving to the be the best friend and help meet for my husband, the best mother and teacher for my children, and the best friend and neighbor for the lost around me.

"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24 (KJV)