5 Key Skills of a Good Naturopath

Do you know the 5 Key Skills of a Good Naturopath?

Naturopaths need a unique set of skills in order to best serve their patients, some of which are inherent, and others which can be learned. Let’s take a look at some of the key skills naturopaths should have:

1. COMPASSION

Compassion involves feeling another person’s pain and wanting to take steps to help relieve their suffering. The word compassion itself derives from Latin and means “to suffer together.”

There has been much research in the area of compassion, with debates around whether compassion can be learned or taught. Research heavy metal detox seems to show that compassion is both an innate ability as well as something which can be encouraged and learned.

Some researchers have said that compassion is something which happens to a person, and is experienced, rather than something which is done. However, behaviours such as self-awareness, non-judgement, listening skills and self-confidence can be developed to encourage the experience of compassion and empathy.

2. BE A GOOD LISTENER

Listening is an art, requiring practice, skill, spirit, and inspiration. The artistic medium is you: your ears, your body, your mind, and your heart. Listening is something altogether different from hearing, an unintentional (or possibly intentional) experience of one of your senses at work.

Listening to patients is a key skill naturopaths must have. Naturopaths need to be good at asking the right questions, and then listen closely to the answers. Patients are asked to describe their symptoms in detail, and these answers are crucial for the homeopath to prescribe the right remedy. In addition, it can be of immense value to a patient to feel they have been truly listened to.

3. GROUNDING IN NATUROPATHIC PHILOSOPHY AND METHODOLOGIES

In order to gain this knowledge, the naturopath has to have a keen interest in learning all the intricacies of the naturopathic system. The Da Vinci Institute students receive this grounding through the in-depth and updated courses that exist in their degree curriculum. Also each curriculum is adjusted to the needs and background of each student. The Da Vinci Institute of Holistic Medicine empowers students to continually grow their knowledge through self-study. Assessments help students become accustomed to confidently find, analyse and utilise all the information they find.

4. A SOUND KNOWLEDGE OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

It is imperative that any practitioner dealing with the human body understand how the body is structured (anatomy) and how it functions (physiology).

The Da Vinci Institutes training programme provides a broad coverage of all the biological sciences from anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, clinical chemistry and more.

Another important aspect that all naturopaths must possess is the ability to understand research methodology so that they can critically read and understand the vast amount of research papers published. It is also critically important for their own dissertation – a methodologically weak research study will usually invalidate the findings and will not pass peer-review status.

Therefore, the Da Vinci Institute offers a unique research module which helps students evaluate and explain scientific research – learning the basics of research methodology and biostatistics.

Many people are often under the misconception that there is no research on naturopathy. This is not the case – as a visit to the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) will bring up hundreds of research papers, and also www.pubmed.gov that contains thousands of research articles on natural medicine.

5. AN OPEN MIND AND WILLINGNESS TO LEARN

Naturopathy takes a very different approach from conventional medicine, and so it is necessary for naturopaths to become accustomed to ideas which they have not considered before. Find out a little more in this blog post about what naturopathy is and how it works.

Most naturopaths find that once they start learning about naturopathy and Holistic Medicine, it becomes a fascinating life-long learning process.

Naturopaths are interested in identifying the pathogenesis of disease and discovering the underlying causes of the dis-ease or symptoms. Also the causal chains that were created to reach the pathological state – it is akin to being a detective, so the learning process is exciting as every patient is different.

Naturopaths are not interested in suppressing symptoms but offloading causative factors and helping the body’s innate healing potential to do the healing. This is again a fascinating process to witness as the body reverses the pathology, with the help of detoxification protocols, supplements, herbs, homeopathic and other naturopathic protocols.

Are you interested in learning more about naturopathy? 

Check out our stand alone Diploma courses.

Our Bachelor of Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine

Our Masters in Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine

Our Doctor of Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine