Qualitative Health Research Conference – Halifax, NS Oct 25 – 29

The International Institute for Qualitative Methodology is celebrating its 20th year in Halifax, NS.  Michelle submitted the abstract for her thesis project in Complementary and Alternative Medicine and will be presenting a micro oral presentation:  “Self-Empowerment in the Healing Process: An exploration of Energy Kinesiology techniques to enhance personal decision making and provide tools for maintaining wellness and health.”

Just completing her interview process and write ups for her thesis, she will begin to place her full paper together over the next few months.  Here is a copy of the abstract that she offered…

Self-empowerment is an approach to personal health care that promotes the investment of personal time and energy prior to health challenges, during the healing process, and for living after recovery.  This Energy Kinesiology program shifts the responsibility for health, recovery and choices from an external source only (i.e. doctor, physiotherapist, massage therapist, healer), to an integrated approach emphasizing the internal source through personal experience and skill building.  The focus provides tools for everyday living; tools to assist with the protocols of the medical profession when health is challenged; and tools for continued support when wellness is regained.  A whole-person approach to health minimizes the separateness identified in current trends with isolating the aspects of the triangle of health: body, mind and spirit.  Muscle biofeedback produces a mechanism for listening to the needs of the body by monitoring neuromusculoskeletal integrity.  Injury Recall Technique stimulates the Vagus Nerve System to reset the Viseral Motor System affecting glands, the musculoskeletal system and psychological or emotional balance.  Breath and basic movement patterns used in such classes as Tai Chi link the 5 Element system identified in Tradition Chinese Medicine, creating a whole-body re-patterning approach. The regular use of self-empowering techniques can remove obstacles of pain or dysfunction from daily living so that medical diagnosis and treatment options are only necessary for chronic challenges that remain.  Retrospective, qualitative interviews with former students of Qi YINtegration classes will provide valuable insight into the experiential learning and use of the self-care tools and the self-empowering observations.  Their recollections and experience will outline how the tools have influenced their everyday living and provided both self-care and self-empowerment needs that can be expanded to the general population.