Anthroposophic Nursing Therapies
“Touch handled in a conscious way addresses the patient’s powers of self-healing and strengthens them thanks to the rhythmical element”. Edelegard Grosse Brochman, RN
Susan Moss offers anthroposophic nursing therapies. Sessions are individual, and the availability is limited by scheduling. Please note that there is an extra fee for this in our pay-what-you-can model for therapies (please see below).
What is Anthroposophic Nursing?
Anthroposophic Nursing is an expression of nursing care developed by Dr. Rudolf Steiner and Dr. Ita Wegman. Therapeutic activity may include the use of wraps, compresses, poultices, therapeutic washings, various hydrotherapies, and rhythmical embrocations on the body to strengthen the inherent healing processes. The anthroposophic nurse takes into account the rhythms of the human life in body, soul, and spirit, from an expanded view and assessment of the patient using anthroposophic methods.
What is Rhythmical Einreibung/Embrocation (RE)?
Rhythmical Einreibung/Embrocation was developed in the first half of the twentieth century by the physician Ita Wegman, who was also trained as a traditional massage therapist. Dr. Margarethe Hauschka worked with Ita Wegman to develop a teaching concept for the application of Rhythmical Einreibung. From around 1980 on, this concept has been modified and enhanced, mostly by nurses, for professional and daily use.
The particular quality of Rhythmical Einreibung is it’s gentle intensity of touch. The hand of the therapist applies rhythmical, mostly rounded, stroking movements on the patient’s body, making contact with the tissue. Rhythmical Einreibung can be applied to the arms, legs, back, chest, abdomen, feet, and skin over the internal organs, either as a partial or whole-body treatment. Rhythmical Einreibung can be used in many clinical areas, and has proven beneficial in in-patient and out-patient nursing services, family and home care situations and curative education/social therapy settings.
Rhythmical Einreibung works in various ways and the effects vary depending on the individual. There are commonly observed effects such as renewed strength, relaxation, and feeling one within oneself again. A change can occur in the patient’s experience of illness, discomfort, and their sense of wellbeing. Contraindications are mainly highly acute and un-clear conditions where other measures have to take precedence.
“My sense is that anthroposophic nursing has the potential to meet the human being’s unserved needs. It touches the deepest essence and dignity of the human being”. Susan Moss RN
Pay-what-you-can model for therapies for members
Within Carah, we strive for economics that are based on solidarity and taking care of one another. The predominating fee-for-service model turns the sacred encounter of a patient and a healthcare practitioner into a commodity, something we can buy. We believe that this takes away from its healing power and stands in the way of healthcare’s contribution to social healing. (This is also a main reason why we work with a membership-based community-supported model for Family Medicine.)
In reality, we cannot buy a therapeutic encounter. Ideally, such an encounter is offered as a gift. At the same time, there are materials needs to make such an encounter happen: The therapist or physician has life needs that need to be met for them to be available for this encounter, some people need to spend time to support the related administrative processes and have their life needs met for that time, Carah needs to maintain a space, certain technical systems and buy supplies. While these material needs need to be met, they do not preclude that such an encounter is offered as a gift.
Out of this ideal, our therapies are offered in a pay-what-you-can model. Each time that you come for such a visit, you will receive a form that gives a dollar amount that reflects the material needs for such an encounter. After the visit, we ask you to enter your financial contribution towards these material needs based on your economic ability. Not everyone has the same financial means. If you can contribute the full amount or even a bit more – great. If you can only contribute less, that is just as fine - not everyone has the same financial means. We believe that all of us forming the Carah community together have enough to cover the costs for each other’s healthcare needs as far as they can be met within Carah. We will periodically review how this unfolds and hope we can continue this model into the future.
As you are making your contribution, we ask you to keep in mind that your contribution does not go towards your own visit. The material needs for your own visit had to be met prior to you coming to the office and the contributions of members before you met these needs. In reality, your visit is a gift from them. Your contribution helps to meet the needs for the next members’ visits, it is your gift to them.
Material needs for anthroposophic nursing sessions (please note, that for non-members the listed amount is the required payment; members participate in our pay-what-you-can model):
Rhythmical Einreibung/embrocation, whole body: $90
Rhythmical Einreibung/embrocation, partial body or whole body child: $50
Teaching session for compress: $75
Compress or foot bath: $50