Qualifications

I come to alternative medicine after watching and pondering the experience of the many patients I "rescued" as an emergency medical technician, and later an emergency room nurse. I had graduated from Harrisburg Area Community College Nursing Program in 1987 and after an initial period of excitement, my outlook became more gloomy as I worked with people who were in trouble because of neglected health. But there were others too: people who seemed to do all the right things but got ill anyway. Degenerative disease such as heart problems, diabetes, and arthritis were all too common complaints--and our medicines seemed to do nothing but provide temporary relief, and often caused side effects or other unintended problems.

Sure, we "fixed" a lot folks. Let no one ignore the significant benefits of modern medicine and surgery. But there was something else going on. I went back to school in 1993 with the hope of exploring those questions. I thank Gail Gelsinger, of Reading PA for her thoughtful advice that sent me on the road to homeopathy and my current work in related areas.

Currently: Doctoral Study at Duquesne University School of Nursing. Area of study: psychoneuroimmunology. Dissertation: Clinical Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Patients on Antiviral Therapy for HIV/AIDS

Continuously since 1996: Board Certified in Adult Primary Care, American Nurses Credentialing Center (http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc)

2004, 2006: Board Certified in HIV Medicine by American Academy of HIV Medicine (http://www.aahivm.org)

2006: Board Certified in Classical Homeopathy by the Council for Homeopathic Certification (http://www.homeopathicdirectory.com)

2001: Postgraduate Course in Classical Homeopathy, New England School of Homeopathy, Amherst MA (http://www.nesh.com)

1996: Master of Science in Nursing. Major: Adult Primary Care, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia (http://www.nursing.upenn.edu)

1994: Bachelor of Science. Major: Nursing, York College of Pennsylvania (http://www.ycp.edu/academics/487.htm)

1994: Basic & Professional Courses in Classical Homeopathy, New England School of Homeopathy

1993: Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society (http://www.nursingsociety.org)

In addition, I have spent some time in the study of various systems, although I may not always practice them. These systems include acupuncture/traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, acupressure/shiatsu, massage therapies of different sorts, healing touch/Therapeutic Touch, energy field therapies/Martha Rogers, chiropractic and osteopathic manipulative therapy, herbalism, nutritional medicine, Rudolph Steiner and anthroposophical medicine, shamanism, and aromatherapy.

My influences include...

Drs. Paul Herscu & Amy Rotherberg

New England School of Homeopathy. Learn more about the school, the teachers, and the methods that may change the we practice. Classes, conferences and media are available; see site for details on NESH educational materials.

http://www.nesh.org

Dr. Rupert Sheldrake

Dr Sheldrake proposed an interesting hypothesis for the development of forms in nature, proposing a "morphogenic field" as a alternative for a more classically theorized development from genetic coding and protein/peptide synthesis model (what I tend to call a "molecular signaling" model of systems biology). I won't try to do his work justice here and suggest a reading of A New Science of Life: A Hypothesis of Morphic Resonance, or a later--and more accessible work--Dogs that Know When Their Owners are Coming Home. For more on Dr Sheldrake's work I suggest a visit to Rupert Sheldrake Biologist & Author on the Web.

http://www.sheldrake.org

Florence Nightingale

She arrived at a time when medicine's methods were struggling to reach real effectiveness. She transformed nursing from an afterthought to a discipline that helped to spawn statistical epidemiology, applied epidemiology, therapeutic nutrition, and the modern field of professional nursing itself. Her astute observations and practical-mindedness did more to improve health care than perhaps most medical discoveries of the time.

Links...

The Florence Nightingale Museum

Clendening History of Medicine Library

Florence Nightingale International Foundation