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ABOUT THE BRITISH HOLISTIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONFormed in 1983 by a group of medical doctors and students, the BHMA is a public-professional network of like-minded people - mainstream healthcare professionals, CAM practitioners, and members of the public - committed to promoting holistic practice in healthcare, and holistic wellbeing in individuals and communities. Holism is a term widely used but often ill-defined, and misunderstood to refer simply to alternative therapies or approaches that include complementary medicine. To us, holism is a way of being and doing that affects every aspect of sickness and health. The holistic way is about relatedness rather than separation - relationship with one another and with our wonderful but often cruel world. Our message is that holism stems from an understanding that there is a link between physical health and well-being. Well-being requires more than the absence of disease; it is dependent not just on our physical state, but on psychological, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental considerations. All are inter-connected and if we simply deal with the body in isolation then we miss the whole picture that is the individual person and, consequently, we carry on committing vast amounts of energy and resources to largely unsuccessful attempts to repair a bio-machine which may in fact not be broken. OUR VALUES - medicine as if people matterThe BHMA believes that the individual person is at the heart of a holistic approach and that, therefore, any healthcare system in order to be effective needs to deliver medicine as if people matter - MAIPM
WHAT WE DOThe Journal of Holistic Healthcare, which members receive free of charge, is the BHMA flagship. Edited by Professor David Peters, Director of the School of Integrated Health at the University of Westminster, and supported by an Advisory Board of leading healthcare professionals, it contains articles, interviews, controversy, research, plus regular reviews, news and events pages. The BHMA produces materials for self-care:
NEW RESOURCES FOR 21ST CENTURY HEALINGThe BHMA is funded by its membership to create a voice for holistic healthcare and resources for self care. As an association open to all who want to join, the BHMA is not a professional body and membership confers no commercial or direct professional benefits. The generosity of BHMA supporters and members means the association can provide information and promote holistic medicine as a sustainable way to deliver better healthcare. The larger the number of BHMA supporters, the better it can help develop a new sustainable vision for the 21st century. SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONSHolistic integrated healthcare will enhance biomedicine by harnessing the power of individuals and communities to create wellbeing at many levels. By supporting the BHMA you will add your voice to the growing number of people who believe in developing a more compassionate, integrated healthcare system. It's time to replace over-reliance on pharmaceutical 'magic bullets' with diverse approaches for creating health. We need to support well-being, self-care in chronic disease and the well-being of health-workers. Above all we have to embrace effective and sustainable solutions for the millions who need more than biomedicine alone can offer. |
  The Integrative Health Resource which can be accessed through the BHMA website provides a wealth of information on health problems, mainstream and complementary treatments and self-care. It is also developing as a resource for GPs to factsheets on common conditions for which complementary therapies and mind-body medicine may be of benefit. We are building in the supporting evidence base, and members of the IHR e-Community can participate in building the knowledge base for integrated healthcare. JOURNAL OF HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE
Donate Using PayPalUse the button below to donate to the BHMA online using PayPal ® - if you are resident in the UK please also consider using the Gift Aid option as this allows us to make your donation go further. | |||
