Wellness and Alternative Medicine Lecture Series

Each semester, WAM offers a series of lectures and films on topics related to wellness and alternative medicine.

Presentations start at 7 p.m. and are held in the Room 210 (Ellsworth Room) of the Library and Learning Center unless otherwise noted. All are free and open to the public. Contact Susan Green at 802-635-1308 with questions. 

This semester's program:

August 31, 2010
Barbara Raab
Western Herbalism: The Practice and an Herb Walk

Spend an evening learning about the practice of Western herbalism (using plants to support one's health and well-being), what a typical day in the life of an herbalist might be like, training and the various jobs that are open to herbalists, and a campus herb walk to discover plants in our midst that are used for medicine. Barbara Raab is a practicing herbalist who teaches various classes in herbalism at the University of Vermont. She maintains medicinal gardens and a home pharmacy at her home in Waterville.

September 7, 2010
Naturopathic, Homeopathic and
Conventional Allopathic Medicine

Donna Powell, ND, and Charles Anderson, MD

Join Drs. Powell and Anderson in a lively discussion of how they integrate the best of natural medicine (using herbs, homeopathy and acupuncture) with drugs and surgery to heal disease. Naturopathic medicine uses nutrition, botanical medicines and therapeutic techniques such as hypnosis and spine manipulation. Homeopathy is based on the notion that “like cures like” and utilizes dilutions of natural substances to treat physical and emotional imbalance.

September 14, 2010
Meditation and Healing Disease

Nancy Records, teacher, counselor and spiritual coach

Nancy Records teaches a diversity of meditation techniques suited to individual wellness and healing needs. Nancy was involved in the first reported clinical case study in the U.S. in which a person was cured of Addison’s Disease using multiple meditation techniques.

September 21, 2010
Environmental Health, Sick Buildings and Geopathic Stress

Patrick MacManaway, MBChB

The World Health Organization declares 30% of our buildings to be "sick" buildings — buildings in which 20% or more of the occupants are experiencing health or comfort problems attributed to the site. This presentation will outline the key factors in defining the health of buildings and outdoor areas. Dr. MacManaway is a holistic environmental health consultant, past-president of the British Society of Dowsers and founding member of “Circles for Peace.” The author of “Energy Dowsing for Health” and “Cultivating the Light Body,” he consults and teaches in the U.S. and Britain.

September 28, 2010
Homeopathy

Sallie Mack

Homeopathy is a method of natural medicine discovered by a German physician in the late 1700s using plants, minerals and animals as remedies in diluted forms to treat and cure disease and injury. This will be a discussion of the history and philosophy of homeopathy, with examples of actual cases.

 

October 12, 2010
Nutrition: Food for Thought

Andrea Altman, NCBTMB

The field of nutrition is exciting, with many different educational options and nutritional theories. Learn about potential work environments, career paths, and alternative nutritional opportunities that exist in this growing field of study.

 

October 19, 2010
Healing With Ayurveda

Lorilee Schoenbeck

Ayurveda is a 4,000-year-old system of medicine. Ayurveda is also known as the Science of Life. Learn how balancing your individual constitution can bring health and happiness for years to come.

 

October 26, 2010
Traditional Chinese Medicine

Holly Thompson, L.Ac.

Chinese Medicine is a centuries-old modality that is becoming widely used in U.S. clinics and hospitals. This presentation will cover the basics of Chinese medicine and acupuncture and will include demonstrations of acupuncture treatment.

 

November 2, 2010
The Beneficial Effects of Massage Therapy

Andrea Altman, NCBTMB

Learn the basic strokes involved in Swedish massage and see how massage therapy can enhance your body’s own natural healing process. This will be an interactive presentation, with an opportunity to experience components of a Swedish massage by giving and receiving various strokes.

 

November 9, 2010
Holistic Veterinary Medicine

Paul Alfarone, DVM

Dr. Paul Alfarone will discuss how he blends traditional and alternative veterinary care to care for your animal companions. What is the best diet for your pets? Why is the raw food diet so controversial? What are some of the problems with vaccinations? Come hear what Dr. Alfarone has to say about these and other issues.

 

November 16, 2010
Gentle Alignment for Health: Chiropractic Care

Matthew Rushford, DC

Network Spinal Analysis, a form of chiropractic care, does much more than just deal with a stiff neck or sore back. Learn how chiropractic treatment can help to train your spine to return to a state of optimal health.

 

November 30, 2010
The New Medicine, Part 1 (Documentary)

This documentary film by the late Dana Reeves, who was married to “Superman” actor Christopher Reeves, focuses on how medicine is incorporating alternatives into conventional healing.

 

December 7, 2010
The New Medicine, Part 2

Part 2 of the documentary described above.