The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM) strongly condemns the acts of violence and sedition committed in our nation’s capital on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. The images of mobs of people desecrating the halls of congress with white supremist messages and symbols was deeply disturbing. As health care providers who strive to meet our patients with grace, kindness, acceptance and compassion without condition, and understand that love is life’s most powerful healer – we were deeply disturbed by the events that unfolded in an attempt to disrupt our democracy.
As integrative health care providers – physicians, nurses, acupuncturists, chiropractors, direct-entry midwives, naturopathic doctors, massage therapists and many others – we recognize that we are facing multiple health threats: the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic and planetary health issues, rising poverty levels and income inequality, and inequities and healthcare disparities arising from structural racism.
We also recognize the enormous damage and serious consequences that violence and misinformation has on all aspects of our beings: body, mind, spirit, community and planet. We call on leaders to rapidly restore stability, fully prosecute and hold responsible those individuals who committed criminal acts, and put into place the leadership necessary to restore peace.
As Integrative health clinicians we believe in addressing the root causes of ill health rather than solely addressing the downstream effects. We know that to bring about the deeper healing our nation urgently needs, there must be a decisive and concrete nationwide focus on addressing the conditions that create widespread mistrust, misinformation and dehumanization of one another and which serve as the social, economic and political background for events such as the ones on January 6th. As clinicians we know these steps are critical for us to respond to the multitude of public health threats we face and to begin the work towards healing.
We call on leaders from healthcare sectors – health professional organizations, health systems, and health institutions – as well as all sectors of society – to call for peace and to also work towards healing.
