July 2007 Issue
Dear Reader,
Last week the school's staff took an afternoon off to see "Sicko." And wow, did it ever make me feel sicko! Working in this field for so many years, I had become semi-numb to the pain and suffering the average American goes through regarding their health. It's truly unbelievable. You've got to see this movie.
Most Americans have experienced poor treatment in the healthcare system. Some have had long waits in doctors' office, followed by rushed appointments; others have been denied service by an insurance company. And for the many without insurance, watch out!
Meanwhile, in Canada and in most developed countries around the world, it's just not that way. I remember growing up in Toronto; I never spent any money on healthcare and it was definitely high-quality care.
The goal of healthcare in America has become to increase profits, decrease expenses and have the customer spend as much as possible.
What kind of system is this? Where is the love?
The good news is that more and more people are getting involved in holistic approaches—looking at nutrition and prevention as ways to help sidestep the system.
That's why I'm so proud of the work we do. We just graduated another 1,500 health counselors into the American healthcare system. They will be working in all aspects of society to create positive change for their clients.
During the school year, each student had at least two clients and many had eight, nine or ten. Together, I would estimate that just this class alone met with more than 5,000 people. And that's just in one year. Imagine what we can do as our community continues to grow.
Together, we have the ability to make a major impact by working with corporations, medical offices and in private practice to play a crucial role in improving health and happiness. We are the future of health and wellness in this country and we've got a lot of work ahead.
Thank you for your role in making it happen.
Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd
Founder and Director
