Similia Vol 35 No 2 – December 2022

Authors: Dr Celeste J Salter and Sunny Goddard

Abstract

A team approach designed to enhance community resilience and research output for practitioners of homeopathy in Australia.

This paper describes a team approach for enhancing community resilience while undertaking homeopathy research activity in Australia, named  Research Pods. The Australian homeopathy profession could be regarded as endangered as practitioner numbers are declining and homeopaths are a  professionally isolated cohort. In addition, the public discourse about homeopathy undermines and marginalises its practitioners. This climate of  distrust creates a social environment where motivation and resilience flounder. The Pod initiative seeks to address these issues by bringing practitioners together in research activity. This simultaneously produces relevant and useful content as well as providing essential peer support and  connection, which is essential for building resilience. Two theories that align with this Pods concept and are in keeping with homeopathic philosophy  are Self Determination Theory and Teal Organisational Theory. Self Determination Theory identifies the importance of relatedness in creating and  maintaining extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Teal Organisational Theory describes three key pillars that define a new model of group interaction, comprising wholeness, evolutionary purpose and self-organisation. Elements of these two theories are fundamental to the Pod initiative and are  inherent to homeopathic practice. This is a novel application of these theories to professional practice and research activity within homeopathy.