Interview with Uta Schiel,

Head of the Paracelsus School Stuttgart

R.S.: What is your understanding of holism?

U.Sch.: For me as a therapist, holism means allowing myself to be guided by my intuition during treatment while at the same time having the knowledge to include all levels – body, laboratory, anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, the psyche – and the perception to grasp the patient's essence beyond that.
When, as a therapist, I create the connection between my knowledge and my intuition, I treat holistically.

R.S.: What is your understanding of holism as an instructor at the Paracelsus School Stuttgart?

U.Sch.: My aim as course director here is to provide an open programme from which each of my students can take what suits them and what is their path. There is nothing generalising about it. I see my main task in advising and supporting each person to find their very individual way. For one person that may mean practising manual therapy because they have the soul in their hands. Others do not work on the body at all but rather in the spiritual field. Everything is allowed. I try, through many seminar offerings, to encourage participants—some of whom come with fixed ideas—to broaden their horizons. Or put another way: participants who are very open can find their path here, which may also involve narrowing what they had imagined. As head of the school, holism here means offering a very wide spectrum through which they can find their way.

R.S.: Is that well received?

U.Sch.: I would say yes, because I receive responses at all levels. I also get a lot of support here at the school for what I do. Very practically, my students come and say: “Ms Schiel, I'm still missing an element” or “We still need something. We need more knowledge about microbiology.” Then it takes no more than four weeks and the course is offered. The seminar programme is constantly evolving, and I insist on the highest quality. I make no compromises.

R.S.: In terms of tutors and topics?

U.Sch.: Yes

R.S.: And the teaching itself, which for Heilpraktiker is divided into many subjects, leading to the impression that one thing has nothing to do with another. Do you prepare prospective Heilpraktiker by your attitude to link this knowledge better?

U.Sch.: I hope so, because that is my intention. Two things support me in this. One is that we teach on a rotating basis. Everyone starts a different topic and after two years reaches the beginning of their training again. There may be disadvantages, but the great advantage is that each topic, even from a conventional medical perspective, is repeatedly examined from very different angles. All of this meshes together like gears. Take diabetes as an example. The topic arises when I discuss the pancreas, the endocrine system, metabolic diseases, degenerative and autoimmune diseases, so that students learn not to see a system in isolation but to see the connections. It is, of course, beneficial the more time students spend here at the school—i.e. the more classes they book—the more my tutors have the opportunity in regular teaching to include the naturopathic interrelationships.
There is a second point: I only have tutors who have worked in their own practices for many years. I also have two female doctors among them who are specialists in their fields and who always place detailed conventional medical knowledge into a broader context. Nevertheless, the examination is purely conventional medicine. I myself have never regretted for a second that I received a good conventional medical education.

R.S.: I can only confirm that. On to the next point.
I find it wonderful that we have both come to the conclusion: when you have to learn so many subjects, it is helpful to look at organ systems as a whole and learn what conflicts lie behind them and what possibilities there are to treat chronic illnesses holistically. That was my idea for the 12 volumes, the organ series. You have developed your own idea for your school in this regard.

U.Sch.: For me, the diseases and topics that the future will bring no longer find answers in the thinking “I use a single therapeutic method” or “I specialise in the physical aspect” or “I specialise only in the psyche”. Society's response shows that Heilpraktiker as a profession have become well established. We have associations that are large and strong, so that the EU can no longer oppose them. I recently received a message from France that they want to introduce the Heilpraktiker. And I am grateful every day that we have these opportunities here. Society needs an answer, and that answer can come from Heilpraktiker—addressing new questions and new diseases. Therefore Heilpraktiker must also tackle diseases that can be treated simply. I do not accept dogmas about what allegedly cannot be treated. With this attitude, I need a different teaching tool that gives courage.

As of December 2011 the Organ Series by Rosina Sonnenschmidt is complete.

I also have the idea that Narayana Verlag could set up a one-day information stand here with you so that my students are given easier access to these books in that way. I regularly, when we have covered the topic of digestion, bring the organ book into the lesson. Or for the topic of the liver I bring the corresponding book into class so that the alternatives are always present. My tutors are already doing that.

Volume 2: Liver and Gallbladder

R.S.: Do you receive support for your ideas from the overall Paracelsus school network?

U.Sch.: Of course everything has to be agreed. What is special about the Paracelsus schools is that each school is characterised by its profile. You cannot generalise the schools. We have a very flat hierarchy. There are no long hierarchical channels. How I design the work at this school depends on me and on my commitment. I thank Mr Martin every time for his support. If the school is accepted here and the students are satisfied, then you can see the success and you know you are on the right path.

R.S.: Do you have particular visions? You spoke earlier of the present and a view to the future. What are your visions going forward? What would you still like to realise?

U.Sch.: My common thread is that I want to advance therapist training more. The prospective practitioner training already takes place at a very high level. But I have also designed a third of my seminar programme specifically for qualified therapists. For example, I offer psychotherapeutic supervision. I believe there is still a great need for that. As Heilpraktiker we also have a continuing education obligation. From my own experience, you continue your training according to need, always in a particular direction, but you lose sight of what else exists. I want to enrich qualified therapists here with seminar offerings, that is, to offer further special trainings while maintaining high quality. In practice it becomes clear that we need broader trainings and therefore I always have open ears and an open mailbox for needs that arise from practice. That is my goal: to offer new seminars when a need becomes apparent.

R.S.: Looking back on your time as head of the school: has a wish of yours been fulfilled by this work?

U.Sch.: It is actually the case that I never doubted for a second that I could manage this work. It was only a question of organising my other life, whether it was the right time. But because I have a good access to what we call higher powers, it was clear to me: I'm not going here by my own doing, I have been placed here. Because the symbiosis of all my experiences and abilities takes place here, it is easy for me. What I definitely continue to run is my own practice.
This work here gives me great pleasure. I look forward to it every day. It is indeed a 365-day job from 9 to 8 every day. Nevertheless, I have so many freedoms. It is a question of organisation — and I have an excellent secretary. That is so valuable! It allows me to concentrate on my teaching, the seminar programme and advising and supporting my students. These are tasks that demand so much creativity.

R.S.: What made you so certain that this was exactly the right position?

Image of a statue from Volume 10: Limb System

U.Sch.: I would like to tell you an incident. About six weeks ago a woman came in unannounced from the street and said to me: “You know, I've been walking past this building for five or six years. Today I had the feeling for the first time that this house is calling, and I had to come in and look.” Or a second incident: I had a prospect on the phone who said: “You know, I've known the Paracelsus School for years. But I always clicked past it quickly. This time I had the feeling that something has changed.” Those were signs for me that I am in the right place, that everything is in harmony. Yes, the Great Spirit always helps.

R.S.: That's really true.
What are your further plans and visions? What is important for you to communicate?

U.Sch.: I want to do more to make the image of the Heilpraktiker in society more tangible. I tell my people: don't advertise simply as “Heilpraktiker”, but specify what your focus is. What can you offer people? I am working to bring the Heilpraktiker out of an intangible, for many an intimidating corner, so that they are more recognised by society. Also the opinion “I can't afford a Heilpraktiker” is a common argument that I know well. If I then consider what it costs to take a car to the garage or buy a pair of new shoes, it relativises the whole thing.
Of course, it may seem as if we treat an elite. But that is not the task of Heilpraktiker. I want them to be suitable for everyone who urgently needs them, including the financially weak. For example, I have notices here for social places for Heilpraktiker for psychology. This is a cooperation with the state (Baden-Württemberg). People can register there, where they have to meet state requirements, present their financial situation and can choose a Heilpraktiker in their area of need — so-called social places can be taken. Each Heilpraktiker for psychotherapy decides for themselves whether to register and provide places. That is one possibility.

R.S.: Is your thinking, feeling and acting determined by your spiritual grounding?

U.Sch.: Only in that way can I do my work, only so. If I were to lose my inner grounding, I would become ill in this position. I always also need compensation: my country, my husband, my horse, my child, my house, my garden.
Suppose a course is advertised here and no-one signs up, I don't have to worry. I tell myself: either it is meant to be this way or enough people will come at the last minute. I have already experienced the most wonderful things; I need not worry. I can only do that through the inner certainty that I am being guided here.

R.S.: That's wonderful! Is there anything else important to you?

U.Sch.: I would be thrilled if I could get you back to this school again.

R.S.: Certainly!

U.Sch.: I also want to offer more in the spiritual field, thoroughly grounded. When I took over the school here, the mental offerings were quite good. I was able to achieve a lot in a short time. But I think it doesn't work without the spiritual orientation. The emotional and psychological areas are well covered, as is the physical level. But the spiritual level still needs to be promoted.

Lotus

R.S.: Do you already have ideas about that?

U.Sch.: I would like to bring mediumship and healer training to the school. We'll see how everything works out. If it is meant to be, it will succeed. What I need is a serious, down-to-earth training. That is very important to me. More and more people realise that this is part of their lives, but they are hugely afraid of going public with it and even more afraid of being put in a corner they do not want to be in. I think I can contribute a lot to giving this area more weight and more acceptance.

R.S.: I can well understand that, because we are increasingly training professional therapists. If we don't call it “mediumship” and “spiritual healing” — it's about expanded perception. I see a huge need there. Therapists can use their intuitive abilities one to one and learn to trust their intuition as much as their physical senses. I think that is promising for the future. I'm sure we can find a way to cooperate.

U.Sch.: In this area too there is only the highest quality for me. I don't do things by halves.

R.S.: I think your statements will also encourage other people in leadership roles to bring the spiritual aspect into their work. Your attitude will inspire many.

U.Sch.: I am very pleased that you conducted this interview, because it is once again a support and confirmation for me and my work. Also that the message is carried forward independently of my person.
Thank you.
And that in this way we also network so that this field grows larger.
I am sure that if spirituality gains access to Heilpraktiker in a very inconspicuous way, the profession will become forward-looking. Many therapists and many therapy forms still leave it out. It would be good if the Heilpraktiker in future also receives guidance on how to create inner stability and how to expand their perception.