MEET THE ACHENA EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR
Carli Auer, BS, CCH
1. Carli, please tell us about yourself. What led you to becoming a homeopath?
I
discovered homeopathy when I started as a patient 11 years ago. I was quite ill during my pregnancies, to the point where normal daily activities were difficult. I happened upon a talented naturopath who focused her practice in homeopathy. She urged me to make an appointment, saying,
“Have you ever heard of homeopathy? I really think I can help you, please make an appointment,”
with a kind of authority and confidence that made it difficult to say no! I was given a remedy, and within a few weeks, was starting to feel the “old me” coming back. I had been sick for so long, since my first pregnancy, it had been years since I felt like myself. I continued to get better and better and fell in love with this medicine that I believed had saved my life. I was so fascinated with homeopathy and felt a strong pull to make it a part of my life but, at the time, was under the impression that in order to practice homeopathy one had to have a medical license. With two small children at home, medical school was not an option. I had no idea professional homeopaths existed! As soon as I discovered that option, I was enrolled in an accredited, professional training program. Fast forward to today . . .
2. Please tell us about your work at ACHENA. What is the mission and purpose of ACHENA? What is ACHENA’s role in promoting and advancing homeopathy in North America?
I have been involved with ACHENA for the past four years and have had the pleasure to work closely with an incredibly talented and hard-working board of volunteers. We are a small but mighty group! As the administrator, I am the first point of contact for educators, practitioners, students, organizations, and the public. This has given me the unique opportunity to collaborate with homeopathic leaders and educators, gain perspective, and better understand the current strengths and needs of the homeopathic profession.
The mission of ACHENA is to promote excellence in the education of professional homeopaths. We do this in many ways through supporting administrators, educators and students in the accreditation process; establishing and implementing standards for professional homeopathic education; approving continuing education for professional homeopaths; and serving as an accreditation resource center.
ACHENA is committed to the advancement of the homeopathic profession by supporting strong, high quality education, leading to competent practitioners and the safe, effective application of homeopathic medicine for the public. Homeopathic schools and programs that receive ACHENA accreditation have met recognized standards of excellence aimed at protecting the public and promoting professionalism.
ACHENA is currently in the process of applying for formal recognition through the US Department of Education (USED). Gaining this recognition as a specialized accrediting agency is a vital step on the path to further professionalize the practice of homeopathy. This is accomplished by implementing best practices of accrediting agencies, consistent processes for schools, and access to federal financial aid for eligible students who seek it.
Our success depends on the support of the community. ACHENA’s application for recognition by USED entails significant cost, talent, and time, and we need your support by way of treasure, talent, and time! ACHENA is always looking for qualified and experienced commissioners and peer reviewers. If you or someone you know has experience in higher education, homeopathic education, or general accreditation, please consider joining our cause. We have an incredible team of people who are really lovely to work with!
3. What is your vision about the future of Homeopathy?
I want to see homeopathic medicine recognized as a viable healthcare option across all communities. There is a time and place for all modalities of medicine, including allopathy, but holistic modalities are gaining traction in the conventional and integrative medical models. As our society has a growing consciousness demanding more access to holistic forms of wellness, I hope to see homeopathy poised to take a seat at the table. I have hope we can do this by establishing legitimacy in the profession through educational accreditation, certification of highly trained and competent practitioners, strong professional representation, and a cohesive and collaborative community of homeopaths.
4. What message would you extend to CHC certificants, homeopaths and the greater homeopathic community? Anything else you would like to share?
First, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all those in our community who are working endlessly to raise homeopathy up, protect it, and carry it forward. Too many to name but you know who you are! The past four years working with ACHENA have offered me the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from many of you. It is an honor to be a part of this community, to call such passionate and intelligent people my colleagues and friends.
Also, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about accreditation and what it really entails. I have observed over the years that there seems to be many misconceptions about homeopathic accreditation and what it means (or doesn’t mean!), and we are working hard to share accurate information. Yes, becoming accredited is hard work, but it is attainable! ACHENA currently has four accredited homeopathic schools and four schools who are candidates for accreditation. It is very possible that within the next two years, our community could have a total of eight accredited homeopathic schools. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty exciting for our little community!
I look forward to our continued work together and to meeting those I’ve not yet met. Let us all carry homeopathy forward with the perfect mixture of grace, humility, wisdom, courage, and tenacity!
