Are naturopaths allowed to push religious beliefs etc on you?

Question

I went to this naturopath with my little brother to try and get some natural remedies for his ADHD and the minute we got in the door and said hello the the naturopath, he passed the movie sixth sense to me and said this is the problem your going to have to watch this, he then told me that my brother had 3 ghost with him and that he would have to go to a river to be blessed and have them cast out by a tribal leader. Not only did it scare my poor 6 year old brother to be told this rubbish, but we are very religious people with our own beliefs. When then left with a $50.00 bill!!!! I thought this was absurd and i didnt go to see a witch dr, i went to get natural remedies. are they allowed to do that???

Answer 1

Naturopathy is in essence a form of religious belief, as is much of New Age Alt Med...especially the "energy" healing types of things.

So...yes, I guess they are.

Answer 2

Well I don't think anyone is allowed to push religious beliefs on you. It's not right

Answer 3

Whether he is allowed to or not, do yourself a favour and find another more grounded practitioner.

If you do want to take it further then contact his regulators or association and take it from there.

Edit:

Looking at some of the answers I'm not sure where the law stands or his regulators stand on this.

When I did my osteopthic training we were expressely told not to push our beleifs onto patients and the General Osteopthic council in the UK would have taken a very dim view on this.

I'm sure the New Zealand osteopthic council wouldn't be happy either....

Having said that I have heard of Cranial Practitoners who have told their patients c**p like they were hung in a past life and and they could palpate the nouse around their neck that being the source of their ill's etc....

Apparently that old chestnut has been around for a while.

Being a cranial practitioner myself (not exclusively) I find this kind of behviour an embarasment to say the least. This kind of statement could easily offend someone who was deeply religious or somene who was an atheist even.

Fortunately there are also a lot of very grounded cranial practitioners (I consider myself one of them) who practice from a stuctural functional point of view.

Just see someone else.

Look up what his remit is as a naturopathic practitioner under regulations and guidelines. From what ytou have described and what I understand about naturopathy you didn't receive a naturopathic consultation. If he hasn't fullfilled his criteria report him. Its likely decent Naturopaths will also find him an embarasment and prefer he wasn't in practice.

Contrary to some of the answers naturopathy it isn't a religion but their is an aspect of a beleif system in the therapy not unlike a belief system in Allopathy or atheism.

I have actually studied naturopathy (but don't practice) and didn't recall any lectures about ghosts and spirits. Our primary lecturer was an Orthodox Jew and would have abondoned the practice if this was a remit.

The practice was about enhancing nature to heal not taping into the supernatural.

Answer 4

Mumbo indeed. I've never heard of a Naturopath like that before. Try a different one!

Are they allowed to? Difficult question. Freedom of speech maybe.  

Answer 5

The guy is a quack.  Plain and simple.  But the fact is that only the government employees are not allowed to push religion on you.  You're a school teacher and you work in a place that is funded and regulated by the government, and where attendance is mandatory unless the kids are enrolled in a private school or home schooled.  To allow people to push religious ideas in this setting would be a gross violation of the first amendmant.  

Answer 6

They can do what ever they want. I'd call a GOOD Chiropractor and take him there. Chiropractors do more than adjust spines..they can help with adhd/depression etc.

Answer 7

It's his practice and he can say what he wants. The only people regulated against that are those like you that work for the government. Otherwise it's allowed because of free speech. That said, don't ever go back to this guy. I go to a fabulous Naturopath who is completely trustworthy and never says anything like this to me. I think you just found a really odd doctor. I'd ask around and see if you can find a recommendation of someone better. This isn't part of the Naturopathic training so don't be afraid to go to another one in the future.

Answer 8

I don't think they can like push or force for you to hear about theirs because of the advantage of being on their time.  But I think they can promote the literature in their office and let you have freewill to choose to look at it or not.

I did go to a husband and wife team they were in the the Ekno...whatever.  the literature was available but not offered.

Answer 9

I wouldnt put much into what a naturopath has to say..  Use medicine that is based on science..   He might not even need medicine or a remedy.  He might just be child.  If you are insistant on folowing through with an alternative doctor give him a homeopathic remedy and if he get better that will tell you that nothing was wrong with him in the first place.

Answer 10

Are we talking about the same profession? A Naturopathic Doctor is a Medical Doctor additionally trained in using natural healing substances, such as herbs and homeopathy. While I don't doubt you, your experience doesn't seem believable.  I've not heard of this before, and the NDs I know behave with the utmost respect and professionalism. The way this person behaved represented him, not his profession. NDs are not licensed in all states. I'd check yours, and report this.

Answer 11

Well there's no law against a doctor incorporating his religious beliefs into his or her practice of medicine.  But I'd definitely see a naturopath that is more to your liking.  I have provided a link where you can get some really good advice from a master herbalist regarding ADHD and many other ailments.