Cadence Natural Health was created with a vision for healthcare for all, with an aim for providing care to anyone who needed it, to anyone who came in the door asking for help. Whether or not we were able to provide direct care, our arms have always been open (and they will always continue to be open) and we will take time to direct someone towards resources that are more helpful.
The recent events have highlighted a number of crises in our nation.
A public health crisis in which we do not have appropriate systems in place to protect all people equally.
A crisis of deeply embedded racism within all aspects of our life, including health care, access to health care and the ability to lead a fruitful and fulfilling life.
Considering these crises, we want to make the following affirmations and statements:
We are acutely aware, now more than ever, that the healthcare system was created in a racist world and therefore is conducive to a world in which deeply intrenched differences in access to quality care exists. This needs to change, and change starts with us.
We acknowledge that the history of naturopathic and alternative medicine specifically is equally based in racism and patriarchy. The ‘founders’ of naturopathic medicine themselves- Sebastian Kneipp, Benedict Lust- have deep roots in white supremacy and anti-semitism. Regardless of the goodwill of naturopaths today, we cannot move forward without acknowledging and condemning this past.
We acknowledge that the health and wellness culture in our world is similarly drenched in whiteness. The subsequent implication from this - that whiteness is required for wellness- is not only absolutely false but also perpetuates racist ideology within these spaces.
We acknowledge that there is an entrenched history of mistrust in white healthcare providers for VERY VALID reasons after centuries of abuse and mistreatment by the medical community.
We acknowledge that it is a privilege to be able to access healthcare in this society. It is a privilege to have had access to higher learning and education. It is a privilege to be able to sleep safely at night, to be able to live in a community without fear of persecution on a daily basis. It will be our never-ending work to make sure every human being has access to these basic human rights as well.
Cadence Natural Health was built on a mission for increased access to care for ALL lives. “Healthcare for All”was never just a political message for us, but a belief. Now more than ever, black lives and Trans lives and black LGBTQIA lives matter. You deserve health and wellness. You deserve that feeling of freedom and lightness that has been denied to you since your ancestors were taken.
This all being said, we at Cadence Natural Health will continue to do our work in improving our ally-ship. We will continue to listen, to grow and to advocate for you and your health.
At this time, we would like to offer the following changes we are making with intentions for growth. These are small steps that will lead to ever more larger steps in the future :
While we encourage anyone to come seek care with us, we acknowledge that many may not feel comfortable seeking care from a white, cis-female identifying doctor. We aim to provide resources for quality healthcare, naturopathic healthcare and wellness by and for people of color on our website and social media.
We are making personal efforts to continue our learning by requiring all staff to undergo diversity and inclusion training from a variety of BiPOC organizations in our community every quarter.
We will make a conscious daily effort to advocate for inclusive imagery in anything we endorse- from magazines in the waiting room, to pamphlets from labs that we work with as well as from companies that we frequently recommend supplements and herbs from.
We will never stop listening, learning, changing and doing this work.
Thank you for reading this statement. Please feel free to contact us if you have any constructive feedback, suggestions or questions.
In good health,
Dr. Constance Ohlinger and Staff at
Cadence Natural Health, LLC