The California College of Ayurveda is pleased to introduce you to our Ayurvedic Health Practitioner Interns 2013-2014. Our Interns have completed their academic studies and are now working under the supervision of our experienced clinical instructors. The talented group of interns comes from throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

Our Ayurvedic Health Practitioner (AHP) interns work on supporting their patients to adopt a healthy lifestyle that is in harmony with their constitution. When you see an Ayurvedic Health Practitioner, you will learn your constitution as well as the nature of any imbalances. You will also receive support to adjust your diet and lifestyle accordingly and to normalize your digestion and elimination. As part of your program, an intern can include ayurvedic herbal medicines, aromatherapy, color therapy, sound and mantra, and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. This is is the best of preventative health care! If you are have a specifc condition and are looking for clinical management through Ayurvedic Medicine, you should consider having a consultation with an Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist intern or graduate. 

Interview with Pam from Northern California

1)  What inspired you to study Ayurvedic Medicine?

My journey into Ayurvedic medicine started with training in the traditional Allopathic medical system.  After I graduated medical school in 2001, I trained in the US Air Force as a family physician and practiced family medicine for 10 years, switching to urgent care medicine 2.5 years ago.  Although I loved being a family doc, I was able to witness firsthand the limitations of western medicine, especially in the treatment of chronic conditions.  I was always interested in ancient healing paradigms and as a teen had read a book on Ayurveda by Deepak Chopra, which always stayed with me.  Four years ago I started my studies in Ayurvedic medicine.  It has been a slow process for me as I transition out of one paradigm into another, but this year I finally took a leap of faith and moved from Philadelphia to Grass Valley to be an intern at the school.  I am very excited to be here and work with patients in what feels like a more authentic way for me!

2)    What do you think makes Ayurveda attractive to the public?

What is not to love about Ayurveda?  In many ways it is “common sense medicine.”  Ayurveda helps to bring you back into harmony with nature and with yourself.  It uses natural means with focus on diet and herbs for healing.  Another thing I love about Ayurveda is that it is truly recognizes the uniqueness of each individual and the fact that each of us has a unique constitution and set of challenges.  At the same time, Ayurveda recognizes that the Source for healing is within each and every one of us.
 

3)    What do you think about the future of Ayurveda in the United States?

I have seen a shift in acceptance from western medicine to alternative therapies and an interest in nutrition by many, many people.  For instance, I do physicals for the department of transportation and had a truck-driver ask me the other day whether he should switch to from homogenized milk to almond milk.  The public wants and needs a more holistic paradigm to keep them healthy and a healing method that is more in alignment with nature.  I would love to serve as a bridge for many to walk from western medicine to Ayurveda and I hope to foster increased acceptance in the medical community that I came from.

4)    What is your favorite therapy in this traditional system of medicine from India?

I want to emphasize that the mainstay of treatment is a gradual and consistent change in behaviors that are imbalancing to your system.  As everyone knows, change is hard!  My favorite thing is the use of consistent coaching in diet and routine to help people make that change.  That being said, there are a lot of focused body treatments that are fantastic in Ayurveda.  I have personally experienced the benefits of a treatment called Shirodhara.  Shirodhara is a calming therapy that involves pouring a steady stream of warm oil over the forehead.  It is useful for many issues of the nervous system.  It worked amazingly well for my worry and insomnia that I had been experiencing and even put me into a meditative state.  It was more amazing than any drug I could have taken.  There are a number of Ayurvedic therapies that help decrease the rapid activity of the mind, which is so incredibly important during this time.

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