Page 6 - Autumn 22

BAHVS Reconnection Congress – Eastbourne, 5/6 November 2022 by Sara Fox Chapman
It was a joy and delight to be part of the group of BAHVS members reconnecting at a residential Congress for the first time since Edinburgh in 2019. As BAHVS President Ilse Pedler said in her opening of the Congress, it had been too long, and it was beyond fabulous to see so many friends and colleagues again.
The venue for the Congress was the YHA Eastbourne, just a bit west of the town centre on the South Downs. The BAHVS had exclusive use of the hostel for the Congress, and we are grateful to Ann Wood for helping us arrange the booking. Planning for the Congress started in April, and we are immensely grateful to Ilse for sorting the sponsors and the refreshments and to Geoff for arranging the speakers at such short notice. Additional thanks to Brendan for the IT support, and Kristina Clarke for the programme notes. All of the attendees pitched in to provide meals and tea breaks, and to keep the hostel tidy; this was a truly collaborative Congress!
We had 31 in person attendees, and 23 Zoom attendees for the full conference. Our most distant traveler was Barbara Stumbles, from New Zealand. Additional attendees traveled from Germany, Denmark, the US, and from all over the British Isles. Zoom attendees were watching in Japan, Australia, Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia, Israel, Germany, Turkey, the US, and the UK.
There were some challenges inherent in the venue. The hostel had a large gathering area, and tables doubled for eating and taking notes. Attendance was limited, so we all did fit, though we were cosy! Technology was not on our side; the internet was unstable, and our techie members were busy ensuring that our Zoom members had the best experience possible. All the speakers were recorded, and those recordings will be provided to all attendees.
Our opening speaker, Tim Couzens, discussed how he uses
Pituitary 12 C in his practice. Sarcodes are homeopathic medicines prepared from healthy tissues or secretions, showing the influence of the source tissue; they can be used to enhance, suppress, or optimise the source tissue function. Opinions range as to how the different potencies vary in function. Tim opted to use a 12 C, as his literature search indicated that this was most likely to regulate function. Prepared from the master gland of the body, potentised Pituitary has a wide range of effects through the body. As the multiple pituitary hormones have wide ranging effects, so too can the potentised gland. Tim clearly demonstrated effective use of Pituitary 12 C in cases of false pregnancy, hypersexuality, acromegaly, and non-pruritic alopecia, giving us another tool to consider in helping our patients.
Lise Hansen’s presentation of practice strategies, What Works for Me, gave us a peek inside her practice. Allergic skin cases, which challenge many homeopaths, are Lise’s favourite cases. They respond well because there is no irreversible pathology, and when a strong patient is showing strong signs, homeopathy can balance the immune system and cure the patient. Lise recognises that clients with skin patients are fed up, due to both the patient’s signs and a history of unsuccessful conventional treatment, and need a clear time frame for improvement; usually 6 months in her practice. These patients need
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