Nuh uh... You can't say that!
Venturing into the world of herbalism can be a minefield of what not to say with dire consequences if you get it wrong.
But the good news is, it's possible to communicate what we mean in an effective way without getting into legal trouble.
You just need to make a few savvy tweaks to tighten up your approach, which is exactly what we're about to cover.
How To Communicate About Herbs Without Getting Into Legal Trouble
Remember, as herbalists we are not licensed medical practitioners and we do not practice medicine. Right now, we are going to cover:
- What words & phrases you should be avoiding,
- Some great alternatives that you can use instead to educate people about what you do and how you work with herbs.
Here are some savvy language tweaks to help you on your way!
Tweak #1:
AVOID: Diagnose Disease
INSTEAD: Assess the State of the Body
Rather than practicing medicine, which the terms diagnose and disease imply, we're working with people to help support their body and their wellness.
You might like to use terms like:
- Assessing the state of the body
- Evaluating the person as a whole or their energy,
Tweak #2:
AVOID: Prevent Illness
INSTEAD: Support the Body to Maintain Natural Balance
You can't necessarily prevent and you don't want to talk about illnesses.
Rather than preventing illness, which is what medical practitioners do, we can support the body to maintain the natural balance.
This goes hand in hand with a healthy body that probably is most likely absent of these illnesses and disease -- but we're not saying that outright.
Tweak #3:
AVOID: Relieve Symptoms
INSTEAD: Ease Discomfort or Imbalance
Once again, relieving symptoms falls under the umbrella of practicing medicine and as herbalists, we are primarily educators and not medical practitioners.
Instead, you might ease discomfort or correct an imbalance in the body.
Tweak #4:
AVOID: Heal Patients
INSTEAD: Support Clients
Rather than healing patients, which is what licensed medical practitioners do, herbalists can supporting their clients.
It's better to refer to the people you work with as clients and that you're supporting them on their wellness journey rather than healing their illnesses and diseases.
Tweak #5:
AVOID: Medicines & Remedies
INSTEAD: Herbal Preparation
Steer away from using terms such as medicines, medications, and remedies.
Alternatives that you can opt for include herbal preparations or herbal products.
Tweak #6:
AVOID: Treat
INSTEAD: Provide Herbal Education
Let's get this straight: we're NOT treating diseases, we're not treating symptoms, we're not treating anything.
We are providing herbal education so that clients can take control of their own wellness and make better decisions when it comes to their whole health.
Tweak #7:
AVOID: Prescribe
INSTEAD: Develop a herbal plan to support the body
Once again, the term prescribe falls under the umbrella of practicing medicine, which we as herbalists, are not licensed to do.
Instead, you can develop a herbal plan to support the body or restore the natural balance.
Remember that all of the words that you use are just words!
Intent has a big impact on how your words are interpreted.
As herbalists, we are not licensed medical practitioners. We are primarily educators and help to support our clients on their wellness journey.
We understand the herbs and are able to educate our clients around how they're used to support the body.
But we do NOT make any diagnosis, prescribe herbal regimens or medications That's not what we do.
No matter what language you use, you need to think about how what you're saying can be interpreted.
It is also in the best interest of our clients to understand our role and how the herbs can help them on their journey of natural balance and wellness.