In the realm where science meets spirituality, there exists a harmonious convergence that Dr. Gwenda Kyd, B.Sc.(Hons.), Ph.D., Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner, masterfully navigates. Dr. Kyd’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of holistic healing, seamlessly blending her academic prowess with an intuitive understanding of the human spirit. Join Mystic Mag as we delve into the fascinating narrative of a healer whose symphony of knowledge resonates beyond conventional boundaries, offering unique insights into the intricate dance between mind, body, and soul.
With your background in science and your expertise as a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner, how do you navigate the intersection between evidence-based approaches and holistic healing methods in your practice?
Curiosity about how and why things happen drew me to chemistry and it also led to my interest in holistic healing. Could there possibly be something in these different methods of healing? My scientific background has been an asset to my Bach work as having one foot in each ‘camp’ is a good conversation starter to get people interested! It would be nice if there was a scientific explanation for how the Remedies work but it doesn’t really matter how they make people feel better so long as they do. When challenged, I encourage people just to try the Remedies for themselves – they can’t do any harm and they might just do some good.
Dr Bach wanted the Remedies to be accessible to all so did not try to explain their action scientifically. However, at the time he developed the Remedies in the 1920s and 30s, people would take what their doctor gave them, usually unquestioningly. Today, we live in an information-rich society where there is an expectation of proof and explanations. People working with the Remedies have ample evidence, as we’ve seen or experienced the effects, but for someone looking from outside, a lack of incontrovertible proof can be a problem – particularly given the prevalence of unfounded claims for a range of cures and treatments on the internet. The need for explanations can draw people towards so-called pseudo-science claiming to show all types of things but unfortunately, this often doesn’t stand up under close scrutiny.
But using conventional scientific methods to study complementary therapies is problematic – these methods are designed to test the same treatment (or no treatment) on a large number of people suffering from a physical condition with any changes monitored. Bach Remedies are not used to treat physical conditions and single Remedies are usually combined into a mixture tailored to the individual rather than using a one-size-fits-all Remedy or mix. However, some small scientific studies have been carried out – a few show positive results while others show no effect. It’s easy to get carried away with the positive results when you really want to see the effectiveness of the Remedies proven, but over-stating the positives can damage the credibility of the Remedy system.
As a result of this concern, myself and some other scientifically-trained Bach practitioners have started to collect, summarize and appraise the published studies to build up a database. It’s still early days and ultimately, we aim to produce a fully searchable online resource, but even in its fledgling state, we hope it will prove useful for practitioners, researchers and other interested parties. The database can be found at: https://www.cambridge-bach.co.uk/bach-science-studies-database/
We’d like as many people as possible to benefit from the Bach Remedies and the lack of evidence from conventional scientific studies is a barrier to this e.g. in acceptance by the NHS and health insurance companies. And yet, compared to drug therapy the Remedies are safe and cheap – we just need to show people how effective they can be.
Can you share with us the journey that led you from your scientific training to becoming a practitioner in Bach Flower Remedies?
My interest in medicinal plants started when I was editing a chemical database – I noticed that many scientists were trying to extract and study individual active chemical compounds obtained from the plants used in traditional medicine. I did some short courses on herbal medicine and on one of these the Bach Flower Remedies were mentioned. In herbal medicine, active chemical compounds from plants work on the body, and in this respect it’s comparable to conventional medicine, however, Bach Remedies act in a different way altogether – harnessing the energy or essence of the flowers to balance our emotional states. I was curious about this because it was so different and took an introductory course on the Remedies. At the end of the course, I still had a lot of questions, so I continued studying a more advanced course and then the practitioner-level course. During this time two things happened. Firstly, I was able to use the Remedies to help a friend who was struggling after losing a child – the profound benefits that she described (and I noticed) inspired me to want to help other people too. Secondly, I took the Remedies myself over a period of about 6 months. I had never been a very confident person but after using the Remedies I’d changed from saying ‘no, I can’t do that’ to ‘why not give it a go?’. So, once I had completed the training which would allow me to become a practitioner, it was a no-brainer – I’d seen the effect of using the Remedies on myself and my friend and now I had the knowledge, why wouldn’t I use it to help other people?
What type of services do you offer?
I offer Bach Flower Remedy consultations. These involve talking with the client – in-person, online or by phone – about anything which is bothering them and which they want help with. Based on this, I suggest possible Bach Remedies which could help them. I don’t prescribe Remedies, rather I suggest them, and the client decides whether or not to take each of the suggested Remedies. Once we’ve decided on Remedies, typically up to 6 or 7, I make up an individualized bottle containing drops of each. When the client has finished the bottle, usually in 3 or 4 weeks, we re-assess and amend the Remedy mix as necessary. While the client is using the Remedies, I’m also available to provide support and guidance.
If a client already knows which Remedies they want, I also offer a mixing service where I will make up a bottle of the mixture and post or deliver it to them.
In addition, I offer talks and workshops on using the Bach Flower Remedies and also exploring the plants which are used to make them.
What drew you specifically to Bach Flower Remedies as a modality for healing, and how do you integrate it into your work?
I wasn’t consciously looking or planning to become a practitioner – the Remedies found me. I love the simplicity of the Bach system – using 38 Remedies from Nature which can’t do any harm but can bring huge benefits to people’s health and well-being. I only work with the Bach Remedies – for me, it feels that I can be clear about what and how I can help.
However, I do many other types of work still using science e.g. exam-marking and tutoring and I’ve built on my interest in plants and written two books about plants and their uses including their scientific bases. The second of these, ‘The Plants of Dr Bach, Molecules, Remedies and Lore’, is about the 36 plants used to make the 38 Remedies. (https://www.cambridge-bach.co.uk/plants-dr-bach/). I give talks to all types of groups about plants and whatever I’m talking about, someone always wants to ask about the Bach Remedies – I love the way all parts of my work interlink!
As a practitioner, how do you assess the effectiveness of Bach Flower Remedies in your clients’ healing journeys?
Clients often seek help when they have been unhappy or unwell for a long time. After the consultation, the weight starting to lift from their shoulders is often visible immediately. The Remedies work subtly and some people feel better quicker than others. Children are particularly susceptible to the benefits, possibly because they have less resistance to change. It’s common for clients to be unsure if the Remedies have helped – until perhaps a friend or family member tells them they seem much better. And when they come for a follow-up appointment and we have a look at the Remedies they were taking, they’ve forgotten how they were feeling before and why they were taking specific Remedies, because they feel so much better now.
We treat the emotional states ‘on the surface’ and as these are dealt with by the first mixture, deeper-lying emotional states emerge and we can deal with them with a different mix of Remedies – we describe this as ‘peeling the onion’. How far clients want to go with the Remedies is up to them. When they’ve been feeling a certain way for a long time, change is scary and unsettling even if it’s something they want, so they may only be comfortable with a little bit of change at a time. There’s no timescale to reaching your optimum state of well-being but if you persist with the Remedies at your own pace, you will get there.
What do you love the most about your profession?
People are multi-faceted, and I love the way that working with the Remedies can help unravel this and remove the negative baggage that clients have picked up through their lives. It’s a privilege to be a small part of their journey to improved health and well-being. I’ve met so many interesting people through working with the Remedies and it’s also opened up numerous other opportunities – I can’t wait to see where the Remedies will take me next!
