Press release -
Bridging between guidelines and the art of medicine >>> Podcast on therapeutic intuition by the Medical Section at the Goetheanum
Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, 12 December 2024
What remains when all the knowledge from guidelines and textbooks does not suit the individual patients one meets as a physician or therapist? Erik Baars pursues this question in conversation with Julia Demming from the Medical Section at the Goetheanum. Erik Baars is professor of Anthroposophic Medicine at the University of Applied Sciences in Leiden (NL).
The Dutch physician, epidemiologist, leading healthcare researcher at the Louis Bolk Institute and professor of Anthroposophic Medicine at the University of Applied Sciences in Leiden (NL) has spent many years evaluating studies into ‘therapeutic intuition‘. In the study ‘The Imaging Intuitive Discussion’ (2023) Erik Baars, Pim Blomaard and Pascal Kreijen present qualitative criteria of intuition in the professional medical context based on interviews with physicians. They define ‘therapeutic intuition’ as knowledge that appears suddenly and effortlessly, that does not follow logical thinking and gives the person who has the intuition a sense that it suits the situation, often appearing like a missing puzzle piece that complements the other aspects leading towards a diagnosis. They conclude that intuition is often crucial in the daily clinical routine and that it can extend and complement a guideline-based medicine.
Erik Baars says that one can learn intuition. If medical professionals have enough expertise in their field and train their sensitivity for an intuitive perception of patients, they will be more likely to glean insights regarding diagnosis and therapy in this way. According to Erik Baars, the sharing of experiences about intuitive perceptions and impulses should be part of everyday clinical life since this kind of exchange may increase the faculties required to develop intuition.
Intuition is fundamental to anthroposophical inner development and therefore relevant to Anthroposophic Medicine. Particularly in the case of complex interventions, which are enriched by the integrative approach of Anthroposophic Medicine, intuition can provide crucial support to physicians.
(2064 characters/Julia Demming; English by Margot M. Saar)
Podcast (English) Therapeutic Intuition: bridging between guidelines and the art of medicine in the podcast series Humanity and Health (circa 47 minutes) Link
Contact person Julia Demming
Topics
Categories
The Goetheanum is the headquarters for the School of Spiritual Science and the General Anthroposophical Society. The School of Spiritual Science with its eleven sections is active worldwide in research, development, teaching, and the practical implementation of its research findings and is supported by the Anthroposophical Society.
