Challenging Belief Systems: Family Hope Center & Special Needs

June 10, 2013 by Jenny Herman 17 Comments

As I work through my Family Hope Center ongoing review, I am being challenged. Matthew and Carol Newell are challenging me to look at what I believe about the body and what is possible and what the modern marvels of medicine have taught me.

I know I am probably going to get some heat for this post, but I still think it’s important, especially in relation to the Family Hope Center’s programs. If you’re going to consider using their methods, you have to be willing to let go of what most of us have been taught as we grew up. So, let me start by saying two things.

I am not trying to start an online war about modern medicine vs. what is now considered non-traditional treatments. I ask that you keep the discussion respectful. Remember you don’t know what other people have experienced. Personally, I always try to remember what works for me (GFCF diet, for example) may not work for others, and I should temper my enthusiasm when sharing a new treatment and not overwhelm the other person. I am also not trying to say I know everything. I am sharing what has been going through my mind as I listen to these trainings. In our home, we use both medicine and non-medical treatments.

Now, let’s get on to my thoughts…

Image created at quozio.com

Matthew Newell clearly states multiple times in his training that he will challenge your belief system, and he does. I am getting close to finishing the training on the brain and getting into what to do to help your child. He has referenced things as simple as crawling, creeping, and smell therapy can help your child organize and strengthen his brain, thus growing developmentally. It can also help at any age. I’ll learn more about how to create a program for my children soon. There are other elements as well.

But just think about that for a minute. I’m sure a lot of you had an immediate, instinctual reaction to what I just wrote. Crawling…creeping…smell therapy. THAT SIMPLE!? In fact, my husband made a similar comment.

My thoughts are this…

It’s hard for us to challenge our belief system for a few reasons.

1. In relation to our children, if we try something and it DOESN’T work, we don’t want to “mess up” our child.

2. If we try it and it DOES work, we could experience significant guilt. It’s been that easy all along? I’ve spent all this money, I’ve cried all these tears, I’ve handled all these meltdowns, my child has been isolated, my child has been in pain, my child has…

3. The big medical companies don’t want us to challenge current methods because they’d be out of money. Lynn Shott of Founders Academy put it more eloquently when she mentioned economics and politics. Using the Family Hope Center’s methods with success reduces dependency on medication and medical professionals. (Please note, the FHC does have three medical doctors on staff and is also close to a hospital for its clients that need more intense medical assistance.)

4. Peer pressure–going against the grain can be tough!

Here are thoughts from some of my friends when I asked this question on my Facebook page as I was pondering this post…

1. We may be intimidated by the professionals. We don’t have degrees.

2. Our culture has created an environment that says, “Parents, you can’t do it. You’re not capable. You need a professional (doctor, teacher, etc.).”

As I ponder these things, and the continued mention of “belief system” in the training, I think of the folks in times past, some many years away and some not too far removed from me, who have challenged a belief system. Columbus was the first that came to my mind, but my friends suggested many others: Martin Luther King Jr., William Wilberforce, Adam Smith, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Florence Nightingale, Harriet Tubman, Galileo, and many more. It makes me think it is worth considering what the Newells have to say, especially when what they offer is non-invasive. Something I found extremely interesting is the man who was behind spear-heading the “Stories of Hope” documentary for Family Hope Center was not Matthew Newell, but a dad who attend the special needs seminar as a skeptic, arms crossed in a “I dare you…” pose.

Please don’t disregard the rest of my review because I haven’t gotten to the nitty gritty of working it out. Believe me, the Newells know I am obligated to share pros and cons, and so if there is something wacky here, I’ll let you know! I don’t want this post to turn you off. I simply want it to get you thinking about why it is so hard for us to accept new options for helping our kids or for living well.

Remember to follow #FHCreview on Twitter and Instagram. I send out quotes and thoughts as I go through the training, and once we start working on our individual program, I’ll share pictures of that, too!

Now it’s YOUR turn! What are your thoughts on why we have a hard time changing our belief system? I appreciate your respectful comments.

My next FHCreview post will be about the Family Hope Center’s approach. Guess what–next week I’ll be at the seminar!