Other Medicine in Mind

Research update:

It was a great week spent in Melbourne delivering research findings on the use and practice of natural therapy forms, such as breathwork, to support mental wellbeing in Australia, at the annual conference of The Australian Sociological Association (TASA).

My research found that a majority of people who used and practised natural therapies to support mental wellbeing, lived with chronic, and often complex psychosocial stressors, of which mental illness diagnoses were a feature. Through the use of natural therapies, many participants reported an increased capacity to self-manage without reliance on the public mental health system. Many participants reported that their use and practice of natural therapies helped to move them towards a state of ‘ease’, and addressed unmet needs, such as a recognition of the self as holistic, a preference for naturalism, and conservative therapeutic interventions (preferences I term as aligned with ‘principles of vitalism’).

In a country like Australia that offers a universal healthcare system, why does such research matter?

Western medicine is pathogenic in its orientation. From the basis of its assumptions, it’s built to diagnose and treat illness. However, there is another side to that coin which concerns supporting and promoting health and wellbeing (a salutogenic orientation). These two orientations exist in parallel, but concern opposite sides of the same dynamic continuum of health from dis-ease to ease.

Since at least 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2019) has recognised a need to research traditional and complementary medicine for integration into Western healthcare models. However, the research the WHO currently calls for, is pathogenic in orientation; focused on illness treatment. Natural therapies are often designed to facilitate wellness, not treat illness, so other measures are needed.

To realise the full potential of ‘global health systems’, adopting ‘systems thinking and complexity’ towards, not only addressing illness, but addressing ways to support wellness is needed. This starts with identifying ‘the conditions of possibility’ towards ‘ease’ and how that ‘ease’ may be assembled from such conditions. Antonovsky’s (1979) salutogenic model of health provides a way to explore ‘conditions of possibility’ for promoting and producing health and wellness. Results may provide viable solutions to buffer currently exhausted health systems.

References
Antonovsky, A. (1979). Health, stress, and coping. Jossey-Bass Publishers.
World Health Organization. (2019). WHO global report on traditional and complementary medicine 2019. WHO.

Save the date!

Research presentation at
Wellness Centre Port Stephens
Sunday, 12 October 2025, 10.20 AM
$10 daily pass or VIP Tickets available

Salutogenesis concerns the origins of health, and the processes that support it which differs to pathogenesis; the origins of disease, disease processes and treatments. Join Kim McNaughton, a doctoral candidate of sociology from the University of Newcastle as she shares insights from her research on how breathwork—the conscious control of one’s breath—can be an empowering resource in times of stress, crises and change and learn about Antonovsky’s (1987, 1996) Salutogenic Model of Health as a theory of ‘good fit’ for studying natural therapies.

To secure your tickets, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/events/wellness-centre-port-stephens/save-the-date-wellfest-2025-/1050945890468888/

RESEARCH UPDATE:

On Thursday 28th of August, I had the privilege of presenting at the UON HDR Festival on the role of breathwork as a salutogenic resource for mental wellbeing. Breathwork refers to the conscious use of one's breath to influence mental, emotional and physical states (Fincham et al., 2023). In contrast, a salutogenic perspective shifts the focus from disease and treatment (pathogenesis) toward the cultivation of health which can be viewed along a dynamic continuum of 'dis-ease' and 'ease' (Fries, 2020).

My presentation shared findings from interviews with breathwork users and focus groups with breathwork facilitators, as a smaller component of a larger sequential mixed-methods study that aims to better understand the use and practice of natural therapies as a resource for mental wellbeing.

I was humbled to receive positive feedback from Associate Professors Caragh Brosnan and Alistair Rolls, who noted the clarity, engagement and maturity of the presentation. Their support underscores the importance of exploring mental health and wellbeing practices from diverse perspectives.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to deliver this presentation on Tuesday the 25th of November at The Australian Sociological Association's 2025 conference, Melbourne University under the theme "Sociology in Action! Wellbeing, Policy, and Activism in Times of Crises and Change."

The use and practice of natural therapies has been a controversial topic in recent years within academia. It's inspiring to see welcoming conversations and dialogue about mental wellbeing and natural approaches to care being so openly received, particularly within academic settings (and in a time when Australia's current mental health system is undergoing crisis).

Good news for the research front!

A few weeks ago I submitted a research abstract to present at The Australian Sociological Associations' 2025 conference, to be held at the University of Melbourne in November. I featured a smaller component of the research which focuses on breathwork, to begin with.

Result? Submission accepted!

As a current doctoral candidate in sociology with a multidisciplinary background in psychology and transdisciplinary research at the University of Newcastle, and more than a decade working in the public mental health and disability sectors, my current research focuses on better understanding the use and practice of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) for supporting mental wellbeing in Australia. TCAM concerns health-related social practices that exist in parallel to, but are not considered to be a part of, Western medicine (Gale, 2014; McCabe, 2005). While many sociologists have explored the use and practice of TCAM (or what is more commonly referred to as CAM in sociology), a literature review revealed no identifiable studies had exclusively focused on its use and practice regarding mental wellbeing (not to be mistaken with mental illness).

To achieve the overall purpose of this study, I applied a sequential mixed-methods design conducted in a constructivist research paradigm. First, I used cross-sectional surveys to identify the types of TCAM being used and practised within the context of supporting mental wellbeing, including consumer and practitioner profiles and usage/practice characteristics. Survey findings then informed a qualitative component of the study. Second, I used interviews and focus groups to explore TCAM consumers’ and practitioners’ motivations, perceptions and experiences regarding their use and practice of TCAM as a resource for supporting mental wellbeing. By way of applying Glaser’s (1965) constant comparative analysis for qualitative research, the codes and categories generated were noted to align with Antonovsky’s (1987, 1993) salutogenic model of health.

The main idea behind the salutogenic model of health is that health and wellness cannot be understood by studying sickness, but by understanding the health-promoting factors related to the production of health and wellness (Fries, 2022). It is a social model of health that fits well with TCAM as a philosophical paradigm founded on vitalism – a belief that there is a vital force operating in the living organism and that this cannot be reduced or explained simply by physical or chemical forces (Coulter et al., 2019, p. 60) – with common features being spiritualism, naturalism, humanism and therapeutic conservatism, to some extent or another (Benton, 1974; Coulter et al., 2019; Greco, 2005).

I look forward to conveying how Antonovsky’s (1987, 1993) salutogenic model of health may assist in better understanding the use and practice of TCAM as a resource for supporting mental wellbeing at the 2025 TASA conference in November. I hope to generate knowledge that inspires future research and potentially influences policy decisions for improved outcomes regarding mental health in Australia.

A BIG thank you to TASA and the many participants and folks who have been a part of this work. Appreciated!

This week on the research front, I've been busily preparing abstracts for conference presentations later in the year. The focus?

More news to come, later in the year.

𝙋𝒓𝙚𝒍𝙞𝒎𝙞𝒏𝙖𝒓𝙮 𝙁𝒊𝙣𝒅𝙞𝒏𝙜𝒔 for the "𝑶𝙩𝒉𝙚𝒓 𝑴𝙚𝒅𝙞𝒄𝙞𝒏𝙚" 𝒊𝙣 "𝑴𝙞𝒏𝙙" research study - AVAILABLE NOW!

👉 Who uses natural therapies to support their mental wellbeing in Australia?

👉 What natural therapies are they using in this context and why?

Like to provide feedback? Request a copy of the preliminary report by emailing [email protected]

Exᴄɪᴛɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴡs ꜰᴏʀ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴛʜᴇʀᴀᴘʏ ᴇɴᴛʜᴜsɪᴀsᴛs!

Mark your calendars for March 31, 2025. I’ll be releasing a 𝑺𝙪𝒎𝙢𝒂𝙧𝒚 𝒐𝙛 𝙁𝒊𝙣𝒅𝙞𝒏𝙜𝒔 report on Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) for mental wellbeing in Australia.

Did you know that Australia has one of the highest usage rates of natural therapies among advanced nations with 63% of adults using some form of it in a given 12-month period?

Discover insights on:
• Who uses natural therapies for mental wellbeing
• Popular therapies and their perceived benefits
• Motivations and experiences of users and practitioners

Discover your go-to natural therapy for keeping mentally well!

University of Newcastle PhD Candidate Kim McNaughton and the Wellness Centre Port Stephens are excited to announce an industry-engaged internship to be undertaken until August 2025.

To learn more about the internship initiative and this amazing centre and its offerings, see https://tr.ee/2yysvc8SID

𝔽𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕦𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟝 ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕙 𝕌𝕡𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖
Now posted to the LinkTree 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨 𝐇𝐮𝐛.

OtherMedicineInMind | Facebook | Linktree Researching natural medicine for supporting mental wellbeing - Information Hub.

ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕙 𝕌𝕡𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖
Data collection has now closed and analysis is underway.

A 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 report will be posted to the LinkTree Info Hub from March 2025 onwards @ https://linktr.ee/OtherMedicineInMind

To all you natural-loving folks out there...

𝙇𝙚𝙩'𝙨 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚 is a podcast hosted by Natalie Hume with support from Annie Gibbins, CEO of the 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 (ATMS). In their premier episode, they talk about natural medicine, daily life, and how it can be used to support wellness.

Interested in staying up-to-date?
Join 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚: https://www.atms.com.au/friends-of-natural-medicine/

Discovering Natural Medicine with Annie Gibbins Let's Talk Natural Medicine · Episode

Oh, what a year! 2024 has come and almost gone, with lightening speed.

Research update:
* Natural therapy associations in every state across Australia have been engaged and expressed interest in this project - A BIG THANK YOU for helping to get the word out!

* More than 4,147 people across Australia viewed surveys
* 178 people responded to surveys
* 23 interviews with people who use natural therapies to support their mental wellbeing have been conducted
* 2 interviews and 1 Focus group session with practitioners have taken place, with 2 more interviews and 2 more focus groups to go!

A BIG THANK YOU to all who have participated. Without YOU, attempting to generate new knowledge on a very under-researched area that offers potential insights towards supporting mental wellbeing in Australia, would not be possible.

The data collection phase is now nearing completion with some thought-filled insights to analyse and report. A summary of findings will be posted to the projects' information hub at https://linktr.ee/OtherMedicineInMind from March 2025 onwards.

In the meantime, the research team here at the UON wish you all a joyful holiday period. See you safe and sound, in 2025.