Anonymity vs Respectable Transparency ...
Last Update: July 18, 2010

As an alternative medicine practitioner I am taking some time out to step back and assess - I'm not 100% happy with the results I'm getting and I won't take hard earned wonga from people if I don't feel my role in the partnership is what it should be.

That's all ok.

Usefully, I have a few issues, both health and non-health related, which I can use as 'projects' during this period to increase my effectiveness when working again with others in the future.

Now the amount of work I have already done, both on myself and with others, over many years has got me to a point where I frequently have insights which I would like to document in some sort of blog. But I have a nervousness about this [lol].

A lot of my work and insights dwell outside the realms or the 'normal' and accepted etc ... though there's nothing bad or offensive etc. I almost want to do a "Secret diary ..." type blog (with monetization because I've found and used a LOT of fantastic resources) but how do I manage to connect with a readership when it's important my identity remains under wraps.

Why is it so important? Well for one thing a lot of my stuff comes from reflection and involves either family, friends or clients. Also some of it comes from personal stuff and sometimes I just don't feel comfortable hanging out my dirty washing no matter how useful the results are. And then there are the issues with my professional council. A lot of these don't like it when a maverick head sticks out above the acceptable parapet! And my goal is healing, effectiveness and dissemination of information, not getting into argument and dispute [lol]. I like to bypass that :)

Mmmm. I don't know how to to do this.

I know how I have a lot of useful stuff already because I am sought out by sometimes the unlikeliest of people (many who would not admit it) for help. And I kind of feel it's part of my soul's purpose to bring out my work but I can't get to grips with the how ...

I'm utterly torn between being transparent and respectable on the one hand, and I'm not quite sure what on the other. 

I wonder if anyone would be able to relate and offer ponderings? Might put this in the forum as well ...



 

 

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Fallulah Premium
Burntout thanks so much of your thoughtful advice. It's just the kind of objective perspective to give life and structure to what started out almost as just a frustration. The problem with putting my name to it, certainly in the beginning, would mean that I would need to censor the content and that would very much water down the use I think it would have in the lives of readers. Although I do want (and need!) to monetise it, the real goal is sharing some deceptively powerful self-healing routes for my readers to explore or walk past as they choose. But to do this I will need to be in full flow so to speak lol. Along with Joan and Maureen you've really added meat to my bones and I can feel it coming together - and I thank you for it :) Paula.
burntout Premium
Most of us do not believe modern medicine has all the answers to our problems, so it is natural for us to explore the alternatives that are available. Some times this the the result of prohibitive cost for conventional treatment, some times our interest is based on relevant research, sometimes its just good old curiosity. You believe in your career and you apparently have enough creditbility to have developed a client base so I think you have answered your own question. You have a successful business you beleive in. Promote it! You doubtless already deal with the relevant questions regarding your alternative options so nothing changes by putting it in a blog. There are billions of us out here that are facinated by unconventional solutions. You will always have a percentage that will argue inside their own sphere of thought about your solutions or recommendations but that is true of any business. Presented correctly you could very likely have a sought after blog and however you monetize it I think you would also do well. Remember, alternative medicine is a huge interest world wide. Its something you beleive in. You are already successful in your practice. Put your name and face on it and continue to reap the rewards.
Fallulah Premium
Joan thanks for your encouragement and great practical advice, I really appreciate both and you're right, as long as people understand my background and credentials and can contact me, the rest is kind of irrelevant.
Maureen that's exactly it, I need to be free to be uncensored so that I can that express the nuts and bolts without having to worry about any issues around it being Paula doing the expressing! I'm going to think about this a bit more and may well PM you because you seem to have a good handle on this :) Thanks so much to you both, this has been on my mind a good while.
maureenhannan Premium
I can absolutely relate, Paula. And I think that anonymity is sometimes the way one can be most effective in the realm of transparency and body-and-mind healing. You need to be free to be uncensored. I would suggest you create a very brandable, memorable pen name and dive in. Just see how it goes. I read a book by a woman known for years only as Petite Anglaise. An anonymous British woman living in Paris and going through all kinds of personal and professional struggles. People found her blog compelling partly because of her anonymity and stunning transparency. You could do this...with your voice and your wit (and the site promotion skills you're learning here), this could be a smash hit. Just my 2 cents' worth. Feel free to PM if you want to chat in any more depth about this. I have my own anonymous project(s) planned. ~ Maureen
jatdebeaune Premium
Paula, I for one, would be very interested in reading what you write. I know you are in the alternative health field and there is so much to learn that can benefit people. I see nothing wrong with using a pen name in order to protect your identity , clients and patients. If readers can ask you questions and have a way to contact you, that's all the transparency you need. You're not prescribing like a doctor, just sharing experience. Be sure they know your credentials so you can establish your authority at what you do.
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