Mommy, what's a healthiatrist?

June 5, 2006 7:55 AM

What is healthiatry?

It's one thing to see someone's title (Healthiatrist) and scratch my head, but why can't I find actual evidence of the American Healthiatry Association on the web? I can find lots of references, maps, addresses and alumni to Centers and Schools of Healthiatry but not a descent definition of why I should be avoiding such a pseudo-medical buzzword. And, yes, I am too scared to call or visit one of these mysterious places on my own.

posted by boost ventilator to health (9 comments total)

Some 80% of the Google hits for "Healthiatry" or "Healthiatrist" involve one facility in Holland, MI, which made me wonder if the facility name and the concept are just coincidental matches.

Searching Usenet there's very little mention of "Healthiatry" that isn't that facility -- and when the Usenet alt-health kooks don't know about something then that something's pretty obscure! I did find this archived website which was at one point the webpage of that Holland, MI facility, which is also home of the American Healthiatry Association. That last page contains a bullet-point list of what "Healthiatrists" believe, which roughly seems to be divine-inspired alternative medicine.

My general impression is that one alternative-medical facility made up a word and maybe tried to start a movement but didn't get anywhere.
posted by mendel at 8:19 AM on June 5, 2006

As context, it might be useful to know that Holland, MI is a small (~30,000 pop.) town which is the home of the Dutch Reformed Church of America.

(Oddly enough, it's also the home of Slashdot.)
posted by mendel at 8:26 AM on June 5, 2006

Hurr, sorry about the multiple answers, I keep finding little things. According to this mini-CV, the "American College of Healthiatry" is a diploma-issuing kind of college, and not an organized body as in "College of Physicians". My guess would be an unaccredited one at that but that's only a guess.
posted by mendel at 8:31 AM on June 5, 2006

It sounds like a made-up word that quacks would use to get some sort of credibility, although this one is so over the top that it doesn't seem like it'd do any good. Also see Seife's Second Law.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 8:31 AM on June 5, 2006

Is it like a scientician?
posted by electroboy at 9:14 AM on June 5, 2006

Is it like a scientician?

Or scientologist?
posted by dersins at 9:18 AM on June 5, 2006

Holland is also only ~100 miles from Battle Creek, where Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was located. Could it be along the lines of "The Road to Wellville"?
posted by blackkar at 9:59 AM on June 5, 2006

Thanks medel...I knew these Heathiatrists mastered the art of making there own business cards but it looks like they are trying to sucker people in 3 easy steps. The "products" link on the Healthiatry Center page leads to EYI - Essentially Yours Industries: People Powered Integrated Marketing.
posted by boost ventilator at 10:55 AM on June 5, 2006

Dr. Zoidburg has degrees in Healthology and Healthonomy.
posted by evariste at 12:52 PM on June 5, 2006