Comfort Care: A Gentle Medicine for a Profound Time

(Originally published in Simile, Vol. 25, Issue 3, September 2025. © Faculty of Homeopathy. Reposted with permission.)

“When serious illness changes the course of a life, it also reshapes the lives of those who love and care for that person. The Homeopathy Help Network’s (HHN) Comfort Care program was created to walk alongside individuals and families during some of life’s most difficult and sacred moments – offering skilled, gentle support that eases suffering and nurtures dignity until the very end.

A Gentle Medicine for a Profound Time
Homeopathy has always embraced the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. From the first cry of a newborn to the final exhale, it has the potential to relieve pain, calm fear, and bring a sense of peace when the body’s strength is fading.

In homeopathic teaching, “palliation” carries a cautionary note – avoided in cases where cure was possible. But when illness has advanced beyond cure, relief becomes the greatest gift we can offer. In those moments, homeopathy’s role shifts: not to cure the inevitable, but to soften its edges.

As George Vithoulkas so eloquently wrote: “The event of death is a crucial point of transition which can be as important to the conscious growth of an individual as any other crisis during life. Every person should be allowed to die with the minimum possible suffering and the maximum state of awareness.”¹

For some, that awareness allows time for final conversations, for holding hands, for saying what matters most. For others, it is the gentle release of pain and struggle. No two journeys are alike – each requires deep listening, compassion, and respect for what matters most to the individual.

The vision of HHN Comfort Care aligns closely with the Death Positivity Movement, which encourages honest, compassionate dialogue about death and dying – making space for love, closure, and even beauty in the face of loss.

How Comfort Care Took Root
The seeds of Comfort Care were planted in conversations between Denise Straiges, President and Clinical Director of the Academy of Homeopathy Education (AHE) and The Institute for the Advancement of Homeopathy (IAH), and Caitlin Marino, Reiki master and founder of The Lori Project. Caitlin’s dear friend, Lori Stevens, received homeopathic care in her final days – a gift that left a lasting impression. After Lori’s passing, Denise and Caitlin envisioned a way to make that kind of care available to others facing similar journeys. From that shared commitment, the HHN Comfort Care program was born.

Building a Circle of Support
HHN Comfort Care is the first of its kind telehealth service to support palliative and end-of-life care with homeopathy. This project brings together experienced homeopaths, medical advisors, doulas, and caregivers in a coordinated network of care. Clients are matched with experienced providers who understand not only the realities of advanced illness but also the profound emotional and spiritual needs that accompany it.

The HHN Comfort Care program capitalizes on the AHE/IAH resources and infrastructure for education, communication, and support including bespoke webinars, resources, guides, and a comprehensive course on end-of-life care, taught by Straiges. Dr. Molly Punzo contributes in-depth medical insights into the pathophysiology of advanced disease. These resources ensure that every practitioner approaches care with skill, sensitivity, and respect. All practitioners are thoroughly vetted through a Practitioner Review Committee to ensure quality of care and experience for the patient and their loved ones.

In partnership with the HOHM Foundation’s research office, outcomes will be tracked and studied – helping to raise awareness and bring homeopathy into broader community as well as faith, healthcare, hospice and palliative care settings.

Collaboration Beyond Borders
Recognising the value of shared wisdom, HHN Comfort Care is working with the International Doula Life Movement. Doulas bring a deep knowledge of comfort, presence, and personal care; homeopaths offer gentle remedies that ease suffering. Together, they create a compassionate safety net for families and the people they love.

To ensure help is always within reach, we have developed a list and guide for the remedies most used and indicated during end-of-life challenges such as anxiety, restlessness, breathlessness, nausea, pain, confusion, delirium, and more. Caregivers work with experienced practitioners to administer indicated remedies.

Care Tailored to the Moment
The program’s tiered system meets people where they are:

• Tier 1 – Ongoing support and homeopathic treatment for those with complex chronic illness or a diagnosis of a serious, life limited disease.
• Tier 2 – Palliative/symptom relief for people undergoing treatment for serious conditions as well as those who have chosen to stop active treatment for their illness and begin de-escalation of care.
• Tier 3 – Gentle, focused care in the final weeks or days of life, supporting both patient and family through the last transition.

A Vision of Wholeness
Comfort Care envisions a world where no one has to face the end of life without skilled, compassionate support. It’s about presence, listening, and honouring the unique journey of every soul. Homeopathy provides relief as we work collaboratively alongside other healthcare professionals, social workers, counsellors, doulas, ministerial staff, etc. From our first breath to our last, this is care that remembers we are more than our illness, and that every moment still holds meaning.”

Reference

1.Vithoulkas G. *The Science of Homeopathy*. Grove Press, 1980, p. 266.

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