Wisewoman Wellness for a New Millennium

by Marlaina Donato

Like most heart-centered healers, board-certified naturopathic doctor Jodi Jenks found her calling at a young age through a family health crisis. After a fruitless journey through conventional treatments, a homeopathic doctor addressed the root cause of her sister’s distress and inspired Jodi to follow a new path of discovery. Jenks went on to become fluent in essential oil therapy and became a Reiki master before deepening her commitment to helping others through naturopathy—a multidimensional path of wellness that employs homeopathy, herbalism, therapeutic bodywork modalities, kinesiology, live blood analysis, energy work and more. 

Decades after Jenks’ first initiation into alternative medicine, The Remedy House in Grand Rapids is testament to the power of working with nature as well as preserving a deep feminine ethos. “It was the medicine women, the midwives, who helped families through a lot of challenging health crises for centuries. The modern rise of women in holistic health as therapists, naturopathic doctors and holistic practitioners will bring a new wave of depth to healthcare,” says Megan Smit, Jenks’ daughter and business partner. Smit, a driving force behind the mission of The Remedy House, has good reason to be hopeful for the future of medicine in the hands of more women. “After an incredibly challenging pandemic and world shutdown, people are in deep emotional and mental states in which we believe the feminine touch and approach will make a huge difference to bring balance.”

A solid team of certified practitioners at The Remedy House offers clients traditional naturopathic health consultations and a subsequent, tailored course of treatment. A diverse spectrum of additional offerings includes therapeutic massage, craniosacral therapy, Raindrop therapy, reflexology and breathwork. More subtle wellness tools such as sound healing and past life regression address a person’s emotional and spiritual bodies. “In our holistic approach for health, we see a polarity between the masculine and feminine in each person,” highlights Smit. “We see this polarity in the way that people live their lives, in their choices, their different strengths and weaknesses as well as their physical manifestation of disease. When people are living in ease, there is generally a balance between these polarities.” 

Most importantly, clients are met exactly where they are, and this alone enables them to move in the right direction to wholeness. “We work as a team at The Remedy House, and if there is a service or a product that might be better suited for your needs, our staff will help guide you,” says Smit. “Our practitioners have been trained in a lot of different styles of massage,” she says, recommending therapeutic massage for those who are new to holistic health and might feel some hesitance. 

For those on a path to emotional healing, The Remedy House hosts cacao ceremonies reputed to have a positive effect on the heart, both energetically and physically, “which in turn, opens our ability to feel emotions,” explains Smit. “It is important to feel emotions because one of the greatest sources of all disease is stagnancy.” She emphasizes the benefits of cacao, pure & ethically sourced chocolate, as an herbal remedy. “When served ceremonially it is served hot and with intention to open the emotions – typically using song, sound healing, meditation or poetry.” 

Sound healing at The Remedy House includes Himalayan and crystal singing bowls, vocal toning, tuning forks, drum, gong, hand pan and chimes. “Sound healing is designed to support receptivity, the greatest of all feminine traits. We listen with more than just our ears; we listen with all our senses,” says Smit.

Integrative medicine continues to grow, and forms of energy work like Reiki are now offered in major hospitals worldwide. The Remedy House has quarterly Reiki certification programs and monthly Reiki shares. “We get a lot of women nurses who add this modality to their toolkit as a way to energetically protect themselves as well as to emotionally and energetically support people within the conventional medical centers,” expounds Smit. “This openness and understanding of health that goes beyond just the physical body is exactly what is needed in today’s society.” For Smit, this shift in focus from treating illnesses to prevention, is crucial for long-term health, vitality and longevity. 

In addition, The Remedy House offers kids’ services, spa days and womb care that promotes women’s reproductive health and honors the sacred feminine. For more information, please visit TheRemedyHouse.org or call 616-443-4225. To learn more about upcoming cacao ceremonies, visit LiveUnprocessed.com.

Photo provided by The Remedy House.