The bridge to diverse approaches to traditional medicine in the heart of Vienna's 13th district
The Association for Universal Cultural Medicine (UCM) in Vienna's 13th district is organizing and hosting its second congress in Vienna and in the future all over the world, in order to give physicians, patients and everyone interested the opportunity for connecting and for sharing information.
The World has changed dramatically over the last decades. Environmental destruction, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology, in combination with an unhealthy lifestyle, have led to an enormous increase in diseases of civilization such as cancer, diabetes, or Alzheimer's disease. Although modern medicine has extended people's life expectancy, humankind has never before been as sick as today. However, the numerous diseases of civilization do not only cause suffering but high costs as well, especially considering the rising global population. Thinking of such consequences, it is high time that we start to look for ways out of this situation. Traditional medicine provides one such approach.
What is Traditional Medicine?
Traditional medicine has as many faces as there are cultures in this world. Most recently, what has found its way to our part of the world are systems of medicine like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM), and Traditional Tibetan Medicine (TTM). In addition to this however there is also shamanic medicine from South America and Mongolia, Traditional European Medicine (TEM), and many additional treatment approaches.
With our association we have set ourselves the task to revive the knowledge of the old medical schools that had almost been lost and to make it accessible to the public at large. Our focus in this is on providing information and on exchange. By being exposed to and concerning oneself with different cultures, their way of thinking and their philosophical principles, a deeper understanding for the respective therapeutic approaches shall be formed. Subsequently, it is needed to better understand the distinct approaches to medicine and to generate synergies. Thereby, the individual feels addressed with respect to their mentalities and cultural background, and medical care improves.
Emphasis on prevention
Our concept is based on an unprejudiced and value neutral approach to the topic of disease. We are trying to encourage the combination of different healing methods and to legitimize the various perspectives. In this the focus is on preventive medicine and the question "How can we maintain the health of the human organism and effectively counteract organic diseases and diseases of the psyche?"
International contacts to recognized healers facilitate an unlimited exchange of knowledge and experience. Our goal is to improve the understanding for the respective cultures, to make progress in curing severe illnesses and to reduce the pressure that rests on physicians and nurses in hospitals. To this we are fully and wholeheartedly committed.
Our team
Dr. Gerhard Kögler
President of UCM and since 1995 founder and medical head of the centre
for preventive medicine and AntiAging as well as of the TEM Academy.
Bernadette Kögler
Doctor's receptionist, qualified Reiki practitioner, and conference manager.
Mag. Daniela Fuchs
Anthropologist of medicine, qualified Reiki practitioner and conference manager.
