In today’s post, we’ll consider the official title of the Therapeutic Reflexologist.
I often get asked whether I am Christo Scheepers or Dr Christo Scheepers, and rightly so, because of my qualifications. The answer is simple, yet complex, so let me explain.
I hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in the business management of technology and innovation based on research completed with the following title: Creating an Entrepreneurship Framework to Stimulate Employment Creation in the South African Healthcare Industry. The research delved into Therapeutic Reflexology as profession while comparing it alongside other healthcare professions in South Africa and even abroad. The PhD degree has been obtained from a fully accredited private university named previously The Da Vinci Institute (now it is called the Da Vinci Business School). The qualification is SAQA-accredited on NQF Level 10. All this means that I hold the highest possible qualification and along with the PhD comes the privilege of being called Doctor and using the title “Dr” in front of my name. So, officially, I am known as Dr Christo Scheepers and when I lecture at universities, that is how I am addressed.
More than that, I also hold a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in interdisciplinary studies from Commonwealth Open University based on research completed with the following title: The Exploitation of Practical Sociology as Counselling Model for Application in a Christian-Holistic Founded Practice. The research developed a holistic counselling model by looking at various disciplines like alternative healthcare, business management, complementary medicine, counselling, psychology and sociology. The qualification is not SAQA-accredited but technically gave me the title of “Dr” on completion in the year 2003 already.
Based on my highest qualification, I am thus entitled to officially use the title of Dr and I am officially Dr Christo Scheepers.
That being said, in my Therapeutic Reflexology private practice, I do not use the title, and I always refer to myself as Christo Scheepers and not as Dr Christo Scheepers. Why? Well, it is because Therapeutic Reflexology is not a diagnostic profession as it is a therapeutic profession and as such, therapists are usually not referred to as Doctor. Sometimes you may see a therapist like a Physiotherapist with a doctorate degree refer to themselves as Dr, but that is because their highest qualification is actually a doctorate degree in physiotherapy, in other words, they hold a doctoral therapeutic qualification in line with their profession.
Therapeutic Reflexologists in South Africa do not have that option because there are no doctoral degree qualifications available in Therapeutic Reflexology. The highest qualification recognised for Therapeutic Reflexology is a professional Diploma in Therapeutic Reflexology and that qualification does not grant the therapist with the right to be called Doctor. As a result of this situation, the official stance of the statutory council regulating the profession of Therapeutic Reflexology is that the title of Doctor is not used in line with this profession and the reason given is that it may cause confusion as it is not a diagnostic profession.
There is sometimes a Therapeutic Reflexologist using the title of Doctor, but that is because they are sometimes Homeopaths or other diagnostic professions that were also trained in Therapeutic Reflexology, and they work under their official title within the diagnostic profession they are practicing in. Is that not unfair, you may ask? In a sense yes, because technically they should not be called Doctor when performing Therapeutic Reflexology and technically, they should not be using their diagnostic profession and title to represent themselves within a therapeutic profession, but it is happening and often the reason is given that it is the same statutory council that regulates both professions.
Can you not challenge that and call yourself Doctor, you may ask? Yes, I am sure if you really challenge the situation the discrimination of this situation can be challenged because technically a PhD is a higher qualification than a diagnostic profession qualification (on NQF level anyway) and my PhD research was about the healthcare industry, and it was mainly about the profession of Therapeutic Reflexology. However, I have never seen the need to challenge the situation, and I’ll explain it in the form of a story.
I have technically been Dr Christo Scheepers since graduating with my first PhD in 2003 and officially since graduating with the SAQA-accredited PhD in 2022, but I have never introduced myself to anyone as Dr Christo Scheepers; I have always just introduced myself as Christo.
I think on the one hand, it is because introducing myself on a first name basis is sometimes more relatable to patients, but on the other hand, I know who I am and what my highest qualification is and what my skill level is, I do not have to tell it to everyone I meet.
I once attended a first aid training course in Gauteng where all attendees had the title of Doctor due to their qualifications and it was the funniest thing to see when speaking in the group, they would refer to themselves and the others as Doctor. “Dr Jannie, please do CPR on the dummy. Thank you, Dr Koos, maybe Dr Jacques can assist?” It was too funny for words, and they did not take it too well when I mentioned, how about we leave the titles and just call each other on our first names because we are ultimately all “Doctor”.
I am officially and legally known as Dr Christo Scheepers but having to be called “Doctor” is not necessary; my self-image is not based on a title and the quality of the Therapeutic Reflexology I provide is not based on a title, so in my private practice in the profession of Therapeutic Reflexology, I am just known as Christo.
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Christo A. Scheepers: Therapeutic Reflexologist
DTR (Cum Laude), Ph.D.
AHPCSA: A11945
Pr. No.: 0737453
Tel. 072-800 7243