Expert: Kay Larson - 12/12/2010

Question
Hi Kay-You seem to be a logical and sane voice when it comes to choices about
how to educate yourself in natural health principles. You also seem to be
completely honest. So I have a question: some people would say that your
degrees are fake and that you have no right to call yourself a PhD, because you
didn't go to an accredited school. What can you say about that?  

Answer
Hi Sarah--I'm glad you asked that question and I'll be happy to answer it for you. My MS and PhD were issued from the Clayton College of Natural Health, which was licensed by the state of Alabama and legally able to dispense degrees. It was not USDE accredited, but that does not make it "fake." I actually did all the coursework and wrote a dissertation.  A "fake" degree would be one that you could buy without doing anything. That certainly was not Clayton College as everyone knows. At the time I enrolled, I could not find any other school that I could attend that would teach me what I wanted to know-homeopathy, herbology, etc., There were the naturopathic medicals schools, but I did not and still don't want to be a physician. I consider myself a nutritional consultant. Since then more schools have sprung up offering programs in those subjects. Most are not USDE accredited and not as comprehensive as the non-accredited schools. But I am hoping that eventually there will be.
I have never hidden the fact that my MS and PhD are from Clayton College of Natural Health. My degree is posted on my wall right where my clients can see it.  There are many well-known writers who have degrees from Clayton College. Ann Louse Gittleman and Linda Page come to mind as does Johnny Bowden and Kim Barnouin.  I make no apologies for school I attended nor the one I am presently associated with-Kingdom College of Natural Health.
I am well aware that I have some very nasty and mean detractors who are trying to discredit me. They put up blogs and hide behind fake names, publishing outright lies. But hey, I must be making an impact or these losers wouldn't be paying so much attention to me. And since we're on that subject, just so you know, I have never claimed to be a "published writer." On my bio here at AllExperts, I state I have written a book specifically saying it was on Lulu.com, which is a well-known as a self-publishing site.
Kay Larson is my real name and my professional life is an open book. I have nothing to hide. I still believe that credibility comes from how well you help your clients and on that front, I know I have helped many, many people. That is why MDs DCs and L.acs in my community send their patients to me for nutritional help. It's also why the local college in my area (fully accredited) has me on their advisory board concerning its health studies program.
I hope this answers your questions. Feel free to email me with any more.