In Memoriam: Joseph Kellerstein, DC, ND

 by Jay Yasgur

Joseph Kellerstein, much respected, lauded teacher and clinician who held a special interest in clear and precise communication, crossed the threshold at the age of 72.

Canadian homeopath, Dr Kellerstein born on April 23, 1953, was a chiropractor and naturopath who, from 1992 to 1993, served as the first chairperson of the department of homeopathy at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM). He taught there for six years as well.

Kellerstein died on July 30, 2025 from complications arising from ALS—amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis, etc.

Kellerstein graduated from the University of Toronto in 1976, with special interest in physiology and zoology. He then studied chiropractic at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (grd. 1980), received his naturopathic degree in 1984 from the Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine (he was class valedictorian), and graduated from the Canadian Academy of Homeopathy in 1991. He gave lectures in homeopathy at the Canadian Academy of Homeopathy and The Toronto School of Homeopathic Medicine (now known as the Canadian College of Homoeopathic Medicine).

‘Dr Joe,’ as he was affectionately known, began his medical practice in 1983, providing chiropractic and homeopathic care. He also held a special interest in NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and its application to homeopathic case taking as well as Clean Language principles. These two techniques, he found, when applied to the anamnesis process in homeopathy, allowed for a much improved and more organic consultation.¹

Kellerstein led a series of popular seminars entitled ‘Homeopathy by the Book.’ He was also an author and, in March of 2025, a student and colleague, Dr Kudret Parpar, compiled and published ‘Mastering Homeopathic Case Taking and Management with Dr Joseph Kellerstein.’ ²

“Joe Kellerstein stands as a model of good, of patience, of sincerity, of reflection. I well remember when we first met in his home in Toronto in 2011, when I discovered he also had chiropractic training and was able to greatly relieve my stiff neck resulting from the long sleepless trip from Sydney. And Jacqui and I will always remember Joe and Shirley’s visit to Sydney in 2014, which allowed us to show them around our lovely harbour city, and to better apprehend our Aussie accent when ‘oot & aboot,’ Over the subsequent years my growing respect and the closeness of our friendship was not diminished by the physical distance at the other end of the world. The times I spent with Joe were times in the company of a good man of great integrity and learning, ready to discuss, to consider, and to reflect deeply upon the questions which naturally arise in such company. But the image of this man could not be fully formed without mention of his quick humour and ready wit, a real joy in company both professionally and socially. We will all miss his happiness, his teaching, his wisdom, yet his presence remains clear in our memory and the impact of his living and teaching well reflected in those who have known him.” – George Dimitriadis, BSc (UNSW), DHom (Syd), DHom MCCH (Eng), FHom (UK),GHIH (Syd)

“Joe was my beloved friend and master and there are no words to say how grateful I am for his gracious, kind and wide friendship. His loss is like losing a planet from my inner constellation.“ – Gheorghe Jurj

“I was devastated to hear of Joe’s passing—my best instructor at the College and a man after my own heart: an Organon scholar and a kind, capable clinician. An intelligent, thoughtful man who couldn’t hurt a fly if he tried. We spent many hours together creating homeopathy videos (he was the ‘talent’) and I never stopped learning from him. May his memory be a blessing…” – Robin Pollock

“… I am writing from Turkey, where I had the honor of being one of Dr. Kellerstein’s students. I was deeply saddened to hear of his passing. He was a brilliant teacher and a master of homeopathy—so full of wisdom, warmth and compassion. We are many who carry his teachings and love in our hearts. Though I am far away, I feel this loss deeply. May light accompany his soul on its journey.” – Dr Semra Kumpasoğlu, MD

“The homeopathic community in Canada has lost another leading voice—a skillful clinician and passionate teacher of classical homeopathy.” – Jo Twiss

“The time has come to say goodbye, Joe, you will be missed. You were an incredible guy, you loved life, you were compassionate, an amazing teacher, scholar, healer, and a good friend, always willing to help. Shalom.” – Basil Ziv

Notes:

1. Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is an approach to communication, personal development, and a psychotherapy developed by therapists Richard Bandler and John Grinder. They outlined their approach in The Structure of Magic I: A Book About Language and Therapy (1975). Their method maintains that a connection between language, neurological processes and acquired behavioral patterns can be changed to alter behaviors and achieve goals in life. Clean Language principles include the following aspects—the preservation of others’ experience exactly as they express it, including metaphors and non-verbal cues; the therapist refrains from introducing and applying concepts, metaphors, judgements, evaluations or assumptions onto the client (patient); be welcoming in such a way to the client so as not to make changes and not to introduce suggestive wording which might imply different meanings. Once these principles are carried out further, communication is termed as ‘being clean.’ This method of listening/communicating was developed in the 1980s by David Grove, a counseling psychologist. In the first decade of the new millennium, after various modifications, he called his work, ‘Clean Space’ and ‘Emergent Knowledge.’
2. “He shares insights from his own journey in refining the art of homeopathic case-taking, incorporating Clean Language and NLP techniques. However, at the core of his teaching is a return to Hahnemann’s Organon, ensuring a firm foundation in classical homeopathy. His approach blends philosophy with real-world case studies, making it easier for students and practitioners to see how theory translates into clinical practice.” – Jude Cockburn (https://homeopathycanada.com/ – accessed August 18, 2025).