What's New on IJHC (June 2010)

Table of Contents 10-2

Editorial Musings

Oneness: A healing chorus unifying our levels of beingness
Daniel J. Benor, MD, ABIHM, Editor in Chief

Splits and divisions

We are at odds with ourselves internally;
we believe that the inner is fundamentally different from the outer,
that what is me is quite separate from the not-me,
that divisions among people and nations are necessary,
and yet we wonder why there are tensions, conflicts, wars in the world.
The conflicts begin with minds
that believe in fragmentation
and are ignorant of wholeness.
- Vimala Thakar
  Indian social activist, spiritual teacher

Western society has championed the reductionistic approach to life, believing that if we dissect anything and everything down to ever more basic components then we will understand ever more clearly how it works… This approach has proven helpful in analyzing and understanding the structure, mechanics, chemistry, particle and wave aspects of nature, and has provided tools for manipulating the environment. In many ways, our lives have been made safer and easier through these approaches. We have shelter, durable and consumable goods, transportation and communications that can enhance our lives.

Unfortunately, these have been far from unmixed blessings. The costs to the environment from short-sighted exploitation and depletion of resources, poorly planned and crowded cities, and pollution are now threatening not only the existence of human life but of all living organisms on our planet. We have become over-focused on production and commerce – the 'what' of our existence, while overlooking or ignoring quality of life and respect for the environment and for all other living beings – the 'how' of our existence. To a large extent, this represents a left-brain hemisphere style of relating to the world.  See Table 1. for hemispheric brain functions.

Socially, this attitude creates a 'me vs. them' approach to life, in which those who are more rich and/or more powerful exploit those who are less fortunate.

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Research

'Placebo' Is the Medical Term For Self-Healing
Daniel J. Benor, MD, ABIHM

Remarkable Recoveries

Healing People with Schizophrenia through Shared Acceptance of Clients' Realities and Shifts in Bioenergy Fields
Yuliya L. Cohen TDCE, BACS, ERT

Abstract
The field of psychotherapy holds to the basic premise that what is experienced by people with schizophrenia is not normal or real. As a result, in psychotherapy there has always been a major emphasis on trying to help clients give a full account of their inner reality in words, pictures or other symbolic representations, admit they were delusional, and through learning to measure reality with the yardstick of the therapist to regain full grasp of normal reality.  Bruce W. Scotton (2002) points out that “Although traditional psychiatry and psychology have made impressive strides in the understanding the human mind and the brain, they adhere to an unnecessarily restrictive view of the psyche and its functioning, and in doing so they refuse to follow the scientific method.  Specifically, our current sciences of the psyche fail to examine the data concerning, build theories to explain, and work therapeutically with spiritual experiences and experience of nonordinary reality."

The goal of this article is to expand the existing model by questioning and rethinking assumptions about the basic nature of client’s non-ordinary experiences. This article describes a non-traditional approach to treating people with schizophrenia that involves authentically accepting the person's story and symptoms as a valid reflection of an inner crisis, and treating the person's positive symptoms by respectfully using each aspect of their story as a direction from which healing can proceed towards spiritual integration and symptom resolution.

The starting point of all these stories is the healing professional asking the person to describe their inner reality and then engaging and treating them from within that reality. 
 
This report is divided in the following sections:
1. A brief overview of the challenges and perspectives on treating people with schizophrenia.
2. A story of my personal path to healing
3. A discussion on shared intentional focus and the validity of inner reality
4. Case examples describing the challenges of reframing and resolution in achieving a successful treatment outcome
5. Discussions of bioenergy field alterations that facilitate healing for these people.
6. Summary of the approach and conclusions.

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Living with Life Challenges

This Is Your Brain In A Mine Field: Diagnosed with PTSD - the Challenge to Be Objective
Rick Adair

 
Variations on the Theme of Healing

The Benefits and Potentials of WHEE:
    Wholistic Hybrid derived from EMDR and EFT
Anita Baisley, MA Ed/Admin, Reiki Master

Wholistic Approaches

The ‘Sickening’ Search for Health: Ivan Illich’s revised thoughts on the medicalization of life and medical iatrogenesis. 
Francis C. Biley, RN PhD

Student and healee experiences of healing
Bailey
Benor-Research
Cohen

Poetry, The Creative Arts and Humor are Healing

Tango: A Deeper Look 
Sharna Fabiano

Wholistic News Reviews

Traditional, complementary, alternative, and psycho-social modalities of treatment
Larry Lachman, PsyD

Heart Disease and Anger

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Psychotic Disorders

Cardiovascular Disease, Medication and Interactions with Herbal Products

Cancer and Liver Disease-Causing Agents and Diet

Questions Pertaining to the Protective Role of Vitamin-D and Ovarian Cancer

Book Reviews

Richard E. Cytowic. The Man Who Tasted Shapes: A Bizarre Medical Mystery Offers Revolutionary Insights into Emotions, Reasoning, and Consciousness.

Jack Kornfield. The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace.

David Hamilton. Wired for Compassion.

Yekutiel, Lea. Making the Breast of It: Overcoming Fear of Intimacy After Mastectomy.

Christopher K. Johannes PhD & Harry E. van der Zee MD Hom, (Editors). Homeopathy and Mental Health Care: Integrative Practice, Principles and Research.

John Pollard. The Self Parenting Program – Core Guidelines for the Self-Parenting Practitioner.

Mary Ann Wallace, MD. Mindful Eating, Mindful Life: How to Change the Habits That Sabotage Your Health.

Joanne Wannan. New Lives – Stories of Rescued Dogs Helping, Healing, and Giving Hope.

Nick Trout, DVM. Tell Me Where It Hurts: A day of humor, healing and hope in my life as an animal surgeon.

Maria Becker, MD. No More Fears for Maddox.