Improving children

Jane Tunstill, Jane Aldgate and Marilyn Hughes, Jessica Kingsley

2007 ISBN: 1 84310 461 X

£17.99

Review by:

"This book provides a readable and well structured account of factors that impact access to and use of children..."

This book provides a readable and well structured account of factors that impact access to and use of children 

Shadows in Wonderland - a hospital odyssey

Colin Ludlow, Hammersmith Press

2008 ISBN: 978 1 90514 020 6

£9.99

Review by: William House

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"Shadows in Wonderland is a rare gem: an honest and eloquent account of one patient's difficult journey through serious illness in a large London teaching hospital..."

Shadows in Wonderland is a rare gem: an honest and eloquent account of one patient's difficult journey through serious illness in a large London teaching hospital. To any reader who has worked in one of these, or indeed any large hospital, his experiences will be depressingly familiar. But this is not a depressing story, for shining through his account is his resilience of spirit in the face of near death, and his determination to find meaning in the complex, contradictory and often alien world of the hospital. Not long after his wife was diagnosed and treated for cancer of the bowel, he was found to have the same condition. His expected 12-day admission for surgery turned into a five month odyssey in which he faced a series of life-threatening complications. For those of us trying to help the NHS to improve there are two reasons why this book is particularly compelling. Firstly, the sheer length and complexity of his illness gave him an unusually broad exposure to the workings of a large hospital. Secondly, it is valuable for the insights he brings from his own experience and expertise as a TV producer a creative artist. Of course, hospital dramas seem to be compulsive viewing on TV and hence moneyspinners for broadcasters but his personal experience reveals that: The hospital we don't see and therefore don't carry with us as part of our expectations is the chaotic Babel, the stifling prison where hope is bled dry, the shadow world of nightmare, the terrifying Wonderland where miraculous cures can all too readily turn into the ashes of long-term suffering and despair.

It is a significant and in many ways a dangerous omission. He transcends the limited view of TV drama and shows how a wide knowledge of the literary and dramatic arts can be valuable for the understanding of illness and healing. He draws parallels between Prague Castle (inspiration for Franz Kafka's novel, The Castle) and The Royal Free Hospital in which his personal drama took place. Both are monumental, oppressive, intrusive and hard to escape. He goes on to develop the idea of shadow through Shakespeare and Carl Jung and to compare the prison and the hospital through many references to literature and drama. In a chapter on fear, he attests to the power of touch and the confused approach to this in the NHS. He explores the importance of place through insights from French anthropologist, Marc Aug, and others. He thus parallels the presentations at the BHMA conferences in November 2007 and spring 2008. He provides eloquent confirmation of BHMA core principles. He wants the hospital to be a place of healing, and that William House

Research methods for massage and holistic therapies

Glenn M. Hymel, Mosby

2006 ISBN: 0 323032 92 3

£23.99

Review by: Hilary Coutts

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"Massage therapists in the UK are being expected to gain research competencies to provide evidence for the safety and effectiveness of their treatments. Therefore massage training bodies and of course universities are adjusting their curricula to address this need...."

Massage therapists in the UK are being expected to gain research competencies to provide evidence for the safety and effectiveness of their treatments. Therefore massage training bodies and of course universities are adjusting their curricula to address this need. However, the existing body of qualified therapists needs to be educated and motivated to embark on research projects so that their valuable experience will not be wasted.1 A meta-analysis of massage therapy research conducted by Mayer Rounds & Hannum2 pointed out the similarities between benefits gained from massage therapy and those from psychotherapy. They concluded that future research should not be concentrating solely on providing evidence to show that a treatment works but should also be aiming to show how it works.

In her series on research methods Cassidy showed great understanding of the clash in paradigms which presents itself for massage therapists and other CAM therapists.3 The fact that massage therapy is such a close and personal treatment process calls into question the appropriateness of conventional scientific research methods such as the randomised controlled trial. Moreover therapists don't have the expertise or funds to carry out scientifically rigorous RCTs. These two most recent books published on massage therapy research are interesting in their different approaches to this point. Field makes no attempt to bring massage therapy research to the average practitioner in her offering, which makes the assumption from the beginning that the reader wants to conduct quantitative research and should contact an experienced researcher who will advise on procedures. The collection of abstracts which is included in the book is valuable reference material, and of course the work which has been carried out by Field at the Touch Research Institute in Miami has been invaluable in advancing the cause of massage by providing evidence. However, this book does not provide much practical support for the average therapist considering embarking on research.

Hymel on the other hand provides a very practical handbook which guides the practitioner through the stage of becoming research literate (ie competent in finding and critically evaluating research evidence) and on to becoming research competent, gaining: 'a) the mastery of important learning outcomes at acceptable levels of performance, and b) the self-confidence usually associated with such mastery'. He attempts really to engage with the reader with humour and good layout of informative illustrations and tables. Although this publication places more importance on RCTs and quantitative methods, which may have limited relevance to the average therapist, it is very helpful as Hymel includes detailed discussion of qualitative methods and their philosophical differences from quantitative methods, with a useful table showing the contrasts between the two. He also investigates the possibility of combining them. Overall he does a good job of wooing the reader into becoming interested in research possibilities. Practitioners can make a valid contribution to the knowledge base of massage therapy by carrying out research in daily practice and this is paramount in shaping the future of their profession.

Lifting your spirits: seven tools for coping with illness

Jan Alcoe, Janki Foundation

2008 ISBN: 978 0 95483 861 4

£15.50

Review by: Richard James

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"Overall, I would recommend this toolbox to anyone struggling with ill health, and their carers. Practitioners will also want to make it available for their patients..."

This lovely little resource pack of booklet and 2 CDs will be very useful to anyone new to the ways of holistic healing and needing a bit of uplift whether or not they have a serious illness. As the title suggests, it is intended for those who are coping with illness and it is grounded in the author's own experience of doing so.

The booklet is beautifully illustrated (with paintings by Lou Beckerman) and has seven short sections, introducing the tools' of meditation, visualisation, appreciation, creativity, listening, play and reflection. Each one has introductory notes, likely benefits, suggestions for positive thoughts, reflections from previous users, and suggestions for practising. The latter include links to tracks on the CDs, as appropriate. There are a couple of poems and songs, but most of the tracks are guided meditative exercises, presented by a team of experienced voices mellifluous and well-paced. They are generally very short and so should be accessible even for those whose ability to concentrate is limited. There is also a longer exercise to allow a deeper experience.

I found a few cavils. On quite a few of the pages the text is printed over swirly designs, so my eyes find it really difficult to read. On the CD, some of the tracks run into each other; this confused my CD player, which sometimes started a track half way through a sentence. It also meant that I was brought back with a start, as the next track started before I was ready to get up and switch off. A longer gap, and perhaps announcements of the end of each exercise, would be useful. But these are minor technical points and I guess neither of these would be a problem if I copied the tracks onto a programmable MP3 player.

Overall, I would recommend this toolbox to anyone struggling with ill health, and their carers. Practitioners will also want to make it available for their patients. Richard James

The Fight

Anton FitzSimons, Open Path Books

May ISBN: ISBN 978 0 95561 111 7

£4.99

Review by: Professor Theodore H MacDonald

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"This book deals with the psychological turmoil of coping with gravely serious illness, its impact on one's psychological defence mechanisms, and the way all of this affects one's capacity to relate to other people...."

This book deals with the psychological turmoil of coping with gravely serious illness, its impact on one's psychological defence mechanisms, and the way all of this affects one's capacity to relate to other people. Love interest features, but I have not commented on that because, in my view, the principal thrust of the book is the long and painful process of trying to develop strategies for fighting off despair and to focus on the future rather than the horror of his past afflictions and the sense of hopelessness implicit in the biomedical procedures of the present. FitzSimons draws on a rich cultural background of films and personal experiences in the military and these allusions very much enrich his writing style. His is no mean talent. The book is impressive in a number of respects, encompassing a wide range of minutely examined experiences with pain, despair and loneliness - and all in the short compass of 131 pages. The leitmotif amounts to a stream of consciousness reminiscent of Proust. In terms of literary quality, it merits great credit but, above all, it is a work that should be made available to all students in studies related to health promotion, public health, psychology and in medical schools as well. The author' style is disarmingly low-key and reader friendly and, in this way, it has the capacity to beguile the ordinary reader into gaining an insight into the panoply of despair which afflicts a normally healthy and confident individual when confronted with a sequence of health disasters. Once in, even the casual reader would find it difficult to put the book down. He or she will find themselves drawn inexorably into a matrix of psychological terror (much enhanced by incorporating dreams and flashbacks into films the author has seen) and in this way the reader is well-nigh forced to accompany the author on an odyssey - a voyage which FitzSimons himself did not volunteer to experience. His immediate aim is to vanquish his 'enemies' of the present, which he designates as negative feelings engendered by anger,bitterness, mind-numbing fear, anxiety, depression and a retreat from the touchstone of human relationships. In this way he is addressing the 'universal' fears resonant in Freud's and Jung's writings and, like them, drawing heavily on 5th Century BC Greek drama. The title of the book, Fight, refers to these inner conflicts more than to the objective factors that attract the skills of biomedicine. He describes a single encounter with cancer, but one that quickly escalates into a relentless series of medical emergencies that arise hydra-like every time a particular biomedical problem comes close to resolution. These are accompanied by a plethora of what one might describe as 'psychological metastases'. While the medical establishment addresses the organic issues, it is up to the patient (FitzSimons) to track down his 'enemies' in the psychological domain. Anyone who has themselves come through even much less complex experiences with cancer, strokes etc will recognise the territory addressed by this book. FitzSimon's literary abilities are reflected in his capacity to articulate what many of us have found to be unutterable and, to that extent, unsharable. But the book is more than that, for it is so well written - and so unpretentiously (dare I say 'ingenuously so'?) - that, as I commented at the outset, the reader who feels uninvolved by the issues quickly realises that he/she is involved. That is the hallmark of good literature. Professor Theodore H MacDonald

Principles and practice in homeopathy: the therapeutic and healing process

David Owen, Churchill Livingstone

2007 ISBN: 978 0 44310 089 5

£39.99

Review by: Annette Gamblin

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"As suggested by the title, this is a very comprehensive treatise on the theory and practice of homeopathy, the likes of which has not been entered into the body of our literature for years...."

As suggested by the title, this is a very comprehensive treatise on the theory and practice of homeopathy, the likes of which has not been entered into the body of our literature for years. It addresses the various strands that make up homeopathic practice - from the depth of homeopathic philosophy, which underpins the understanding of health and disease, to the various homeopathic skills and tools to the therapeutic relationship and case management. This is achieved by dividing the book into six sections, which are suffused with five major themes: philosophy, Materia Medica, 'the case' (anamnesis), case analysis and case management. Comprehensive indeed! The various chapters are interspersed with befitting quotes, handy diagrams and small case examples. I particularly like the 'reflection points', inviting the reader to relate to their own experience and to think a little deeper about the issue at hand. There are also valuable contributions from a handful of practitioners, who add to the content of the book from the background of their various areas of interest and 'expertise'. Early on David Owen states that 'health is the freedom to move through the different circumstances in which you find yourself and illness is the loss of that freedom'. With this affirmation he has captured the essence of the homeopathic view of health and disease and I feel he manages to uphold this spirit throughout the book. However, in such an elaborate piece of work there are bound to be facets opening themselves up for debate, especially in the domain of philosophy. David Owen talks about homeopathy as an eclectic system and I agree with his assertion that various models of health should be integrated as 'part of the art of medicine'. We celebrate diversity and individuality in our patients and in our methodologies, however I would have liked to see a little more critical thinking towards some of the modern trends referred to. A number of specific points are also open for debate, eg within the contentious issue of potency. I do not agree that potency could be selected according to the confidence of the prescriber or the depth of the case (p47). To me this is a 'simple' question of matching the vitality of the vital force in disturbance. I would also add to the discussion of the antidotal relationship of remedies (p377) that the best antidote is the most similar remedy to the present state. Having said all that, I really like this book. David has to be congratulated on achieving such an all-inclusive textbook on homeopathy. I will certainly include it in my reading lists for students. However, it is a book for all levels and I think it would benefit practitioners to add it to their shelves. In his foreword Bob Leckeridge reiterates the call for a new kind of medicine in the 21st century, to move away from the reductionist to a more 'holographic', holistic model. David Owen has certainly answered that call. Annette Gamblin

Collapse: how societies choose to fail or survive

Jared Diamond, Penguin

2006 ISBN: 0 14027 951 2

£9.99

Review by: William House

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"This is a remarkable book. Although not about healthcare the author demonstrates an inspiring ability to combine scientific objectivity with a global outlook - a truly holistic achievement with many lessons beyond his subject...."

This is a remarkable book. Although not about healthcare the author demonstrates an inspiring ability to combine scientific objectivity with a global outlook - a truly holistic achievement with many lessons beyond his subject. The reader is taken on a journey, not only around the globe but through the millennia, to examine our relationship to nature. He looks in detail at civilisations (such as Easter Island, Nordic Greenland and Maya) that have collapsed and disappeared (not quite without trace) and others (including Iceland, New Guinea) that struggled and survived. Diamond is then able to draw out five sets of factors that determine the outcome: human environmental damage, climate change (mostly not human induced), hostile neighbours, decreased support from friendly neighbours and the society's responses to its problems. He juxtaposes ancient with modern - Montana in the USA, Australia, China, Haiti, Dominican Republic - and shows how these societies face similar problems to the ancients, often making the same mistakes.You quickly realise that despite our knowledge, communication and technology, we walk beside the same abyss as our ancestors. The fate of the Easter Islanders who are 'the clearest example of a society that destroyed itself by overexploiting its own resources' becomes a metaphor for others who make disastrous decisions that seem to defy common sense - cutting down the last tree on an island dependent on trees for survival. Not until part four of the book does the author draw practical lessons - although I was trying to draw them all the way through. He skilfully steers between the polarised views of economists and environmentalists, and avoids an overly gloomy prognosis, but makes it clear that we must act decisively now. He gives us the early warning signs of trouble and how to avoid making bad choices. There are striking parallels between the situation of societies and the plight of western world healthcare systems, and although we must be cautious, some of his advice could be applied to healthcare. He tells us to try to anticipate the problems that might arise from a decision - it isn't always possible but we must think hard about the long term. Secondly, we must look for signs of things already going wrong. That isn't always easy either, but it doesn't take a genius to see that healthcare is in trouble. One reason for failure to 'see' is 'creeping normalcy' - changes occur too slowly to be obvious. Thirdly, having noted a problem we must take action.The biggest obstacle here is vested interests. Diamond gives illuminating examples of different ways in which vested interests block action. A cogent solution is to ensure that those with power must be liable to be damaged by things going wrong. Fourthly, apparently irrational behaviour may be due to adhering to a value system that renders the community rigid and inflexible. This is often a set of religious beliefs, but surely the same applies to any belief system that has become fixed. He writes: 'Perhaps the crux of success or failure as a society is to know which core values to hold on to, and which ones to discard and replace with new values, when times change.' An impediment to such judgement is 'groupthink', a version of crowd psychology on a small scale. There is plenty of that around in the NHS. This is a hefty book that could have been a little slimmer with less research detail. Would that have left some skeptics unconvinced by their need to take nature seriously? Many have missed that lesson at their peril. William House

Anatomy for acupuncture

Peter Dorsher and Mike Cummings, Primal Pictures Ltd

2007 ISBN: 1 90436 970 7

£159 (DVD)

Review by: Richard James

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"Primal Pictures is well known for its series of excellent learning aids for human anatomy. Their highly interactive DVDs contain a wealth of accurate detail which can be viewed in a variety of useful ways...."

Primal Pictures is well known for its series of excellent learning aids for human anatomy. Their highly interactive DVDs contain a wealth of accurate detail which can be viewed in a variety of useful ways. The body can be rotated and viewed in any of 17 layers from the skin to the bone. The user can interact with the images by pointing at or clicking on elements of the images; further information is displayed as text bubbles or in the text pane adjacent to the picture. Of course traditional acupuncture is not primarily an anatomical activity (although the western biomedical approach tends to turn it into one); acupuncture is about qi, vitality, energy. However a good knowledge of the anatomy does help for safety purposes, so I eagerly anticipated the arrival of this product dedicated to acupuncture. Sadly, first impressions were not good. The programme loads to give a frontal view of the subject and it is immediately obvious that the stomach meridian on the chest is wrongly placed. Worse still, as the figure is rotated, the location of the points shifts, relative to the landmarks. This alone renders the product of limited use in teaching, because of the confusion that would arise for the novitiate. The body is shown with needles stuck into many of the points. Confusingly, shadows are shown, cast from each needle but in different directions. Pointing at a needle brings up its name in a bubble; clicking on it brings up useful text in the right hand pane. This includes location and safety warnings but nothing about function from either an eastern or western perspective. Having identified a point, I then wanted to zoom the image for a closer look but this seems not to be possible. You can navigate the body in a number of different ways, via tabs for content, views, and search. I found this very counter-intuitive, in contrast to MS Office and most modern websites, but I suppose you get used to it after a while. Clicking on the contents tab opens a new window that unfortunately obscures the text pane. It is not possible to resize the main window to accommodate the navigation pane. I got round this by using the extended desktop in Windows. The contents list confusingly contains both 'Acupuncture needle text' and 'Needle point text' - these seem to be the same except that the former list is in no logical order, and contains only 87 of the full list of points. The meridians are listed in their traditional order, starting with the lung. Selecting a meridian in the list brings up a relevant view; however the scale is often inappropriate for a decent view. For example a full frontal view of the whole body does not help one to visualise the heart meridian, and the relevant meridian is not distinguished in any way from the others. The meridian text is a general spiel, the same for all meridians. I assume this is in development and will be replaced with more useful text at some stage in the future. The strength of this programme is its content on trigger points. Dorsher and Cummings have compiled in one place a lot of useful reference information, in a nicely visual form. Once I got round the navigational confusion, it was possible to view the trigger points muscle by muscle, or by referred pain patterns. As the two authors are well-known medical acupuncturists, I had expected this to be a strength of the programme. Similarly I had expected to find charts relating the acupuncture points to dermatomes; as I recall, the latter are featured in the original Primal Pictures series. Yet there is nothing on this subject; a search for 'dermatome' brings up nothing, in either the index or the search facility. In conclusion, I cannot yet recommend this product. As it is, I feel it should go back to the drawing board before marketing. A title of Anatomy for trigger point acupuncture would at least have given reasonable expectations. Richard James

Setting up new services in the NHS,

Kingsley Norton, Jessica Kingsley

2006 ISBN: 1 84310 162 9

£18.99

Review by: Jay Carpenter

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"The idea of setting up two brand new services in different geographical areas, using an already successful hospital (Henderson) as a template was, I feel, a very brave step, and in doing so this book gives a good insight into the machine that is known as the NHS...."

The idea of setting up two brand new services in different geographical areas, using an already successful hospital (Henderson) as a template was, I feel, a very brave step, and in doing so this book gives a good insight into the machine that is known as the NHS. Being a chef myself in a former life I was quite taken by the layout of the chapters, ie recipe and ingredients, the blending for the beginning and up to a last supper, to future chefs at the end. By following these headings the author was able to break down a large subject matter into a much more readable format. The reader is carefully guided through the whole process. From early on in the book it's noticeable that a lot of thought/planning went into this concept and from the amount of meetings that are detailed I began to wonder if the amount of meetings that took place may have sometimes held back progress of issues raised within the running of the units. The thorough documenting of events by Kingsley Norton allows the reader to almost become a fly on the wall. There is a sense of empowering service users, by not only the setting up of daily meetings involving current service users but also including ex-service users. Although empowering patients is a positive step it also showed how this then added to the growing bowl of human dynamics. This journey goes to show that the NHS does think about its staff by implementing supervision, considering adequate training for new staff and supporting them whilst conducting their daily tasks. This goes for junior and senior staff alike. Throughout the book plenty of facts are delivered such as research objectives and outcomes, details of various costs, evaluation of courses, and copies of weekly staff programmes, meeting timetables, and entries of staff reports. Kingsley Norton gives in my opinion a very open and honest account of what it is like to attempt the setting up of a new service(s) within the NHS. I guess the big question is, was this project a successful souffle, rising to the occasion? Or did it fall as flat as a pancake? Hopefully your appetite has been wetted enough to want to read the book and find out the end result for yourself. This book would make good reading for anyone connected to the NHS who has thoughts of setting up a new service. It sheds light onto many questions that may be asked. Jay Carpenter

Shen: psycho-emotional aspects of Chinese medicine

Elisa Rossi, Elsevier

2007 ISBN: 978 0 44310 181 6

£34.99

Review by: Alan T Plenty, acupuncturist/chiropractor

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"In her initial sentence of the introduction Dr Rossi quotes from the first Chinese text dedicated to acupuncture: 'All acupuncture methods must find their root in shen'...."

In her initial sentence of the introduction Dr Rossi quotes from the first Chinese text dedicated to acupuncture: 'All acupuncture methods must find their root in shen'. This I felt set the tone for treating psycho-emotional illnesses and the underlying emotions in many somatic conditions. Much study and effort on behalf of the author has gone into the modern translation of the ancient text. The book was rather an intense read. I found its format somewhat dour, off-putting and uninspiring; not doing justice to the effort the author had put in. The text is well referenced. Of particular note is the distinct meaning of shen and the psychic aspects of the soul; heart stores shen, lungs po, liver hun, the spleen yi and the kidneys zhi. The spirit qi (energy) of the organ can be demonstrated clinically even after surgical removal by measuring the meridian flow electrically via electro meridian graphing, as I have used in my clinic for the past 15 years. While reading the chapter on the five souls I was reminded of the case of Claire Sylvia who underwent a heart-lung transplant operation. Post surgery she took on the characteristics of the donor. I wonder, do donor organs retain their original shen and live on indefinitely? The author illustrates how emotional aspects of our lives can disrupt the psychic aspects of our individual organs and adversely affect sleep patterns. Chapter 7 illustrates classical and contemporary ways of treating insomnia energetically via acupuncture. Irregular sleep can result from somatic health problems, while psycho-emotional illnesses can create sleep deprivation. Restoring natural sleep patterns to our patients is a distinctly holistic approach for restoring their health. Mental health and 'classic syndromes' are covered in chapters 8 and 9. They indicate how modern Chinese texts make reference to western psychology disorders. This chapter indicates how one can utilise acupuncture clinically from a western point of view for treating patients as individuals. This approach will allow the practitioner to influence the patient's internal environment holistically. Alan T Plenty, acupuncturist/chiropractor

The heart speaks: a cardiologist reveals the secret language of healing

Dr Mimi Guarneri, Fusion Press

2006 ISBN: 1 904132 96 0

£8.99

Review by: Ruth Sewell Lecturer in Integrated Cancer Care, Psychotherapist and Autogenic Training Therapist

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"Dr Mimi Guarneri is a cardiologist, founder and current medical director of the Scripps Centre for Integrative Medicine in San Deigo, California...."

Dr Mimi Guarneri is a cardiologist, founder and current medical director of the Scripps Centre for Integrative Medicine in San Deigo, California. Guarneri describes herself as a successful, traditionally trained heart physician and this book serves to illustrate her journey from the dominance of bio-medical practice to one of a 'heart-centred' and integrative healthcare practitioner. The books opens with Guarneri illustrating her early memories of growing up in a tight-knit loving Italian family in New York; enriched further by the 'old world' Italian culture and community spirit that surrounded her, much of which she credits with giving her insight into the healing effects of a community coming together to help and support each other. In her early childhood she was painfully introduced to heart disease with the premature death of her mother from a heart attack. The emotional impact of the loss is tenderly recalled in describing how, at night , she would put her hand over her own heart to calm herself, fearing that without this her heart would surely stop too. A decade later her father also died from a heart attack; both losses were to forge her interest in medicine and in particular cardiology. She describes her original orientation to a highly focused bio-medical career which left her little margin for more than she had been trained to do. However over time and despite the practical successes of modern technical cardiology, she began to realise that the heart was far more than a functional pump, and she recognised that for many of her patients treatment could not reach the deeper wounds that life had brought to their lives and to their hearts. Poignantly she refers to the condition of stress cardiomyopathy, or 'broken heart syndrome', caused by intense emotional reactions to severe stress, eg the shock of a death, in people with no history of heart disease. Guarneri, influenced by the work of Dr Dean Ornish, went on to develop a patient-centred and holistic rehabilitation programme of care which includes peer group support. At the same time her search for greater understanding led her to reflect on the links between psychosocial factors, and the presence of unresolved emotional and spiritual issues that are capable of contributing to the development of heart disease. I got the impression that her confidence in writing about what matters to her most increased as the chapters grew into the final 10. It soon becomes apparent that she is a compassionate and deeply committed practitioner seeking to learn from her patients and their lives. She cites Dr Rita Charon's work on the role of stories and narratives in medicine highlighting how medical practice is better served when based on being absorbed, and moved by the stories of illness and to this end the book is a blend of case histories, her own story and the use of research to substantiate the significance of psychosocial factors in cardiac health and illness. There is a slight tendency towards 'TV-soap-drama' in the telling of each story, but even this does not obscure the richness in her portrayal of each patient's story. Guarneri has selected cases that reflect the emotional issues arising before and within the experience of heart disease, citing examples such as: those people who are living with unexpressed or unresolved grief; those who have become 'hard-wired' into persistent anger and angst next to those whose heart conditions are worsened in the presence of low self-worth. There is, however, also mention of the significance of spiritual experiences in the process of healing among some of her cases, in particular patients who were helped and healed through a mystical or spiritual experience (seeing angels) at the time of illness, during treatment and prior to death. In addition she also shares her own process in speaking about her own vulnerabilities and moments of growing awareness along the way, that ultimately influenced her practice of medicine. In particular I felt that her awareness around her own grief was made possible through the patients. Another example is her appreciation of the sacred in life and spirituality when facing serious illness and to this end she remarks that one patient helped her to view cardiac procedures not just as everyday occurrences but as sacred ones. On the whole I found the book to be a well crafted balance between case histories, parallelled to careful selection of relevant research and current thinking about mind, body, spirit and emotional and spiritual health. I enjoyed the way she balances the description of what is important in terms of evidence and research to underpin her personal and professional experiences with the crafting of real life stories. The final chapter throws in a last minute case where the author indicates that she practises healing touch, offering an example of how in giving healing touch to a patient they avoided surgery for a damaged finger. This chapter ends abruptly and I felt there was an opportunity missed in reflecting more widely on the journey she has taken to this point. The book is suitable for students in healthcare and for the public seeking the 'inside story' of how doctors can grow when listening to their patients. Ruth Sewell Lecturer in Integrated Cancer Care, Psychotherapist and Autogenic Training Therapist

7 Minutes to natural pain release: tapping your pain away with WHEE, the revolutionary new self-healing method

Daniel J. Benor, Energy Psychology Press

2008 ISBN: 978 1 60415 034 6

£17.00

Review by: Diane Holliday, EFT and natural health practitioner

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"This book presents an interesting view on pain and its manifestation in our lives. Dr Benor gives many conventional causes of pain, how we perceive and rationalise them, then details ways in which we can control and remove such pain, physical and emotional...."

This book presents an interesting view on pain and its manifestation in our lives. Dr Benor gives many conventional causes of pain, how we perceive and rationalise them, then details ways in which we can control and remove such pain, physical and emotional. He covers the holistic spectrum of mind, body and spirit; how we cope with pain, in later chapters why we may even need pain, and throughout the book he gives many interesting case studies. Dr Benor is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist but after becoming disenchanted with the medical approach ('give the patient medication') he searched to find a better way. He has obviously studied widely, the results of which he has attempted to get into this book. If the reader lacks information on the topics he covers, the suggested reading and glossary may be necessary, as much basic knowledge of energy psychology therapies is assumed. Using meridian energy therapies as a base to provide an all-encompassing 'new therapy' he uses EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) with a good handful of other therapies including kinesiology (muscle testing) and TA (Transactional Analysis) amongst others. He tells us: 'In EFT and related therapies one taps or presses a finger at a series of acupressure points on the face, chest, and hand, while reciting an affirmation. Similar to EMDR in its effects, the negative feelings are released as one repeats this process'. The basis of WHEE, then, is a compilation of tapping and/or movements on the left and right of the body while uncovering the emotional attachments to the pain or anxieties being worked on, all the time being aware of changes in the client. By chapter 3, Dr Benor gets to the meat of the WHEE therapy. I found this lacking in real detail and without my knowledge of EFT and other therapies I would have had difficulties in understanding it. Diagrams and details of the procedures may have helped at this point. He notes that a client's core beliefs and values are an integral part of all 'psychology type' therapies and he talks about the use of imagery and dreams and how visualisation, used extensively in EFT, can be of benefit in the execution of WHEE. His use of muscle testing for dealing with resistances is a great idea and one that anyone can quickly learn. His comment (page 111) about therapists' inner blocks 'that can inadvertently reduce their ability to let clients tackle their blocks' was well put. It is all too easy to think that we are not connected to the client and that our issues do not spill over into the client's issues. This led on to the need for therapists to have some form of mentoring or supervision, which thankfully is common in the EFT practitioner's world. The reasons why one may wish to keep pain were well observed; we do need to be aware of a client's emotional attachment to pain and the secondary gains that may make it impossible for us, as therapists, to treat them successfully. Diane Holliday, EFT and natural health practitioner

Healing the Gerson way: defeating cancer and other chronic diseases

Charlotte Gerson and Beata Bishop, Totality Books

2007 ISBN: 978 0 9760 860 5

£18

Review by:

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"This is an excellent and timely reminder of how excess and/or depletion adversely affects the body, and the amazing healing resources the human being has if given the correct environment...."

This is an excellent and timely reminder of how excess and/or depletion adversely affects the body, and the amazing healing resources the human being has if given the correct environment. Beata Bishop is able to use her first-hand experience of living with the Gerson protocol to help the reader fully understand the principles behind the treatment, and then she details the steps involved in implementing it. She makes no apology for the intensity and breadth of the Gerson plan as she knows the impact of having a diagnosis of cancer, and the devastation that can ensue. This account of a treatment that brings a patient literally from the brink of death to recovery from terminal conditions simply through rigorous attention to diet, routine, and detoxification is an inspiration. Many case histories included in the text testify to the efficacy of this approach not just in treating cancer, but also in a wide range of conditions. The treatment is onerous as 20 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetable have to be prepared each day for juicing and cooking. Regular coffee enemas also need to be administered, and by the time this protocol is employed the patient is often very sick so a full-time carer is usually employed. Radical it is, yet it is the perfect antidote to the modern 'quick fix and party on' attitude that many people have towards the treatment of ill health. This is timely because there is a growing acceptance that our diet and environment are now so far removed from that which is sustainable in the longer term, both for our internal and the external environment in which we live. I was reminded of the power of tackling toxicity and malnourishment. This takes a lot of time and consideration, and if anyone needs reminding of why it is worth investing in that journey through healing, then give them this book to read. 

The mindful way through depression

J. Mark, G. Williams, John D. Teasdale, Zindel V. Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Guilford Publications

2007 ISBN: 978 1 59385 128 6

£12.99

Review by: Maggie Winkworth

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"Ever listened to a raisin? If so, you may have been among the sprinkling of BHMA members seeking after mindfulness on a rare, and very hot couple of days last May...."

Ever listened to a raisin? If so, you may have been among the sprinkling of BHMA members seeking after mindfulness on a rare, and very hot couple of days last May. A group of 60 or so gathered in the Paganini Ballroom (in which the maestro played in 1831) in The Old Ship Hotel (the oldest hotel in Brighton - a city which seems these days to be the very epicentre of holism in this country). An auspicious location for a masterclass given by Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Oxford, Mark Williams, a rare academic who operates equally effectively from left and right brains. But you may also have listened to raisins long before this since Jon Kabat-Zinn (Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School) has been weaving the sensory-awareness-of-a-raisin exercise and other mindfulness-based techniques into his approach to stress reduction (MBSR) for the past 30 years and will be well known to many readers of this Journal. Or you may be quite unsure what this word 'mindfulness' means at all. To quote this book: 'Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to things as they are' and a way, as with all meditation techniques, of moving from the doing mind to the being mind. 'Being mode is the antidote to the problems that the doing mode of mind creates.' Professor Williams and colleagues have now brought mindfulness together with cognitive therapy techniques (MBCT) in a structured programme to be used in treating depression, especially for those suffering repeated relapses and recurrences. An excellent academic presentation of this work for professionals in the field can be found in Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression by Segal, Williams and Teasdale (The Guilford Press 2002). The book under review, however, is an informative and practical, eight-week self-help course for non-professionals in using mindfulness meditation exercises to lift depression. There is a sensible suggestion that it is better not to undertake this programme while in the grip of an episode of clinical depression and the book is not a light, quick read by any means. But it is written in a style so careful, compassionate and encouraging that I am tempted to believe the claim that 'our research has shown that the program outlined in this book can cut the risk of relapse by half in those who have had three or more episodes of depression'. There are some particularly well-chosen quotations throughout the book (Rilke, RS Thomas, Rumi) which come as welcome pauses in the tightly structured process outlined. The mindfulness exercises are explained fully and well and the wise, reassuring voice of Jon Kabat-Zinn on the enclosed CD of guided meditations backs up perfectly the teachings in the book. In the very first volume of this Journal (April 1984) two eminent medics can be found extolling the power of meditation (Dr Chandra Patel suggesting a form of Raja Yoga meditation in CHD and Dr Malcolm Carruthers advocating autogenics for stress reduction) but it is, sadly, no surprise to see how little this approach has been taken up by mainstream medicine since then. It is to be hoped that Professor Williams' work may shift this resistance a little but, until then, this book offers an immediate and safe way for sufferers on the spectrum of ordinary, everyday unhappiness via dysthymia to recurring clinical depression to experiment with what is also, and perhaps better, referred to as 'heartfulness'. Maggie Winkworth

Fracture: adventures of a broken body

Ann Oakley, Policy Press

2007 ISBN: 978 1861349378

£12.99

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"This interesting little book is an auto-ethnographic study of the author's experience of breaking her arm while on a visit to the USA...."

This interesting little book is an auto-ethnographic study of the author's experience of breaking her arm while on a visit to the USA. It is a personal account by a highly reputed feminist professor of sociology. She weaves recollections of her own experience with scholarly excursions into neurology, handedness, aging, HRT, litigation, Siamese twins, the pathologisation of medicine and other areas of interest. She also draws usefully on the writings of other authors, including Woolf, Cocteau, Ralston and Sacks. Although the academic style means that this work lacks the emotional power of Sacks' writing,1 it is still very readable and informative. She has researched widely to understand her condition from a number of perspectives and shares that understanding with us. She voices criticisms of various aspects of medical practice that will be familiar to readers of this journal, for example how she felt unseen, indeed misreported, because of the inherent structures of medical thinking. She notes how the medics focus on quantifiable function, rather than sensation (other than pain) and so are quite unable to relate to her lived experience, which was of a sensory 'deficit' (she deconstructs this term) that they were at a loss to explain, let alone treat. She also documents some of the iniquities of the litigation processes she had to go through. She speaks highly of her physiotherapist and acupuncturist. I must say the latter left me wondering about the shortcomings of this type of study. What she describes is nothing like any kind of acupuncture I have come across, in that it incorporates light, focused through gems. She clearly gets a lot from it but shows no awareness that most acupuncture is not like this. If her writing is so potentially misleading on the bits I know about, why should I trust the parts that are less familiar to me? I must bear this in mind as I write my own auto-ethnography. References Sacks O. A leg to stand on. London; Harper Collins, 1990. 

Cultural dwarfs and junk journalism

Martin Walker, Slingshot Publications

2008 ISBN: 978 0 95196 469 9

£Free downl

Review by: Donald Scott, osteopath

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"Martin Walker has written a number of books on the politics of what could be termed the 'orthodox face' of science and its attitude toward alternative medicine. He examines some prominent practitioners and advocates within the world of complementary therapy and the treatment they have received from within the mainstream media and medical community...."

Martin Walker has written a number of books on the politics of what could be termed the 'orthodox face' of science and its attitude toward alternative medicine. He examines some prominent practitioners and advocates within the world of complementary therapy and the treatment they have received from within the mainstream media and medical community. For example, his book Dirty Medicine written in 1994 described the type of criticism and ridicule aimed at those who followed an unconventional approach toward healthcare. The Bristol Cancer Help Centre embodied an alternative approach to cancer treatment using a wholefood or vegetarian nutritional approach combined with patient-centred psychotherapy. It was vilified for its belief in offering another way of providing care for those fighting life-threatening illness. Belinda Barnes, Dr Stephen Davies, Dr William Rae, Jean Munro, Dr Jacques Benveniste, and Patrick Holford among others were all well-recognised proponents of alternative therapy. Their practice represented a different model for healthcare and offered clinical ecology, homeopathy, and nutritional medicine as opposed to a pharmacological solution to illness. They were portrayed as heretics. As chance would have it, I knew several of those individuals subjected to what the author would suggest was a big pharma witch-hunt. Cultural dwarfs and junk journalism investigates the individuals and groups who have taken on the task of being self-appointed representatives of scientific truth. The author suggests that during the last two decades government policy in the UK has been heavily influenced by a number of anti-environmental scientific bodies. They defend the pharmaceutical industry and commercial institutions against the charge that they may be responsible, at least to some degree, for creating, among others, environmental illnesses such as Gulf War syndrome, vaccine-damaged children, allergic disease, and certain cancers. He also argues that in the last 15 to 20 years these groups have joined forces with another quite separate movement whose intention is to undermine those within the alternative medicine movement. Walker professes that he cannot easily give a name to the 'health fraud' or 'anti-quackery' movement, but decides that 'the lobby', with all its Orwellian overtones, will suffice. This book is an important contribution to the current vogue of quack-busting. It is helpful to know who is behind all the invective attacking alternatives, and the author provides a detailed outline of organisations, their machinations, their key players and who probably funds them. In the United States they have their National Council Against Health Fraud, in the UK we have Healthwatch, a hatchling of Sense About Science and The Science Media Centre. In the States they have needed to develop an active and media-savvy opposition to the pro-industrial lobby 'scientists'. We probably need a similar network to ensure we still have an alternative therapy choice for the next generation to benefit from. Download this book. You may have to put aside its somewhat aggressive tone which can be a distraction, but join the debate and consider Kierkegaard's opinion that ... 'Truth always rests with the minority, and the minority is always stronger than the majority, because the minority is generally formed by those who really have an opinion, while the strength of the majority is illusory, formed by gangs who have no opinion.' Two further books worth considering on the same tack, but in my view better considered and less vitriolic, are Devra Davis' The secret history of the war on cancer and Phil Brown's Toxic exposures. Donald Scott, osteopath

Playing God: poems about medicine

Glenn Colquhoun, Hammersmith Press

2007 ISBN: 978 1 90514 016 9

£9.99

Review by: Annette Gamblin

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"This little collection of poems, first published in New Zealand, has already gone platinum there as a top-selling book and has been added to the Premier New Zealand Bestsellers. It is easy to see why...."

This little collection of poems, first published in New Zealand, has already gone platinum there as a top-selling book and has been added to the Premier New Zealand Bestsellers. It is easy to see why. Colquhoun, already an author of children's books and other poetry, has put together an assortment of sweet and sour bon mots. The subject of each poem is taken from his life experiences, seeing clearly and intuitively into the nature of many situations he encountered as a doctor. Using different mediums, Glenn Colquhoun is playful with language and form, as well as with import and meaning. His poems are very accessible, rather than obtuse, and imbued with compassion. There is seriousness and sadness alongside an abundance of laughter and joy. A great little gift for anyone at the giving or receiving end of the healing arts! Which is just about all of us. Annette Gamblin

Help for the helper: the psychophysiology of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma

Babette Rothschild with Marjorie Rand, WW Norton

2007 ISBN: 0 39370 422 X

£19.99

Review by: David Peters

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"Good therapy depends on empathy. But when empathy goes wrong it can undermine the therapeutic process and may even threaten a therapist's wellbeing...."

Good therapy depends on empathy. But when empathy goes wrong it can undermine the therapeutic process and may even threaten a therapist's wellbeing. We know well that practitioner burnout is a fact of life, and not just for therapists working in war zones and with disaster victims, for it is rife within the NHS. So for anyone in the medical, nursing and mental health professions who feels they are burning out, there are ideas and solutions aplenty in Help for the helper. If you are someone exposed continually to other people's distress, compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatisation could be the diagnosis. In this excellent little book the author successfully explains their origins by integrating current research on the neurobiology of empathy with contemporary ideas from psychotherapy. Help for the helper does what it says on the tin: more than a toolkit and a sourcebook on the neurobiology of trauma, it provides applications and exercises for practitioners who want to do something about the negative effects of their work, or simply to maintain their own mental health and wellbeing while optimising their communication with clients. After opening with recommendations for keeping a common sense perspective on therapy, there follow core chapters focusing on therapist assets and deficits, and the neurophysiology of empathy, arousal, and clear thinking. Subsequently, Help introduces the signs of therapist burnout and a range of skills to minimise the impact of working therapeutically with clients. Though directed at psychotherapists, the ideas and exercises will be valuable to any nurse, doctor, complementary practitioner (especially those working with touch) or social worker struggling to make sense of the exhaustion, irritability and cynicism that long-term contact with pain and neediness may eventually engender. This book is also a goldmine of powerful preventive self-care. It lays out foundational neuroscience explaining how and why we 'pick up' other peoples distress and builds up into/a self-care toolbox based on ways of 'listening' to your body mindfully. The author uses the same common sense approach and conversational style interspersed with experiential and reflective sections that worked so well in her bestselling classic The body remembers. It is equally effective in this new book: material that might otherwise have seemed too technical or specialised is put over with no loss of rigour or relevance. I recommend Help for the helper to any health or helping professional who wants to help their patients and clients while minimising their own risks of stress and burnout. David Peters

The embodied psychotherapist: the therapist

Robert Shaw, Routledge

2003 ISBN: 978 1 583912 69 0

£18.99

Review by: Bob Withers

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"This book is a response to the paucity of psychotherapeutic literature concerning the therapist's bodily experience within and around the therapeutic encounter...."

This book is a response to the paucity of psychotherapeutic literature concerning the therapist's bodily experience within and around the therapeutic encounter. As such it is a welcome attempt to address a gap in an important area. The book will be of interest to psychotherapists, counsellors, and holistic practitioners wishing to integrate a psychological with a physical approach to their work. The book has developed out of a PhD thesis and has three main strands. The core of the book is a phenomenological account of 15 therapists' (including the author's) bodily experiences while practising psychotherapy. On the whole their approach is integrative, gestalt or humanistic, though there are also a few psychodynamic practitioners. Out of this core is developed the beginnings of a critique of what the author regards as classical psychotherapeutic discourses about the body. Finally there is an attempt to situate the body within a broader cultural and philosophical context in a way that is relevant to psychotherapy. The author tackles these three strands with varying degrees of success. The first section of the book deals with the third strand and Shaw clearly knows what he is talking about. He writes impressively and knowledgably, weaving together themes from a wide variety of intellectual discourses about the body and relating them effectively to psychotherapy. My only reservation about this section concerns some of the generalisations about psychoanalysis. Shaw has a tendency to make claims about its practices and theories that appear unsupported either by his own research or references to the analytic literature. This problem recurs in the third section. The middle section is less problematic, drawing as it does upon a series of interviews with therapists reflecting on their own bodily experiences. These are the sorts of experiences that will be familiar to all but the most dissociated psychotherapists. But it is helpful nevertheless to focus attention on this neglected area. The final section draws on these body narratives to make a series of suggestions about the ways such experiences can best be incorporated into psychotherapeutic theory and practice. Shaw clearly has his own ideas about this. He suggests for instance that therapists employ the notion of 'body empathy' to describe their bodily reactions to clients. He feels this is a more egalitarian notion than traditional psychodynamic approaches which he regards as predisposed to consider such responses as emanating from the patient. For the same reason he also recommends that therapists judiciously disclose some of their bodily reactions to patients in order that they can play their part in a co-created therapeutic narrative. The notion that therapists' feelings (including bodily feelings) often emanate from ordinary empathy rather than projective identification strikes me as valid. Shaw may also be right that some analytical psychotherapists are over-disposed to regard their own countertransferential feelings as emanating from the patient. But to suggest that this is because of some shortcoming in analytic theory is to oversimplify and ignores the whole relational turn in psychoanalysis. In addition, one of the reasons analysts are disinclined to disclose their feelings to their clients is precisely because of their awareness that such feelings may originate as much in themselves as the client. Shaw thus misses a chance to open up an important debate. He is right however to emphasise that psychoanalysis would benefit from a better philosophical grounding of its theories, including its theories about the body. In summary then this is a thoughtful and welcome book on an important and relatively neglected subject. At times, however, Shaw can't resist taking a rather predictable swipe at a stereotypical view of psychoanalysis from a humanistic perspective and so effectively closes down some potentially fertile areas of 'co-creation'. One final thought; the whole subject of therapists' sexual bodily responses to clients is absent from the interview material (if I may use that word!). This is surprising given the bodily nature of the inquiry and merited more than the passing comment it receives. Bob Withers

The ethics of touch

Ben E Benjamin Ph.D and Cherie M, Sohnen-Moe Sohnen-Moe Associates

2005 ISBN: 1 88290 840 6

£19.99

Review by: Justin Haroun

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"Not only is the subject of ethics huge for those working within the helping and healthcare professions. It is also highly complex, confusing and unfortunately does not come in a 'one size fits all' guide...."

Not only is the subject of ethics huge for those working within the helping and healthcare professions. It is also highly complex, confusing and unfortunately does not come in a 'one size fits all' guide. If you add to this the dimension of physical touch, then ethics and ethical considerations become, well, huger. Benjamin and Sohnen-Moe's book The ethics of touch has explored this complex and interesting subject in a clearly-written, highly engaging and useable text. It is laid out well with chapters covering the main topics, such as boundaries, that you would expect to find in a book on ethics, as well as some topics that are often shied away from, such as sex and intimacy. There are chapters covering: ethical principles; boundaries; the dynamics of effective communication; dual relationships; sex, touch and intimacy; ethical practice management; business ethics; special considerations in cases of trauma; and supervision. The ethics of touch is not just a theoretical book; it encourages the reader to engage with the topics in an active way. The book contains relevant vignettes, illustrating examples of ethically challenging situations that the reader can study and explore. At the end of each chapter there is also a section offering questions for discussion and activities for the reader to work through. This resource gives the text a workbook feel that will appeal to training providers as well as individuals. The book also contains very informative and useful appendices with sample client forms, protocols for working with traumatised patients and the codes of ethics for a range of relevant professional associations from both the US and UK. Ethics is often talked about in training from a litigation perspective; The ethics of touch encourages and supports the reader in exploring ethics from a deeper understanding, where the therapeutic relationship is key, and ethical working is vital to the health of this relationship. Human beings are diverse, complex, confusing and confused. That is why there can never be a 'one-size fits all' guide to ethics. Of course that is also what makes ethics such a wonderful and exciting topic for us to study and explore. The ethics of touch is an excellent resource and successfully brings this challenging topic to life. Justin Haroun

Multidisciplinary approaches to breathing pattern disorders

Leon Chaitow, Dinah Bradley & Christopher Gilbert, Churchill Livingstone

2002 ISBN: 0 443 07053 9

£33.99

Review by: Ashley Conway

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"This book is co-authored respectively by an osteopath, a physiotherapist and a psychologist...."

This book is co-authored respectively by an osteopath, a physiotherapist and a psychologist. As panic disorder almost invariably includes elements of hyperventilation, the understanding of psychophysiological processes in the aetiology and treatment of disordered respiratory patterns is highly relevant to psychologists working with this patient group, as well as clients presenting with frank respiratory symptoms. It is appropriate to consider a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, as for hyperventilation in particular the effects of the disorder encompass neurological, biochemical, biomechanical and psychosocial factors, which may interact with each other. I found Bradley's chapters helpful in suggesting very practical techniques to help clients to learn more adaptive breathing patterns. The relevance of Chaitow's chapters to psychologists is more educative than practical - but they serve a useful purpose in sensitising psychologists to the appropriate recommendation for clients to get concurrent physical treatments. The psychologist (Gilbert) provides an unbiased overview of relevant emotional, behavioural and cognitive models, as well as some good psychophysiology. It would be hard to find a better review of the field for psychologists. The whole book is well illustrated and referenced, provides practical case examples and sensible cautions. There are sections on assessment, diagnosis and evaluation, and some brief commentary on techniques such as the Buteyko method, Chinese bodywork and yogic alternate nostril breathing. The book is concluded with practical suggestions for breathing awareness and exercises, relaxation (including specific muscle relaxation techniques), diet, and just in case you should need it - a nasal wash recipe. I cannot think of anything that they have left out. Ashley Conway

What will influence the future of alternative medicine? A world perspective

Daniel Eskinazi (ed)., World Scientific, Singapore,

2001 ISBN: 981-02-4511-4

£24

Review by: Richard James

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"This handy little book has been on the shelves for a few years but has only just come to my attention. In case you missed it too,I recommend it...."

This handy little book has been on the shelves for a few years but has only just come to my attention. In case you missed it too,I recommend it. It is a collection of papers from a symposium in Seoul in 1999. Although it is something of a mixed bag, it is worth getting for the first paper alone.There are eight other chapters in the book offering various well-referenced contributions to the debate - historical, cultural, political, information science, research and funding - from around the world.The first chapter is Eskinazi's overview. For those of us immersed in the UK CAM discourse it offers a refreshing perspective. Noting the common emphasis on 'the lack of relevant good quality scientific research' it sets out to redress the balance by considering other factors under the headings: cultural, political, administrative and economic. I like Eskinazi's simple clarity in defining his terms and the field of study, followed by his systematic consideration of the various factors. He does not shy away from the term 'alternative', but adopts it as many of the practices are derived from 'other cultures'. He draws a welcome clear distinction between traditional ('age-old') and conventional (Western biomedicine). He identifies issues that should be addressed by a program in alternative medicine and concludes with a plea for academic freedom to explore; avoidance of premature hypothesising; taking into account of whole conceptual systems rather than just techniques and products; pluralism tailored to local and personal constraints; understanding the many factors that have lead the public to seek AM practices; and to improve healthcare worldwide rather than focus on developing profitable alternative medicine products. Richard James

I'm fine! Learning to unblock your emotions

Andrew Tresidder, Newleaf, Dublin

2002 ISBN: 0-7171-3416-4

£10.99

Review by: Richard James

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"This book must have been sitting on the shelf for a while but I thought it would be good to review, as emotional literacy is so important...."

This book must have been sitting on the shelf for a while but I thought it would be good to review, as emotional literacy is so important. I'm sure that 'blocked emotions' are an important aetiological factor in many of the problems we all deal with. It is written by a GP so I would expect it to be well targeted at the needs of ordinary NHS patients. Certainly it is not weighed down by scientific content. Instead, it is based on the logic of the mixed metaphor. It is a hotch-potch of pop-psychology and new-age spirituality, drawing on many of the usual suspects, in particular Bach of flower remedy fame. The author has not been served well by his publisher. There are a number of proofreading lapses and I spotted one obvious error of fact - Eric Burne is not the author of I'm OK,You're OK,as stated. Three pages of resources are provided, giving authors and titles, but no publishers or dates. A website address is also given but - although I am writing this two years after the publication date - it is still under construction. Now, I am sure the author is the kind of GP that many of the public would die for (well, you know what I mean): one who not only sees illness in a rounded, mind-body perspective, but also has tools on offer to help you steer a path towards health. But I don't think this book fulfils its worthy aim to 'uplift, inform and inspire'.The writing style is so chatty and grasshopper-like that I found it almost impenetrable. I struggled on, enticed by the promise of the map I 'always wanted, but nobody gave me' but had to give up before the end. The map turned out to be a rather wordy expression of the Freudian notions of repression and resistance, mixed with the more Jungian ideas of the shadow and life's lessons. When promised a map, I expect pictures! I wonder if this style would appeal to others? Is it just me and my personal resistance that makes it difficult? If anyone out there has read this, please feel free to disagree with me. Richard James

Narrative-based primary care: a practical guide

John Launer, Radcliffe Press, Abingdon

2002 ISBN: 1 85775 539 1

£23.50

Review by: William House

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"So what's new? Surely primary care has always been about stories! That is true, and at one level John Launer does celebrate the story as source of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. But he goes much further, and has produced a powerful book...."

So what's new? Surely primary care has always been about stories! That is true, and at one level John Launer does celebrate the story as source of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. But he goes much further, and has produced a powerful book. He brings to primary care the techniques of family therapy through his association with the Tavistock Clinic. He is an experienced GP and has set out to adapt the family therapy techniques and ideas to the messiness and pressures of everyday NHS practice. In this he has been largely successful, certainly enough to produce a very helpful and practical handbook. He avoids the temptation to trumpet the techniques as a cure-all, and is careful not to devalue scientific medicine and the need in primary care to do things to people. Instead, he asserts that 'a narrative approach must provide a way of asking intelligent questions about medical knowledge without disqualifying that knowledge'. He is also aware that many of us have unknowingly developed, through experience of what works and feels right, our own versions of the techniques he describes.

The book is divided into three sections: practice, teaching and theory.The first two sections constitute the practical handbook element of the book. They are organised to be easily readable with the key ideas summarised and highlighted in boxes. This gives these sections a didactic feel which may not appeal to all readers. For those who want something more cerebral, in the theory section Launer makes clear how the methods he describes are distinguished from Balint-style therapy and from the approach adopted by the patient-centred movement.

Throughout the book there is a consistent emphasis on context and on the nature of the therapeutic relationship. In the practice section context concerns mainly the family and in the teaching section it is the workplace and team. The therapeutic relationship is developed through detailed consideration of the value and importance of questions that can elicit stories and empower the patient.There are many examples of how to frame questions in order to 'co-create' a new story that might provide the patient with a way out of their problems. In this way the practitioner and patient are jointly responsible for the outcome.These ideas are grounded by frequent vignettes.

The author recognises that the application of family therapy ideas in primary care is at an early stage.There are mixed messages about the role of advice - an accepted part of medical practice, but anathema to family therapy. Nevertheless, this is an inspiring and instructive book that should be in every primary care library. William House

The cancer lifeline kit

Rosy Daniel, Health Creation, Bristol

2003 ISBN:

£150.00

Review by: William House

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"A large box arrived more than six weeks ago measuring 39cm across, 31cm width and 15cm in depth. It proved too heavy to take home to examine the contents, along with my laptop and work bag. As there were many components, I distributed parts of the kit to my team members for their views...."

A large box arrived more than six weeks ago measuring 39cm across, 31cm width and 15cm in depth. It proved too heavy to take home to examine the contents, along with my laptop and work bag. As there were many components, I distributed parts of the kit to my team members for their views.

The kit was devised by Dr Rosy Daniel, well known for her work in driving forward an integrated approach to cancer care. Prior to becoming medical director of Health Creation, she was the medical director of the Bristol Cancer Help Centre. A powerful statement in the brochure that comes with the kit is a message from Dr Daniel. 'I send you my personal heartfelt support as you embark upon your healing journey, and the comfort you can take from my 20 years' experience that cancer really can be healed'. The pack states that it is 'aimed at those who are newly diagnosed'. Does this imply that the contents of the kit do not apply to those with advanced cancer who have journeyed well along the road of conventional treatment?

The box, brochures and the various components feature some amazing artwork. The artist was Michel Angelo Petrone, whose inspirational artwork and presentations exploring his own 'emotional cancer journey' have profoundly moved me and others. William House

Placebo.The Belief Effect

Dylan Evans, Harper Collins

2003 ISBN:

£16.99

Review by: Richard James

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"As everyone knows the placebo is the hero, or perhaps villain, of double-blind research, whereby a significant difference between what wonder drug X cures and the effect of placebo would show that X is worthwhile stuff. If not, the study reaches the dismissive conclusion that drug X is 'no better than placebo'...."

As everyone knows the placebo is the hero, or perhaps villain, of double-blind research, whereby a significant difference between what wonder drug X cures and the effect of placebo would show that X is worthwhile stuff. If not, the study reaches the dismissive conclusion that drug X is 'no better than placebo'. But what of placebo itself, if it is the solemnly invoked gold standard by which 'real' treatment is judged? Dylan Evans' book discusses a whole range of issues concerning the nature of the placebo effect, and among those that intrigued me most were the nature and importance of belief, the relationships between what neuroimmunology illuminates about mind-body effects, and the notion that psychotherapy is perhaps placebo in its purest form. And perhaps homeopathy too. Evans asks a cogent question: if homeopathy were pure placebo, would it matter? If such questions are controversial, or demeaning to homeopathy or psychotherapy, this thoughtful book makes one wonder how, and why, that should be so. This is a book that should be read by everyone who uses the word placebo, whether casually, dismissively or, as happens occasionally, in wonder. Richard James

Letting the heart sing

Denis Postle, Wentworth Learning Resources, London

2003 ISBN: 0 954 54660 1

£19.95 pers

Review by: Richard James

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"This CD is the latest incarnation of a work that began as a book published by Gaia in 1989, drawing on Postle's extensive life experience in the arts and 'psycho-practice' based on 'holistic psychology'. Even as a book, it had a highly interactive format that anticipated the functionality of the internet, with mind-map contents attempting to overcome the hegemony of page order linearity; now it has come into its own as a highly interactive, web-style multimedia document in Acrobat Reader (supplied on the CD)...."

This CD is the latest incarnation of a work that began as a book published by Gaia in 1989, drawing on Postle's extensive life experience in the arts and 'psycho-practice' based on 'holistic psychology'. Even as a book, it had a highly interactive format that anticipated the functionality of the internet, with mind-map contents attempting to overcome the hegemony of page order linearity; now it has come into its own as a highly interactive, web-style multimedia document in Acrobat Reader (supplied on the CD). It is therefore extremely accessible and navigable.There are no less than eight ways in, conveniently identified in the first item of the contents page Ways in to the Mind Gymnasium.These are: introduction, contents, themes, index, not to be missed, key points, guided tour, special interest groups. So you can go through the text page by page, or you can skip from place to place using the abundant hyperlinks. So what is there to navigate? The content is in three sections or themes: self-assessment, know how and exercises. The first offers opportunities to explore various aspects of your self: history, identity, body-mind, intelligence, relating and beliefs. You are presented with a brief introduction, some key aspects of life to focus on, and suggestions to explore and acknowledge their relevance to you. The second section is Knowhow (though perhaps know about would have been a better heading). This presents theoretical input from a wide range of sources under the sub-headings: Making of the mind, Mind in action, Caring for your mind, Personal development, Professional development and Spiritual development (the last three are new on the CD). As it is so wide-ranging, some of this content is necessarily superficial and will not satisfy an academic interest, but there are three pages of further reading to explore if you want more depth. The third section is Exercises. First things first is good guidance about how to use this section, then there are: You and yourself,You and others,You and the planet. These are all tried and tested methods and several of them contain soundtracks to guide you through the procedure. All of this comes together as a superb tool for personal development. I have minor grouches such as the font, which is too small and fussy for my eyes (of course I can magnify it, but then navigation of two columns within Acrobat becomes bothersome). On the other hand the numerous images are very clear and I loved the bits of music in places - shame there were not more. I can imagine that some may feel their feathers ruffled by the author's explicit political stance. But I find it very refreshing to see the personal, the political and the spiritual aspects of life considered side by side. And all this for much less than the cost of a single session. I wonder if it could be available on prescription? Richard James

American shaman: an odyssey of global healing traditions

JA Kottler and J Carlson, in association with Brad Keeney, Brunner Routledge, NY and Hove

2004 ISBN: 0 41594 822 3

£11.50

Review by: Dr Natalie Tobert, Research Theme Leader Complementary Therapies, School of Integrated Health, Univ

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"This book presents the story of Bradford Keeney, an American shaman who challenged the assumptions and belief systems of both authors. Early on in the text, the education, qualifications and publications of all the authors were emphasised. We were told the three of them had written nearly 100 books between them. I wondered what was so controversial that they needed to tell the reader about so many of their credentials?..."

This book presents the story of Bradford Keeney, an American shaman who challenged the assumptions and belief systems of both authors. Early on in the text, the education, qualifications and publications of all the authors were emphasised. We were told the three of them had written nearly 100 books between them. I wondered what was so controversial that they needed to tell the reader about so many of their credentials? The authors noted that although science had been extremely valuable it 'has not provided the answers to many of life's most troubling questions' (preface p.xiii). The story they presented was of Keeney's amazing ability to trance dance with the Kalahari bushmen, and use a method of vibrating dance movement in order to offer healing energy or life force to a client. They explain how he abandoned his academic life and his clinical psychology practice. I felt as if the first part of the book jumped between scenes in Africa, Asia, and the Amazon. The text seemed to leap between conversations under Baobab trees in the Kalahari, to lecture halls in Brazil, to discussions with Navaho medicine women. In some chapters my attention began to wander, when I wasn't sure what the focus was, or where the scene was set. One chapter described the theoretical foundations of his shamanic work, and discussed cybernetic concepts (which were beyond my understanding). The authors used Keeney's experiences as if they were generic phenomena experienced by all people who engaged in shamanic practice. I was concerned that 'one way', 'his way', was presented as if it were 'the way' of the shaman. Sometimes the word shaman was used as if it meant healer or therapist, omitting other definitions of shamanic faculties. 1 I found the second part: Shamanic concepts applied to helping and healing far more coherent, though the ideas about healing were rather challenging. Keeney felt it was important to honour and respect different cultures, especially indigenous healers across the world: he believed publications often just represented privileged or educated peoples. He was convinced teachings of other cultures should be heard: the medical technology we developed and created is wonderful, but 'indigenous cultures have been using other methods of diagnosis and treatment that are just as a miraculous, even if we can't explain how and why they work' (p124). 'These are cultures that have developed wisdom over thousands of years'. Keeney gives case studies, which illustrate non-oppositional interventions, where practitioners do not fight disease or illness, but work with the-client to understand underlying messages. Symptoms were regarded as allies, rather than enemies. Keeney wondered how much information therapists actually needed about their clients, in order to trigger a healing response and support deep transformation. He clearly had a problem with the concept of diagnosis itself, and suggested it kept clients stuck.The label generated by a diagnosis seemed to fossilise a client's condition. Referring to the DSM he said: '[o]nce you pathologize someone or something, give it a simple name, you loose a whole range of possibilities for intervention' (p.109). He felt the diagnosis did not allow people to shift and transform, and was more useful for the therapist than for their patients. The last chapters illustrate specific examples of ways Keeney used to effect healing in his clients. In western society, people who become troubled were encouraged to calm down. We train in relaxation, use hypnosis to reduce anxiety, or take baths to soothe ourselves: if these techniques didn Dr Natalie Tobert, Research Theme Leader Complementary Therapies, School of Integrated Health, Univ

Developing practice knowledge for health professionals

Joy Higgs, Barbara Richardson & Madeleine Abrandt Dahlgren, Butterworth Heinemann, Edinburgh

2004 ISBN: 0 750 6 5429 5

£25

Review by: Richard James

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"This is a timely book. With the recent exposure of some of the iniquities of medical practice the public is understandably concerned and the powers-that-be have predictably jumped on the bandwagon of centralising control...."

This is a timely book. With the recent exposure of some of the iniquities of medical practice the public is understandably concerned and the powers-that-be have predictably jumped on the bandwagon of centralising control. This coincides with the rising worship of statistical reductionism in the evidence-based medicine movement, and its demonisation of individualisation and bias. Together, these two threads are threatening to bind healthcare professionals into a regulatory straightjacket that could complete the dehumanisation of healthcare and its practitioners. We need to resist the notion that statistical evidence should take precedence over practical knowledge and clinical wisdom in guiding practice. This book will be a valuable tool in rising to that challenge. It is a collaboration between experts from Australia, the UK, Scandinavia, and other parts of the world. Illustrations are drawn from physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing and medicine but the book will also be useful to practitioners in other areas, such as complementary therapies. Although some of the ideas and language used are challenging, the book is very user-friendly. Each chapter is clearly laid out, with introductory overview, clear section headings, a concluding summary and references. Its focus is on practice knowledge rather than governance and managed care; however the overlap between these areas is not ignored. There are 12 chapters, from a variety of contributors, covering topics such as the philosophical roots and epistemology of practice; redefining reflective practice; communities of practice; critical appreciation; person-centred practice; the effect of context (regulatory and moral frameworks); challenging evidence; the role of practitioners; clinical reasoning; and the implications for education and research as well as practice. This is going to be essential reading for students on our new MSc in Advanced Professional Practice at the School of Integrated Health. I would recommend it also to anyone who is riding the waves of change in their professional life and feels a need for some solid ground to stand on. Richard James

Mothers, babies and their body language

Antonella Sansone, Karnac Books, London

2004 ISBN: 1 85575 355 3

£22.50

Review by: Bob Lister Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, London Metropolitan University

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"This is a ground-breaking work that will be of particular interest to readers of this journal. The author takes a holistic view of the way in which infants and their parents interact and the importance that the quality of these interactions have on the infants' subsequent emotional and psychological development...."

This is a ground-breaking work that will be of particular interest to readers of this journal. The author takes a holistic view of the way in which infants and their parents interact and the importance that the quality of these interactions have on the infants' subsequent emotional and psychological development. Sansone uses her extensive personal experience and that of leading researchers in the field to describe the intricate inter-relationships of an infant and its mother. She details the range of non-verbal behaviours of both and the importance of these in mother-infant bonding. These include touch, visual contact through smile and synchronicity of actions. There are important chapters on the role of the mother's body self-image and how a good self-image can aid bonding and the emotional development of the infant. The author shows how the transition from non-verbal communication to linguistic and cognitive development can be facilitated by techniques that activate the pre-programmed linguistic network of the brain. The author herself is a baby masseuse and has done extensive research on the part played in bonding by mother-infant skin contact and she gives practical tips on how this can be achieved to the benefit of both. A chapter on breast-feeding stresses the value of this contact and shows how some of the perceived disadvantages of breast-feeding can be overcome. New mothers can benefit from her insights into the reasons for crying in infants and from her tips on how to manage a crying infant. Last but not least is a chapter on the father and how his receptiveness can contribute to the welfare and bonding within the new triad. In an age of medicalised birth and babycare this book will appeal to all of us who wish to learn more about the neglected subject of mother-infant interactions. The book is illustrated with Dr Sansone's own photographs showing how the techniques she describes can be put into practice. As an additional bonus she has included her own paintings that vividly convey her commitment to her subject. Bob Lister Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, London Metropolitan University

Music for relaxation and healing

Jan Ellan-Bows, West Park Recordings, Harrogate,

2004 ISBN: (all profits go to Ref No: MSS 89-2 DDD The Cultur

£10 + 1.50

Review by: Richard James

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"This CD contains music for meditation and simple guidance on how to proceed. I was intrigued by the method, having not met an approach like this before. Lying semi-supine, one focuses the attention on the body in a particular way - the attention travels around the face, the body and finally around the heart in a way similar to the hands of a clock...."

This CD contains music for meditation and simple guidance on how to proceed. I was intrigued by the method, having not met an approach like this before. Lying semi-supine, one focuses the attention on the body in a particular way - the attention travels around the face, the body and finally around the heart in a way similar to the hands of a clock. The pace is provided by the music, which has a very slow four-beat count. One shifts the attention around the 'clockface' one hour for every first beat and holds it there for the four counts. This is done repeatedly for the duration of the music - just under 30 minutes. I quite liked the method. At first I was distracted by whether I was doing it right or not - the instructions are slightly ambiguous. I found myself experimenting with different interpretations, until I found one that felt right and came easily.Then I did find it quite relaxing. Holding the attention in this way for 30 minutes might be a real challenge for someone new to meditation, so more guidance for such users might be appropriate. Sadly, I found the music really depressing.The combination of the slow beat and the deep chords of the piano solo came across to me as really ponderous and plodding. By the end of the meditation I felt quite uncomfortable; weighed down and heavy in the head. Perhaps this would change with familiarity and practice but I do not feel like doing it any more. However I will try the method without the music and see how that goes. Richard James

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: an integrated approach to care

Denise Tiran, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh

2004 ISBN:

£23.99

Review by: Joanne Borg

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"Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy are experienced by many mothers as the earliest and most common symptoms which can present as mild nausea to severe ongoing vomiting. Nausea and vomiting occurring in pregnancy is most often viewed as being of a physiological rather than a pathological nature and is therefore at times regarded as a minor disorder...."

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy are experienced by many mothers as the earliest and most common symptoms which can present as mild nausea to severe ongoing vomiting. Nausea and vomiting occurring in pregnancy is most often viewed as being of a physiological rather than a pathological nature and is therefore at times regarded as a minor disorder. Yet for many mothers this condition is very distressing and has a great disruptive impact on their daily routines. Aimed primarily at midwives, complementary practitioners, obstetricians, general practitioners and childbirth educators, this book provides a comprehensive review of both traditional and alternative approaches and their management for the alleviation of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. I felt that Tiran's intentions were to provide well reviewed options on the different approaches of care for those mothers experiencing this discomforting condition and to allow healthcare professionals who are confronted with such conditions to appreciate how such mothers may benefit from referrals to specific therapies, while considering the safety and efficacy of each. Tiran's paperback consists of 204 pages which are divided into nine chapters.The chapters include the following approaches: conventional, complementary, nutritional, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, phytotherapeutic, homeopathic, structural, psychological and the Tiran integrated approach. Each approach to care has been systematically provided with evidence-based research together with a comprehensive guide to the principles and practices of the diverse modalities of care and management. All the chapters provide the reader with an introduction to the therapy together with relevant history and background information, recent research findings and a conclusion followed by a reference list.The book also provides readers with a glossary and with useful addresses and resources. As a midwife, l feel that mothers should be encouraged to make informed choices regarding their care and l highly recommend this book to any professional having to provide mothers with informed choices regarding nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Joanne Borg

And the journey begins

Cyril Axelrod, Douglas McLean, Coleford

2005 ISBN:

£12.95

Review by: Richard James

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"I approached this book curious to learn about the experience of the deaf-blind. I expected to gain insight into something that is alien to my experience - and indeed I did. However it was not the world of sensory deprivation that I learned most about...."

I approached this book curious to learn about the experience of the deaf-blind. I expected to gain insight into something that is alien to my experience - and indeed I did. However it was not the world of sensory deprivation that I learned most about. This is the autobiography of Cyril Axelrod. It is a nicely produced book, with a generous helping of photographs illustrating important people and events. Born with Usher syndrome into an orthodox Jewish family in South Africa, he was congenitally deaf and had balance problems. Early life was a struggle. His family had no training in how to communicate with him and there was little provision for the deaf in the society of the day. Transcending such difficulties without a trace of self-pity, he committed himself to ministering to others with similar problems by becoming a rabbi. Unfortunately it is forbidden in rabbinical law for a disabled person so to do, so his vocation was initially thwarted. Thus he found himself drawn towards the possibility of being a priest and, after much soul-searching, he embraced Catholicism. In doing so he lost the support of the Jewish community, including most of his family, although his mother did come to accept his unorthodox way of serving God. His sense of Jewishness remained strong (at one point he described himself as a 'Catholic rabbi') but he was happy to minister to all comers. He even set up a multiracial service for the deaf during the time of apartheid. Subsequently he carried out his pastoral mission on five different continents, having to master numerous different sign languages in order to do so. Then, in middle life, he gradually lost his sight (retinitis pigmentosa is the other feature of Usher syndrome) and so had to start learning communication again - in tactile signing and Braille this time. His life is full of extraordinary achievements, which have been honoured across the globe, in the world of the deaf-blind. Even writing this autobiography must have been an immense challenge, achieved by tactile and sign communication, through the skilful and dedicated help of the book's editor, amongst others. This man is very much a people person; a communicator in a world of silence. He does not elaborate about his disability but I was struck by the flat feel of the narrative, which seems to result from its lack of sound references and auditory metaphors. There are several passages describing situations in great detail (eg the rituals for the Sabbath or Passover) which are exclusively visual. So it was language not used that conveyed to me the reality of his deafness. As I sit in my garden writing this, gazing at a glorious tapestry of greens, I hear the sound of family Sundays drifting on the gentle breeze, a hoverfly buzzes down to the water to drink and a blackbird sings his heart out in a nearby tree. I realise how important all this is to me and how nature-centred my spiritual appreciation is; it really is hard to imagine a life without it. Conversely, I find it equally hard to appreciate the emphasis on ritual in Axelrod's life. Ritual is quite foreign to me - in my childhood the nearest we got was along the lines of 'we're eating roast beef, so it must be a Sunday'.Yet to him it was the foundation of his spirituality and of his relationships - particularly with his mother. So this was the aspect of the book I found most educational. In spite of being closed off from the joys of speech, song, music and the sounds of nature this remarkable man found the divine in the rituals of his family and his two religions. What others might perceive as a severe disability caused by an autosomal recessive gene, he took as the starting point for a life of great fulfilment. Richard James

I welcome readers’ contributions. If you’re reading something you want to share, please let me know. You can also contact me if you think there is something – book, DVD, CD, video – that we should be reviewing.
richard@integrativehealthcare.co.uk

• 7 Minutes to natural pain release: tapping your pain away with WHEE, the revolutionary new self-healing method
  Daniel J. Benor
• American shaman: an odyssey of global healing traditions
  JA Kottler and J Carlson, in association with Brad Keeney
• Anatomy for acupuncture
  Peter Dorsher and Mike Cummings
• And the journey begins
  Cyril Axelrod
• Collapse: how societies choose to fail or survive
  Jared Diamond
• Cultural dwarfs and junk journalism
  Martin Walker
• Developing practice knowledge for health professionals
  Joy Higgs, Barbara Richardson & Madeleine Abrandt Dahlgren
• Fracture: adventures of a broken body
  Ann Oakley
• Healing the Gerson way: defeating cancer and other chronic diseases
  Charlotte Gerson and Beata Bishop
• Help for the helper: the psychophysiology of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma
  Babette Rothschild with Marjorie Rand
• I'm fine! Learning to unblock your emotions
  Andrew Tresidder
• Improving children
  Jane Tunstill, Jane Aldgate and Marilyn Hughes
• Letting the heart sing
  Denis Postle
• Lifting your spirits: seven tools for coping with illness
  Jan Alcoe
• Mothers, babies and their body language
  Antonella Sansone
• Multidisciplinary approaches to breathing pattern disorders
  Leon Chaitow, Dinah Bradley & Christopher Gilbert
• Music for relaxation and healing
  Jan Ellan-Bows
• Narrative-based primary care: a practical guide
  John Launer
• Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: an integrated approach to care
  Denise Tiran
• Placebo.The Belief Effect
  Dylan Evans
• Playing God: poems about medicine
  Glenn Colquhoun
• Principles and practice in homeopathy: the therapeutic and healing process
  David Owen
• Research methods for massage and holistic therapies
  Glenn M. Hymel
• Setting up new services in the NHS,
  Kingsley Norton
• Shadows in Wonderland - a hospital odyssey
  Colin Ludlow
• Shen: psycho-emotional aspects of Chinese medicine
  Elisa Rossi
• The cancer lifeline kit
  Rosy Daniel
• The embodied psychotherapist: the therapist
  Robert Shaw
• The ethics of touch
  Ben E Benjamin Ph.D and Cherie M
• The Fight
  Anton FitzSimons
• The heart speaks: a cardiologist reveals the secret language of healing
  Dr Mimi Guarneri
• The mindful way through depression
  J. Mark, G. Williams, John D. Teasdale, Zindel V. Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn
• What will influence the future of alternative medicine? A world perspective
  Daniel Eskinazi (ed).