Follow Us On
Contact Us
info@ampainsoc.org847.375.4715
American Pain Society
4700 W Lake Ave
Glenview, IL 60025
John D. Loeser, MD, Department Editor
Reviewed by Lisa Sassi, MN RN
D. Hover-Kramer, J. Mentgen, & S. Scandrett-Hibdon, Delmar Publishers, Albany, NY, 1996, $24.95, 242 pages, ISBN 0-8273-6275-7
The authors of this book are four nurses who have several years of collective experience in the field of healing touch. Three of them have spearheaded an educational program that has been used by 8,000 nurses and other healthcare providers over the past 5 years. The book provides the reader with information about the concepts and clinical application being taught in the comprehensive education program. The text links the history of energy-oriented healing with recent research and other areas, including energy field theory, chakras and their functions, assessment, and details of the therapeutic interventions. There is a very useful chapter on healing touch as adjunctive to more traditional allopathic and psychologic approaches and other body-oriented therapies. There are also two chapters devoted to self-care of the healer. Each chapter lists references at its conclusion, and the graphics are very helpful in providing the needed detail in describing techniques.
The reader is left with a well-rounded understanding of the operational framework of healing touch, its application in general and specific patient populations, and how it fits into the context of a larger healthcare system. Overall, there is an excellent integration of information that frames healing touch as a blend of the human arts and sciences. The book is a must-read for those interested in gaining a foundation in this area, and the book will undoubtedly serve as a cornerstone reference as the clinical practice of healing touch develops and expands.
Lisa Sassi is nurse manager at the Multidisciplinary Pain Center at the University of Washington in Seattle.
