basic research and clinical data in an attempt to derive a cohesive model which explains the behavioral effects of the drug. Johnson is an experimental psychologist, and his work underlies many of the chapters which suggest that lithium decreases the behavioral response to novel external stimuli. He then utilizes this foundation to propose a cognitive model for lithium's anti-manic action, its inhibition of violent impulsivity, and its prophylactic effects in recurrent depression. Previous formulations which were clinically based, such as that of Mabel Blake Cohen and her associates, stressed the primacy of depression and noted the \"manic defense\" as an attempt to ward off intolerable depression. In direct contrast, Johnson views mania as the primary disturbance in bipolar disorder. He considers depression in bipolar disease as an over-zealous homeostatic inhibitory responsf to a maniaassociated cognitive overload. Consistent with this, he believes, lit lum exerts its anti-manic effect by decreasing cognitive processing in a manner analogous to his animal studies. Johnson also suggests that lithium exerts its prophylactic effect in recurrent depressions by treating subclinical mania. These concepts are supported by the work of Johnson's associate, Kukopulos, to whom the book is dedicated. The bulk of the research which describes the cognitive disturbance in mania is complex, however, and uncomfortably open to multiple interpretations. Recognized as a preliminary effort, Johnson's formulation may help to guide further research. Although Johnson clearly traces lithium actions through a broad range of subjects, his discussion of the neurophysiological aspects of this drug is notably spotty. In particular, Johnson ignores the work of Svensson, DeMontigny, Aghajanian, and others who suggest that serotonergic systems may play an important role in the antidepressant actions of lithium. As a result, he fails to discuss one of the most important current uses of lithium: as an agent used in conjunction with antidepressant medications to increase treatment response in medication-resistant forms of depression. Lithium augmentation of antidepressant medication also challenges the formulation presented by Johnson. This formulation suggests that lithium should have no therapeutic value in patients, such as those with endogenous depression, who already \"under-process\" cognitive information. The omission of lithium augmentation in depression is clearly unfortunate in this text. Overall, this volume demonstrates the benefits of a single-authored text. It it clearly organized and readable. The bibliography is also broad and useful. In this book, Johnson primarily addresses a research audience, and his model seems designed to stimulate thought rather than to improve clinical technique. In this capacity, his book will be of most interest to behavioral psychologists. Other books, focusing purely on clinical data, may be more useful to clinicians. Nevertheless, the clear organization, the large bibliography, and the thoughtful presentation may make this text a useful addition to a clinical library as well.

The Body in Pain: The Making and Unmaking of the World.

Theatre of the Oppressed

We may not be able to make you love reading, but the science of evaluation a realist manifesto will lead you to love reading starting from now. Book is the window to open the new world. The world that you want is in the better stage and level. World will always guide you to even the prestige stage of the life. You know, this is some of how reading will give you the kindness. In this case, more books you read more knowledge you know, but it can mean also the bore is full.

The Science of Evaluation: A Realist Manifesto

The Handbook of Culture and Psychology.

Components of Placebo Effect: Randomised Controlled Trial in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Three academic/practitioners from different disciplines (performance, medicine and psychology) describe the ways in which observing, and importantly, participating in the healing rituals of the French pilgrimage site of Lourdes challenged their ways of thinking about both their discipline's research approaches and their understandings of community, caring and healing. By positioning themselves as both first-person and third-person researchers, they suggest that a new type of 'trans-disciplinary', longitudinal, reflexively sensitive methodology is needed in order to investigate activities involving groups of people and spiritual practices as a whole system in order to better understand how they can positively affect our innate healing response.

'And the pain just disappeared into insignificance': The healing response in Lourdes - Performance, psychology and caring.

Background and Aims Dramatic self-change is a familiar concept within religious experience and is recognized within psychotherapy and some fields of nursing. However, it has been given limited consideration in wider health research, including healing research. We sought to explore the phenomenon of “healing moments”. Methods Alternative medicine practitioners attending a continuing professional development course for healers within the UK’s Holistic Health Show were shown a 10 min video clip showing two of the authors discussing healing moments. Sixty-nine (69) of the practitioners then provided “short stories” outlining their own experiences of such moments. Both the video and the short stories were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic approach. We sought to evaluate holistic practitioners’ perceptions of the concept of healing moments. Results The concept of healing moments was widely accepted by the 69 participants. An overarching theme of transformational change described personal shifts that ranged from the sudden and quasimiraculous to transient but much-needed improvements in health and wellbeing. Three subordinate themes of connectivity, quiescence and control were identified. Connectivity described intense connections, experienced through touch, empathy and love, which could provide reciprocal benefits for healers as well as clients. Quiescence captured the quiet, calm atmosphere that pervaded many healing episodes. The contrasting aspects of control encompassed healers relinquishing control to channel healing, and clients seizing control to become empowered in their own healing process. Conclusion Healing moments are a recognized and distinct concept within healing, although they remain under-explored in the literature. Our findings suggest that such experiences are common among alternative medicine practitioners. The concepts we uncovered can inform future research.

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Transformational Changes in Health Status: A Qualitative Exploration of Healing Moments.

https://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(16)30137-6/pdf

The power and value of placebo and nocebo in painful osteoarthritis

Healing and Wellness

This critical reflection is based on the belief that creative practitioners should be using their own well-established approaches to trouble dominant paradigms in health and care provision to both form and inform the future of healing provision and well-being creation. It describes work by a transdisciplinary team (drama and medicine) that is developing a methodology which is rooted in productive difference; an evolving synergy between two cultural and intellectual traditions with significant divergences in their world-view perceptions, approaches and training methods. This commonality is underpinned by four assumptions that: (1) human-to-human interactions matter, (2) context matters, (3) the whole person and their community matters and (4) interpretation matters. In this paper, we reflect on the project's early stages and uses of this methodology to investigate the fundamental human-to-human interaction of a person seeking healing (a healee) with a healer. We believe that this interaction enables the he...

Sarah Goldingay

Papers

'And the pain just disappeared into insignificance': The healing response in Lourdes - Performance, psychology and caring.

Transformational Changes in Health Status: A Qualitative Exploration of Healing Moments.

The power and value of placebo and nocebo in painful osteoarthritis

Healing and Wellness

(Re)acting Medicine: applying theatre in order to develop a whole-systems approach to understanding the healing response.