The Healing Presence: Can It be Reliably Measured?

Biofield therapies: Guidelines for reporting clinical trials

A set of guidelines has been developed to help improve reporting of clinical trials of biofield therapies. The need for enhanced transparency when reporting trials of this family of integrative health practices, e.g., External Qigong, Healing Touch, Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, has been advocated in systematic reviews of these studies. The guidelines, called Biofield Therapies: Reporting Evidence Guidelines (BiFi REGs), supplement CONSORT 2010 by including details of the intervention protocols relevant to biofield therapy trials. BiFi REGs evolved through a draft document created by a core group, two rounds of a Delphi process with an international group of subject matter experts and two panels, meeting via Zoom, which included editors of complementary and integrative medicine journals. BiFi REGs comprises a 15-item Intervention checklist. Modifications of two other CONSORT topic areas are also proposed to enhance their relevance to trials of biofield therapies. Included for each item are an explanation, and exemplars of reporting from peer-reviewed published reports of biofield therapy trials. When used in conjunction with all other items from CONSORT 2010, we anticipate that BiFi REGs will expedite the peer review process for biofield therapy trials, facilitate attempts at trial replication and help to inform decision-making in the clinical practice of biofield therapies.

Biofield therapies: Guidelines for reporting clinical trials

A set of guidelines has been developed to help improve reporting of clinical trials of biofield therapies. The need for enhanced transparency when reporting trials of this family of integrative health practices, e.g., External Qigong, Healing Touch, Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, has been advocated in systematic reviews of these studies. The guidelines, called Biofield Therapies: Reporting Evidence Guidelines (BiFi REGs), supplement CONSORT 2010 by including details of the intervention protocols relevant to biofield therapy trials. BiFi REGs evolved through a draft document created by a core group, two rounds of a Delphi process with an international group of subject matter experts and two panels, meeting via Zoom, which included editors of complementary and integrative medicine journals. BiFi REGs comprises a 15-item Intervention checklist. Modifications of two other CONSORT topic areas are also proposed to enhance their relevance to trials of biofield therapies. Included for each item are an explanation, and exemplars of reporting from peer-reviewed published reports of biofield therapy trials. When used in conjunction with all other items from CONSORT 2010, we anticipate that BiFi REGs will expedite the peer review process for biofield therapy trials, facilitate attempts at trial replication and help to inform decision-making in the clinical practice of biofield therapies.

Biofield Therapies: Guidelines for Reporting Clinical Trials

Highlights Guidelines have been created to improve the reporting of clinical trials of biofield therapies, e.g. External Qigong, Healing Touch, Reiki, and Therapeutic Touch. Appropriate use of these guidelines is likely to strengthen the evidence base for biofield therapies as well as increase their usage as stand-alone practices and as complementary therapies within mainstream healthcare.

Biofield Therapies: Guidelines for Reporting Clinical Trials

A set of guidelines has been developed to help improve reporting of clinical trials of biofield therapies. The need for enhanced transparency when reporting trials of this family of integrative health practices, eg, External Qigong, Healing Touch, Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, has been advocated in systematic reviews of these studies. The guidelines, called Biofield Therapies: Reporting Evidence Guidelines (BiFi REGs), supplement CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 by including details of the intervention protocols relevant to biofield therapy trials. BiFi REGs evolved through a draft document created by a core group, two rounds of a Delphi process with an international group of subject matter experts and two panels, meeting via Zoom, which included editors of complementary and integrative medicine journals. BiFi REGs comprises a 15-item Intervention checklist. Modifications of two other CONSORT topic areas are also proposed to enhance their relevance to trials of biofield therapies. Included for each item are an explanation, and exemplars of reporting from peer-reviewed published reports of biofield therapy trials. When used in conjunction with all other items from CONSORT 2010, we anticipate that BiFi REGs will expedite the peer review process for biofield therapy trials, facilitate attempts at trial replication and help to inform decision-making in the clinical practice of biofield therapies.

La presencia: el poder terapéutico de habitar el presente en la práctica clínica

Como agentes de salud discípulos de una cosmovisión eminentemente materialista y con escasa atención a nuestro mundo interior, los profesionales sanitarios, a menudo desconocemos del potencial de nuestra presencia en el marco del encuentro terapéutico. Este artículo pretende profundizar sobre nuestra capacidad de estar presentes frente al desconocido que sufre, entendida como una condición inherente a todo ser humano y como una facultad que todos podemos reconocer, explorar y cultivar para ponerla al servicio de nosotros mismos y de aquellos a quienes acompañamos. Desde el reconocimiento del profesional como su propia herramienta terapéutica, se introducen los riesgos y oportunidades de la relación de ayuda, el rol de las emociones en el encuentro, el concepto de presencia terapéutica y el papel de la autoconciencia del profesional. Se recogen algunas referencias expertas sobre la presencia terapéutica. Se describen las bases neurofisiológicas y las características de la presencia y su papel en la co-regulación con el paciente. Y finalmente se hacen algunas propuestas para el cultivo de la presencia.

Possible negentropic effects observed during Energy Medicine sessions

INTRODUCTION

Previously reported experiments suggest that aspects of the physical environment, in particular measures of negentropy (i.e., order) associated with the statistical outputs of truly random number generators, may be affected during periods of focused mental attention. The present study was designed to conceptually replicate those reports during energy medicine sessions.

METHOD

A custom-built "quantum noise generator" (QNG) was used to continuously record and digitize (at 1 KHz) 16 independent channels of random samples (i.e., noise) produced by electron tunneling and avalanche effects in Zener diodes. One metric was developed to quantify temporal dependencies in the noise samples aggregated across the 16 channels, and a second metric was formed that measured spatial dependencies among the 16 channels. The two metrics were combined into a single "spacetime" variable used to measure fluctuations in entropy during 110 half-hour energy medicine sessions. As a control, the same measure was examined in data recorded eight hours after each energy medicine session took place, when no one was in the laboratory.

RESULTS

QNG data recorded during the half-hour sessions showed significant deviations from chance expectation, with a peak deviation observed at 24 minutes into the half-hour (z = 4.24, p < 0.00003, two-tail), and with deviations associated with p < 0.05 from 20 to 29 min, after correction for multiple comparisons. By comparison, data recorded eight hours after each session showed uniformly null results. This outcome is consistent with previously reported studies, suggesting that during periods of focused attention negentropic deviations emerge in random physical systems. Counterarguments to this interpretation are discussed, as well as recommendations for future studies.

The concept of presence in group psychotherapy: an operational definition

PURPOSE

The paper aims to operationally define the concept of presence, as developed and exhibited by the therapist leading a psychotherapy group, and illustrated with case examples.

CONCLUSIONS

A group therapist, who addresses tangible, basic group survival needs, while integrating knowledge of psychotherapeutic processes, authentic and effective interpersonal communications, and genuine concern for individual members and the group as a whole, is best situated to enact presence in the context of group psychotherapy.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Establishing presence can be achieved in a systematic way with an understanding of the meaning of being present at each step in the development of the group psychotherapeutic process.

Scientists and healers: toward collaborative research partnerships

In recent years we have witnessed growing interest in the study of healers and healing. Yet because of barriers segregating the professional worlds of scientists and healers, research on this topic has not met its potential. Even the most sympathetic of scientific investigators have failed to treat healers as full research partners, neglecting to take seriously healers' informed perspectives in formulating study questions and in making key decisions regarding assessment and outcomes. Likewise, some of the most gifted healers exhibit antipathy toward scientific research that is uninformed and works at cross purposes with efforts to validate the efficacy of healing and to integrate its practice into conventional medical settings. For this situation to improve, scientists and healers must recognize that each party has critical gaps in knowledge and skills that the other party possesses. Only through true collaborative partnerships can the potential benefits of research on healing be realized.

Energy-based modalities

Research on touch therapies is still in the early stages of development. Studies of Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, and Reiki are quite promising; however, at this point, they can only suggest that these healing modalities have efficacy in reducing anxiety; improving muscle relaxation; aiding in stress reduction, relaxation, and sense of well-being; promoting wound healing; and reducing pain. The multidimensional aspects of healing inherent in patient care continue to be expanded and facilitated by our understanding and application of energy therapies.