Rocky Mountain Skeptics

Therapeutic Touch
Edited by Bela Scheiber and Carla Selby

 

In the mid-1970s a new type of therapy called "therapeutic touch" (TT) was introduced into the practice of nursing. Its proponents claimed that an energy field surrounding the body could be manipulated by skilled practitioners to produce healing effects for a wide variety of illnesses.

In light of the popularity of this new therapy (an estimated 40,000 practitioners), a rational, critical evaluation of its effectiveness is long overdue. This anthology of research articles illuminates every aspect of the subject, including the physics of the claimed "human energy field"; detailed discussions of the most recent research into the efficacy of TT; an account of the origins and history of the practice, plus a separate review of skeptics' work to get the facts out to the public and the medical community; several reports that present the best case for this new therapy; a consideration of the ethical implications of this practice; and more. What make this volume exceptionally valuable are the rare documents in the appendix.

Scholarly yet accessible to the lay person, this authoritative review of an important but controversial new therapy will make a valuable contribution to libraries and should be of interest to anyone considering the use or practice of therapeutic touch.

Some of the contributors include Paul Bernhardt, Dale Beyerstein, Bonnie Bullough, Vern Bullough, Mary Jo Clark, Philip E. Clark, Stephan James Colgan, William Evans, Robert Glickman, Ed J. Gracely, Ray Hyman, Rebecca Long, Therese C. Meehan, Donal P. O'Mathuna, Steven Pryjmachuk, James Randi, Bela Scheiber, Carla Selby, Jack Stahlman, Michael Stanwick, Victor Stenger, Joan G. Turner, Mahlon W. Wagner, and one mystery author who is frequently cited by TT proponents.

To order, e-mail bela@peakpeak.com with your name, shipping address, and the number of copies required. The publisher's price is $26.00, but anyone ordering via this e-mail will receive a 10% automatic discount. Plus, if order is received prior to May 20, 2000, an additional 10% will be taken off the price. RMS members and those in any recognized skeptic organization get an additional 5% discount. If you are a nurse associated with a nursing school where TT is taught, you can request an additional 5% discount. For all orders there is a $2.50 shipping and handling charge per copy (maximum $7.50). All copies will be autographed if desired.


Last updated: 04/23/00

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