Can healing be taught?
The recent explosion of opportunities and interest in learning to heal has not been accompanied by sufficiently convincing empirical data to show that healing is teachable. We explore selected examples of teaching modalities and outline their general ethos. Five empirical criteria necessary to demonstrate teachability are outlined. We suggest that no research to date, including a previous claim by one of us (W.F.B.), has surmounted the difficult obstacles that need to be overcome to make such a claim. Some scientific and social implications of the teachability of healing are discussed.
Bengston
William F
WF
St. Joseph's College, Patchogue, NY, USA. wbengston@sjcny.edu
Murphy
Donald G
DG
D001294:Attitude to Health; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015438:Health Behavior; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008602:Mental Healing; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D012649:Self Concept; D019124:Therapeutic Touch / Q000379:methods*