Glossary

ACUPRESSURE: Based on the principles of acupuncture, this ancient Chinese technique uses finger pressure on specific points along the body to treat ailments such as tension, stress, aches, pains, cramps or arthritis.

ACUPUNCTURE: Fine needles are inserted at specific points to stimulate, disperse, and regulate the flow of chi (vital energy) restoring an energy balance.

ADAPTOGENS: Plants and foods that are naturally available which can help to maintain good health.

ADJUSTMENT: in chiropractic, a small controlled thrust that moves a joint slightly beyond its normal range of motion.

AEROBIC: from the Greek work meaning “with oxygen”. Aerobic activity increases the amount of oxygen or air taken into the body to be utilized by the organs and cells.

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE: Practitioners use gentle hands-on guidance, instruction, teach simple, efficient ways of moving to improve balance, posture, coordination and to relieve tension and pain.

ALLOPATHY: the treatment of disease by creating conditions that are opposite to the conditions resulting from the disease; from Greek roots meaning other and disease. Drugs and surgery are allopathic treatments. Term is also used to refer to conventional Western medicine to contrast it with alternative therapies, especially homeopathy (based on like curing like).

AMMA THERAPY: This system of bodywork therapy uses traditional oriental medical principles for assessing and evaluating imbalances in the energetic system. It aims to restore, promote and maintain health through the treatment of the physical body, bio-energy and emotions.

ANTIOXIDANTS: Substances that prevent oxidation of body cells created by the presence free radicals - mostly vitamins and minerals, and certain foods and phytonutrients.

APITHERAPY: use of the products of the honey bee, including honey and propolis, (which have antiseptic and antibacterial properties), bee pollen (high in vitamins and minerals), royal jelly (energizer), and honeybee venom (to reduce pain and inflammation in chronic illnesses).

APPLIED KINESIOLOGY: Using gentle pressure, muscle strength is tested to identify health problems and nutritional deficiencies (According to Applied Kinesiology, organ or gland dysfunctions show up as weaknesses in certain muscles). Treatment may involve exercises to strengthen a muscle, hands-on manipulation of muscles and bones, and vitamin or mineral supplements.

AROMATHERAPY: use of essential oils to treat emotional disorders such as stress and anxiety as well as a wide range of other ailments. Oils are either massaged into the skin in diluted form, inhaled, or placed in baths. Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with massage therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, herbology, chiropractic, and other methods of wholistic healing.

AYURVEDIC MEDICINE: Practiced in India for over 5,000 years. Ayurvedic tradition holds illness is a state of imbalance among the body’s systems that can be detected through such diagnostic procedures as reading the pulse and observing the tongue. Nutritional counseling, massage, natural medications, meditation, and other modalities are used to address a spectrum of ailments, from allergies to AIDS.

BEHAVIOR THERAPY / MODIFICATION: Aims at modifying undesirable behaviors by reinforcing acceptable behavior and suppressing undesirable behavior. The therapist employs any of various techniques of reward and punishment including aversion therapy, desensitization, or guided imagery. The learning theory of the psychologist B.F. Skinner and others is the basis for most behavior therapies. In Skinner’s principle of extinction, a behavior pattern that is not reinforced, or rewarded, will be extinguished or rendered inoperative. For example, if smoking is made unpleasant for the smoker, then the habit may be curbed or given up.

BIOENERGETICS: Holds that repressed emotions and desires affect the body and psyche by creating chronic muscular tension and diminished vitality and energy. Through physical exercises, breathing techniques, verbal psychotherapy, or other forms of emotional-release work, the therapist attempts to loosen this character armor and restore natural well-being.

BIOFEEDBACK:  used especially for stress- related conditions such as asthma, migraines, insomnia and high blood pressure. Biofeedback is a way of monitoring minute metabolic changes in one’s body with the aid of sensitive machines.

BIOFIELD: an energy field that suffuses living bodies and extends several inches beyond the body. Employed in therapies such as healing touch, medical qigong, therapeutic touch, and Reiki. The biofield from a practitioners hands is joined to the recipient’s biofield to treat illness or promote health. There is no consensus on what biofield is; spiritual energy, or an electromagnetic field.

BIOFLAVONOIDS: Natural substances found in plants - usually in the leaves, flowers, fruits, stems, and roots.

BODY-MIND CENTERING: A movement reeducation approach that explores how the body’s systems contribute to movement and self-awareness. Emphasizes movement patterns developed during infancy/childhood. Incl. guided movement, exercise, imagery, and hands-on work.

BODY-ORIENTED PSYCHOTHERAPY: enhances psychotherapeutic process by incorporating massage, bodywork and movement techniques. Acknowledging the mind-body link, practitioners may use light touch, soft or deep-tissue manipulation, breathing techniques, movement, exercise or body awareness techniques to help address emotional issues.

BREATHWORK: Variety of techniques that use patterned breathing to promote physical, mental and/or spiritual well-being. Some techniques use breath in a calm, peaceful way to induce relaxation or manage pain, while others use stronger breathing to stimulate emotional release.

CHAKRAS: seven vital energy centers of the body extend from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. Located in the rectal area, near the genitals, behind the navel, at the heart, at the neck, between the eyebrows, and on the crown of the head. Each chakra corresponds to certain colors, emotions, organs, nerve networks, and energies.

CHELATION THERAPY: a series of intravenous injections of the synthetic amino acid EDTA (ethylenediaminetetruacetic acid) designed to detoxify the body. Used to treat arteriosclerosis, angina, and Alzheimers disease. FDA approved for removing lead and heavy metals from the bloodstream. One theory holds that chelation removes the calcium in arterial plaque; another that EDTA works as an antioxidant. Proponents say that chelation also reverses gangrene, relieves the pain associated with lupus and arthritis, and reverses memory loss.

CHI: A term from Chinese medicine referring to the body’s vital energy which moves the conscious and autonomic body systems.

CHI GONG or CHI KUNG (see Qi Gong)

CHIROPRACTIC: is based on the premise that the spine is literally the backbone of human health. Misalignments of the vertebrae caused by poor posture or trauma result in pressure on the spinal nerve roots, which may lead to diminished function and illness. The chiropractor seeks to analyze and correct these misalignments through spinal manipulation or adjustments.

CLIENT-CENTERED THERAPY: emphasizes acceptance of the client and unconditional positive regard.

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: one of the largest sub-disciplines of psychology. Its main concern is the diagnosis and treatment of learning and emotional problems.

COGNITIVE THERAPY: Cognitive psychology applies to the study of thinking, concept formation, and problem solving. Therapy emphasizes changing how the client thinks.

COLONIC HYDROTHERAPY: the cleansing of the large intestine with warm purified water. A single colonic treatment is said to be equivalent to several enemas in removing toxic debris from the colon.

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY: a manual procedure for remedying distortions in the structure and function of the craniosacral mechanism - the brain and spinal cord, bones of the skull, sacrum, and interconnected membranes. It is used to treat chronic pain, migraine headaches, TMJ, and a range of other conditions.

DEEP TISSUE BODYWORK: A general term for a range of therapies that seek to improve the function of the body’s connective tissues and/or muscles. Among the conditions treated are whiplash, low back and neck pain, and degenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

DENIAL: An unconscious defense mechanism characterized by refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, feelings.

DENTISTRY, WHOLISTIC: Often incorporates such methods as homeopathy, nutrition and acupuncture. Most wholistic dentists emphasize wellness and preventive care while avoiding silver-mercury fillings.

DEPRESSION: Affective disorder characterized by extreme sadness and guilt, immobility due to lethargy or apathy, and inability to enjoy normal living and activities.

DETERMINISM: The philosophical assumption that all behavior and observable events have causes.

DIATHERMY: deep-heat therapy using high- frequency electric currents to produce heat in body tissues. Physical therapists and sports physicians use diathermy to treat arthritis, bursitis, fractures. May help in gynecological diseases and sinusitis.

DREAM THERAPY: Dreams may reflect bodily disturbances or external stimuli. In ancient cultures, dreams played an extensive role in myth and religion. Freud emphasized dreams as keys to the makeup of the individual and distinguished between the experienced content of a dream and the actual meaning of the dream which is largely concealed from the dreamer. Jung held that dreams are not limited to the personal unconscious but may also be shaped by archetypes that originate in the collective unconscious.

DRUG THERAPY: used to alleviate the symptoms of some mental illnesses. All drugs have side effects, such as Ritalin, which is prescribed for hyperactive children, and can retard physical growth.

EAR CANDLING:(Ear Coning) involves placing the narrow end of a specially designed hollow candle at the entry of the ear canal, while the opposite end is lit. Primarily used for relieving wax build up and related hearing problems. Also used for ear infections and sinus infections.

ENERGY FIELD WORK: Based on theory that the human body is composed of energy fields and that when those fields are disturbed, out of balance or blocked, the body becomes ill. Practitioners look for weaknesses in the energy field in and around the client’s body and seek to restore its proper circulation and balance. Energy is channeled through the practitioner to strengthen the body’s natural defenses and help the client’s physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual state.

ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE: approach to healing that concerns itself with the interaction of the body and the environment, looking especially at the role that allergies and normal exposure to chemicals in the environment play in illness. Doctors who practice environmental medicine say that in sensitive people, environmental allergens can trigger such serious conditions as lupus, colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, hyperactivity, psychosis, and high blood pressure, among others. Factors that trigger allergies include emotional or physical stress; infection; exposure to pesticides, and other chemicals in food or water; frequent use of antibiotics and steroids; electromagnetic disturbances in the environment; and poor nutrition. If someone’s condition is exacerbated by allergies, treatment may involve lifestyle and diet changes to avoid exposure to allergens. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine in Denver trains physicians in environmental medicine.

ENZYME THERAPY: employs supplements of plant and animal enzymes to improve digestive function and other conditions. During digestion, the body’s own digestive enzymes are not the only ones at work; the enzymes present in raw fruits and vegetables contribute to the breakdown of food in the stomach. Enzyme therapy advocates supplementation to reduce the work that the body has to do, and because plant enzymes are destroyed in cooking. Supplements are derived from plants or from animal tissues. Some practitioners inject liquid enzymes to treat cancer and multiple sclerosis.

ESSENTIAL: nutritional term for vitamins, minerals, and amino acids; refers to anything that the body does not manufacture and that is obtained through the diet.

EXPRESSIVE THERAPIES: use the arts to promote physical and mental health and personal growth. Examples include art therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, poetry and psychodrama.

FAMILY THERAPY: Attempts to identify and correct disruptive and unhealthy patterns that demands and expectations of some family members have for others.

FELDENKRAIS: System of bodywork developed by physicist Moshe Feldenkrais, to improve posture, movement, breathing. Method teaches recognizing and breaking improper habits of movement.

FENG SHUI: Ancient Chinese practice of configuring home or work environments to promote health, happiness, and prosperity. Feng shui consultants may advise clients to make adjustments in their surroundings, from color selection to furniture placement, to promote a flow of chi, or vital energy.

FLOWER ESSENCES: intended to alleviate negative emotional states that may contribute to illness or hinder personal growth. Drops of a solution infused with the captured essence of a flower are placed under the tongue or in a beverage. Essences are chosen, focusing on the clients emotional state rather than on a particular physical condition.

FREE RADICALS: Unstable oxygen molecules, considered central factors in most health problems.

GESTALT THERAPY: encourages clients to release their emotions and to recognize these emotions for what they are. It emphasizes the individual’s movement towards wholeness. It tends to be somewhat confrontational and directly challenge the client’s defenses against coming to grips with their problems. This therapy holds that a person’s inability to successfully integrate the parts of his or her personality into a healthy whole may lie at the root of psychological disturbance.

GLANDULARS: freeze-dried animal glands, processed into pill form and taken to provide an extra dose of a hormone and improve the health of the user’s own glands. Typically made from cow, sheep, or pig glands, glandulars on the market include adrenal, testicular, ovary, pancreas, pituitary, prostate, and thymus products. Using glandulars may encourage your own glands to reduce hormone production. Other risks include bacterial contamination of the product, and the high levels of antibiotics and pesticides in the glands of the livestock they are taken from.

GLUCOSAMINE SULFATE: natural amino sugar found in joint spaces. As a dietary supplement, it is said to stimulate the repair of arthritic joints by building up the protective cartilage that arthritis destroys.

HATHA YOGA: A specific type of yoga postures or exercises (asanas) used to improve one’s health, flexibility, and well-being.

HEALING TOUCH: Practiced by registered nurses and others to accelerate wound healing, relieve pain, promote relaxation, prevent illness, and ease the dying process. The practitioner uses light touch or works with his or her hands near the client’s body in an effort to restore balance to the client’s energy system.

HELLERWORK: somatic education and structural bodywork based on the inseparability of body, mind and spirit. During sessions, the structural balance of the body is realized through the systematic release of muscle and connective tissue to restore the body’s optimal natural balance, posture, and flexibility. Myofascial release, movement awareness and dialogue are the essence of the sessions enabling one to move more fluidly, have stamina, strength, increased energy.

HERBALISM: uses plants or plant-based substances to treat a range of illnesses and to enhance the functioning of the body’s systems. Though herbalism is not a licensed professional modality in the U.S., herbs are prescribed by a range of practitioners, from holistic M.D.s to acupuncturists to naturopaths.

HIV THERAPIES: therapies that aim to treat the human immuno-deficiency virus, AIDS, or its symptoms. Due to the life-threatening nature of this disease, these therapies are often used with conventional approaches to HIV.

HOLISTIC (also see wholistic medicine): targeted to the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. Considers not only the physical health but also the emotional, spiritual, social, and mental well-being of the person.

HOMEOPATHY: A medical system that uses infinitesimal doses of natural substances, called remedies, to stimulate a person’s immune and defense system.

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY: Based on the belief that each individual strives for wholeness and health. Intended to help remove emotional barriers to mental health. In client-centered therapy, the therapist selectively repeats what the client says to make the client aware of the thoughts and emotions that are blocking mental health, and  shows unconditional, positive regard for the patient.

HYDROSOL: in aromatherapy, the water that is obtained along with the essential oil after plant materials are distilled. The hydrosol contains water-soluble plant constituents and trace amounts of essential oil. Hydrosols are sometimes used in aromatherapy together with the essential oils and may be spritzed in the air and on the face and body.

HYDROTHERAPY: The use of water for therapeutic purposes. Includes such external treatments as whirlpool baths, and cold compresses. Internal hydrotherapy includes enemas and colonic irrigation.

HYPNOTHERAPY: Although being under hypnosis resembles normal sleep, scientists have found that the brain wave patterns of hypnotized subjects are much closer to the patterns of deep relaxation. Hypnosis is now generally viewed as a form of attentive, receptive, highly focused concentration in which external or peripheral events are omitted or disregarded. Today hypnosis is widely used by such medical practitioners as surgeons, dentists, and psychotherapists to relieve anxiety or as an anesthetic. It is also used to relax the patient, reduce resistance to therapy, facilitate memory, and to address stopping smoking, eating less, or fighting fears.

IMAGERY: a form of therapy where the participant visualizes or imagines the desired outcome. For example, one could visualize their disease as little black boxes and see a rushing stream washing them out of the body.

IRIDOLOGY: based on the premise that every organ has a corresponding location within the iris of the eye, which serves as an indicator of the organs health or disease. Used by naturopaths and other practitioners, particularly when diagnosis achieved through standard methods is unclear.

JIN SHIN DO: Jin Shin Do combines acupressure, Taoist yogic breathing, and Reichian segmental theory (addresses how emotional tension affects physical body) with the goal of releasing physical and emotional tension and armoring. It aims to promote a state in which the patient can address the emotional factors that may underlie various physical conditions.

KARMA: concept common to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The doctrine holds that one’s state in this life is the result of physical and mental actions in past incarnations and that present action can determine one’s destiny in future incarnations. Karma is a natural, impersonal law of moral cause and effect.

KINESIOLOGY: study of muscles and their movements. Applied kinesiology uses muscle testing procedures, in conjunction with standard methods of diagnosis, to gain information about a patient’s state of health. Practitioners analyze muscle function, posture, gait and other structural factors in addition to inquiring about lifestyle factors.

LIGHT BOX: a set of bright, broad-spectrum light bulbs inside a box with a reflective background and a diffusing screen. Light boxes are used to treat winter depression, also known as SAD (seasonal affective disorder).  Research suggests that bright lights help regulate the body’s internal clock, which controls hormone secretion and sleep patterns. The amount of time a person needs to use a light box should be determined by a practitioner.

LIGHT-EMITTING DIODES (LEDs): tiny light sources used in digital watches and electronic equipment. Recently, the devices have been used in the field of phototherapy. Their power output is low enough to be safe for human exposure but strong enough, say practitioners, to stimulate the biological responses involved in healing. Research indicates that LEDs may accelerate the healing of skin wounds and certain other conditions.

MACROBIOTICS: A philosophy of life and dietary principles. From the word macro (wide) and biotics (view of life).

MAGNETIC THERAPY: (magnetic field therapy or bio-magnetic therapy) involves the use of magnets, magnetic devices, or magnetic fields to treat a variety of physical and emotional conditions, including circulatory problems, certain forms of arthritis, chronic pain, sleep disorders, and stress. Magnets are used singly, in combinations, or embedded in various products.

MANIPULATION: application of manual force for healing. Describes techniques used in osteopathy, chiropractic, massage, and other bodywork therapies. May involve various forms of massage, muscle pressure, and joint realignment or adjustment.

MASSAGE THERAPY: includes a range of therapeutic approaches with roots in Eastern and Western cultures. It involves the practice of kneading or otherwise manipulating a person’s muscles and other soft tissue.

MEDITATION: Discipline in which the mind is focused on a single point of reference. It may be a means of invoking divine grace, as in the contemplation by Christian mystics of a spiritual theme, question, or problem; or it may be a means of attaining conscious union with the divine, e.g., through visualization of a deity or inward repetition of a prayer or mantra (sacred sound). Employed since ancient times in various forms by all religions, the practice gained greater notice in the postwar U.S. as interest in Zen Buddhism rose. Meditation is now used by many nonreligious adherents as a method of stress reduction; it is known to lessen levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. The practice has been shown to enhance recuperation and improve the body’s resistance to disease.

MEGAVITAMIN THERAPY:  See Orthomolecular medicine.

MELATONIN: hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain and released mainly at night in the absence of light on the retina. Melatonin regulates the onset and timing of sleep and such seasonal changes in the body as winter weight gain. Levels of melatonin decline with age, which may explain why many elderly people suffer from insomnia. Melatonin is being investigated as a sleep promoter and to prevent or reduce jet lag. Melatonin is present in some foods but in fairly small amounts. Reported side effects include reduced fertility, inhibition of male sexual drive, hypothermia, and damage to retina.

MERIDIANS: Channels or energy “lines” along which the chi runs throughout the body. Each meridian is associated with a specific organ or body system. i.e. the kidney meridian, etc.

MIDWIFERY: Midwives provide education and support during pregnancy, assist the mother during labor and delivery and provide follow-up care. Practitioners of childbirth support include childbirth educators, childbirth assistants, and women labor coaches (also known as doulas) who also provide post-partum home care.

MIND/BODY MEDICINE: Involves the power of the patient’s mind in influencing his/her own physical body. Has been used to help with headaches, boosting immune system, relieving pain, anxiety, high blood pressure, stress, addictions, and more. Includes such modalities as biofeedback, hypnosis, meditation, guided imagery, spiritual and energy healing, as well as various relaxation techniques.

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: hands-on technique seeks to free the body from the grip of tight fascia, or connective tissue, thus restoring normal alignment and function and reducing pain. Therapists apply mild, sustained pressure in order to gently stretch and soften the fascia. Treatment used to treat neck and back pain, headaches, recurring sports injuries, and scoliosis, and other conditions.

MYOTHERAPY: (formally known as Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy) Manual pressure on specific trigger points to reduce tension and pain originating in muscle layers of the body. It is an offshoot of trigger point injection therapy which injected a saline solution and procaine into trigger points of painful muscles.

MYSTICISM: belief that beyond the visible material world there is a spiritual reality (which may be called God) that people may experience through meditation, revelation, intuition, or other state that takes the individual beyond a normal consciousness.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE: A primary health-care system emphasizing the curative power of nature. Treats both acute and chronic illnesses. Naturopathic physicians work to restore and support the body’s own healing ability using a variety of modalities including nutrition, herbal, homeopathic, and oriental medicine.

NETWORK CHIROPRACTIC: Refers to a network of independent chiropractors that use Network Spinal Analysis, a method characterized by the sequential application of a number of gentle, specific chiropractic adjusting techniques. Care progresses through a series of levels that parallel spinal and quality-of-life changes.

NEURAL THERAPY: based on the idea that illness is the result of disruptions in biological energy and the disruptions are caused by changes in the electric activity of the autonomic nervous system (controls involuntary functions like breathing).

NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY: emphasizes the role of the brain, spine, and nerves in muscular pain. One goal is to relieve tender congested spots in muscle tissue and compressed nerves that radiate pain to other areas of the body.

NEUROTOPIC INJECTION: injections of small amounts of sterile saline solution into the muscles at both sides of the spine near the places where the nerves enter into the back muscles. According to this theory, salt injection helps nerves function better, lead to improved circulation, pain control, healing of numerous disorders. Statistics on treatment of back and neck pain, sciatica, disk problems, headaches, arthritis, prostate and thyroid problems, asthma, and allergies have been presented internationally at medical congresses.

NOSODE: homeopathic remedy made from diseased tissue or bodily secretions rather than from a plant or animal. A nosode is a homeopathic immunization, taken to build up an immune response against a specific disease.

ORTHOMOLECULAR MEDICINE: nutrient therapy that uses combinations of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids normally found in the body to maintain health and treat specific conditions (asthma, heart disease, depression, schizophrenia.) Orthomolecular means approach based on a correct (ortho) balance of substances present in the body.

OSTEOPATHY: focuses on musculo-skeletal system and involves the manipulation of joints and soft tissues, as well as instruction in proper posture and exercise. An osteopathic physician considers lifestyle, diet, and psychological factors to improve the functioning of the body and maintaining health.

PET THERAPY: based on the idea that expressing affection for a pet helps people feel happier, maintain a positive outlook, and improve their health. According to several studies, having a pet can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and ward off loneliness and depression. Many nursing homes and some prisons have developed pet therapy programs, with excellent results.

PHYTONUTRIENTS: found in plants and help promote health and fight disease.

PLANT-SPIRIT-TEACHER MEDICINE: A Shaman’s spiritual perception of the higher cosmic role of the plant-kingdom as an intermediary spirit-teacher channeling cosmic messages between the healing spirit of our planet Earth and the evolving spirit of humanity’s ancestral spirits. This relation is often referred to as a person’s “plant-ally, plant-totem, or plant spirit-teacher”. When one is chosen by the plant as its kindred spirit ally, the plant may offer itself to that person with a more amplified spirit potency and universal function that is not commonly associated with its folk medicine curative attributes.

POLARITY THERAPY: Based on a theory of energy flow in the body developed by Randolph Stone, a doctor of naturopathy, osteopathy, and chiropractic. Asserts that balancing the flow of energy in the body is the underlying foundation of health. Specific points along the currents are said to hold either positive or negative energies. Practitioners use gentle touch and guidance in diet, exercise and self-awareness to help clients balance their energy flow.

PRANA: Ayurvedic term for energy. The yogic concept of a cosmic energy or life force, similar to the Chinese idea of chi, that enters the body with the breath. Prana is thought to flow through the body, bringing health and vitality. It is considered the vital link between the spiritual self and the material self.

PRANAYAMA: breath control. Usually refers to breathing exercises whereas impurities are exhaled and universal energy is inhaled.

PRANIC HEALING: utilizes life-force or “prana” to treat most illnesses. Non-touch methodology initiates biochemical changes, accelerating the body’s innate ability to prevent, alleviate, and heal physical, emotional, mental, and psychospiritual illnesses.

PRANIC PSYCHOTHERAPY: treats emotional, mental & psychospiritual illnesses or discomforts by addressing the energy body of the patient in a very powerful and non-painful way. Used for smoking cessation, addictions, phobias, and stress; to repair holes in the chakras and aura; shield from negative energies, heal psychic attacks.

PROBIOTICS: substances such as acidophilus and bifidus that restore beneficial bacteria normally present in the intestines. Stress, poor diet, antibiotics, and oral contraceptives can throw off the normal balance of bacteria and fungi. This imbalance may manifest as a yeast infection, or in symptoms such as diarrhea or gastrointestinal disturbances.

PROJECTION: The attribution of one’s own attitudes, feelings, or desires to someone or something as a naive or unconscious defense against anxiety or guilt.

PSYCHIATRY: A medical specialty focusing on diagnosis and treatment of disorder behavior. Psychiatry is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are MD’s who have completed a residency in psychiatry. They diagnose mental illness through clinical interviews and psychological tests and by examining the patient’s history.

PSYCHOANALYSIS: approach to therapy, human nature, and personality theory introduced by Sigmund Freud. Emphasizes the role of unconscious motivation in conscious behavior. By being aware of the patient’s verbal and nonverbal communications, psychoanalysts offer interpretations.

PSYCHODRAMA: Patients play different roles in a brief drama. For example, a person having difficulty finding a job might imagine a job interview and alternately play the roles of employer and prospective employee. By playing both roles, client develops skills in dealing with job interviews.

PSYCHOLOGY: The science of behavior and the mental process. The study of the way people think and behave is called psychology. The field of psychology has a number of sub-disciplines devoted to the study of the different levels and contexts of human thought and behavior. Social psychology deals with human thought and action in a social context, while physiological psychology is concerned with thought and behavior at the level of neurology. Comparative psychology compares the thought and behavior of humans with that of other species. Abnormal psychology studies atypical thought and action.

PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY: study of the ways the brain, nervous system, and emotions interact to affect the immune system. research psychologist, Dr. Robert Ader, conducted experiments showing an animal’s brain can influence its immune system. PNI became the cornerstone of efforts to demonstrate mental attitude can affect the outcome of disease. Investigations have shown negative approaches to life can interfere with immune functioning.

PSYCHOONCOLOGY: The study of behavioral techniques and therapies in the control of cancer.

PSYCHOTHERAPY: Psychological methods treating abnormal or disordered behavior.

QIGONG: (also referred to as Chi Kung, or Chi Gong) Ancient Chinese discipline which uses breathing exercises, movement, and meditation to balance and strengthen chi (body’s vital energy). Though a martial art, it is more oriented toward healing than physical self-defense.  Qigong cultivates internal chi, to promote internal wellness, as well as external chi (healing energy transmitted to another).

RATIONALIZATION: False, fallacious, and evasive reasoning, in order to avoid unpleasantness and unresolved conflicts.

REBIRTHING: known as conscious connected breathing or vivation. Technique in which therapist guides clients through breathing exercises to help re-experience past memories - including birth - and let go of emotional tensions stored in body.

RECONSTRUCTIVE THERAPY/ PROLO- THERAPY: Injections of natural substances such as dextrose, glycerin and phenol to stimulate growth of connective tissue and strengthen weak or damaged joints, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. Used to treat degenerative arthritis, lower back pain, torn ligaments, cartilage, carpal tunnel syndrome and other conditions.

REFLEXOLOGY: Based on the idea that specific points on the feet and hands correspond with organs and tissues throughout the body. With fingers and thumbs, practitioner applies pressure to these points to treat a wide range of illnesses and ailments, and maintain health.

REIKI: Practitioners of this ancient Tibetan healing system use light hand placements to channel healing energies. Reiki is used to treat emotional and mental distress as well as chronic and acute physical problems, and to achieve spiritual focus and clarity.

ROLFING: deep manipulation of the fascia to restore the body’s natural alignment, which may have become rigid through injury, emotional trauma, and inefficient movement habits. Rolfing, developed by biochemist Ida P. Rolf, involves ten sessions, each focusing on a different part of the body.

RUBENFELD SYNERGY METHOD: Uses gentle touch, movement, verbal exchange, imagination to access memories and emotions locked in body. Integrates elements of Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, Gestalt and Hypnotherapy. For physical or emotional problems and personal growth.

SELF-ACTUALIZATION: Fully realizing one’s individual human potential.

SELF-AWARENESS: Self-conscious state of focusing attention on oneself.

SHAMAN: Among tribal people, a magician, medium, healer who owes his powers to mystical communion with the spirit world. Characteristically, a shaman goes into auto-hypnotic trances, during which he is said to be in contact with spirits. Shamans are found among Siberians, Eskimos, in SE Asia, Africa, some Native American tribes, and in Oceania. There is also a development of shamanic healers and practitioners in North America. (See Spiritual/Shamanic Healing.)

SHARK CARTILAGE: supplement touted as a cancer treatment. Sharks, whose frames are composed of cartilage rather than bone, get cancer infrequently, and proponents claim it is because something in the cartilage inhibits the ability of tumors to create the blood supply they need to continue growing. Promoted as immune system stimulant and remedy for joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.

SHIATSU: Ancient form of acupressure, used in Japan to treat pain and illness and for health maintenance. Practitioners apply rhythmic finger pressure at specific points on the body in order to stimulate chi, or vital energy. Can be used to treat stress, circulatory problems, depression, asthma, headaches, diarrhea, bronchitis. (see also acupressure)

SHOCK THERAPY: extreme procedure used as a method of last resort. The brain can be likened to an extraordinarily complex electrical circuit board; the shock presumably helps to break up unhealthy brain circuits that cause mental distress.

SOUND THERAPY: sound healer applies sound to a patient’s body by singing certain tones near the affected organ, or by applying tuning forks, crystal chakra bowls, or electronic vibratory instruments to the body. Purpose is to bring the body’s own vibrations into balance with sound.

SOUNDING THE BODY: a diagnostic and therapeutic technique used in sound healing to read a patient’s body by singing a series of tones and listening for imbalances in the natural frequencies of the body or its energy fields. Imbalances are said to be indicated by changes in the tone of the healer’s voice.

SPIRITISM (spiritualism) belief that human personality survives death and communicates with the living through a medium sensitive to its vibrations. Communication may be psychic, as in clairvoyance or trance speaking, or physical, as in automatic writing or ecto plasmic materializations. Spiritualistic phenomena are now under scientific investigation.

SPIRITUAL and SHAMANIC HEALING:  Can be used as part of treatment for a range of emotional and physical illnesses. May call upon spiritual helpers such as power animals, angels, inner teachers, the client’s Higher Self, or other spiritual forces.

STRUCTURAL EXAM AND DIAGNOSIS:  osteopathic diagnostic technique which involves a visual, hands-on assessment by an osteopathic physician of the skeleton, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

SUBLUXATION: in chiropractic, a misalignment of bones within joints said to interfere with flow of nervous impulses and diminish the body’s ability to stay healthy.

SUFISM:.Sufi masters believe that theirs is not a religion, but is the sacred healing teachings and secret evolution practices of all Ages, Cultures, Philosophies, and Religions. Their worldview evolves around the idea of the undeveloped innate potential of ordinary humanity to consciously evolve into “insan kamil”: a limitless perfected state of human awareness that completes the process of Creation.

TAI CHI: Ancient slow-motion Chinese practice. Combines martial arts, exercise and meditation. The practice of ritual movements promotes the flow of internal chi (energy) and provides health benefits.

TANTRA:.Derived from an ancient Eastern belief system, Tantra is now commonly used to refer to a variety of different approaches to sexuality which also incorporate some form of spirituality. Some people study Tantra as part of their spiritual path, while others study it solely to enhance their understanding and appreciation of sexuality and intimacy.

TAOISM, philosophy/religion of China. Philosophy derives from the Tao-te-ching, a book traditionally ascribed to Lao-tze but probably written in the mid-3rd cent. B.C. It describes an ideal human condition of freedom from desire and effortless simplicity, achieved by following the Tao (the spontaneous, creative, effortless path taken by natural events in the universe).

TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) - delivery of electric current through the skin to the nerves. Used in physical therapy and to relieve painful conditions such as neuralgia, sciatica, and arthritis. The low voltage electric current blocks the nerves’ reception of pain signals and stimulates production of endorphins (body’s pain-killing chemicals).

THEOSOPHY. from the Greek theos -meaning god, and sophia-meaning wisdom. Loosely translated, it means divine wisdom. Theosophy is a religious philosophy with strong overtones of mysticism. (See mysticism.)

THERAPEUTIC TOUCH: Practiced by registered nurses and others to relieve pain and stress. Practitioner assesses where the person’s energy field is weak and congested, and then uses his or her hands to direct energy into the field to balance it.

TONIC: herbal remedy to maintain health or ward off illness, rather than to treat an illness. Also known as a normalizer.

TONING: in sound healing, a nonverbal sound to balance energy fields in the body.

TRAGER BODYWORK: movement-education approach gently rocks, cradles, and moves client’s body to promote relaxation, increase mobility, mental clarity. Used by athletes for performance enhancement and by people with musculo-skeletal and back problems.

TYPE A PERSONALITY: characterized by impatience, anger, perfectionism.

TYPE B PERSONALITY: A profile that is relaxed, unhurried, and cooperative.

VIBRATIONAL HEALING or MEDICINE:  A variety of modalities that promote healing by balancing the client’s energy field. i.e. homeopathy, flower essences, acupuncture, sound healing, color therapy, crystal and gem healing, Reiki, therapeutic touch, and other energy-based bodywork such as Therapeutic Touch and Polarity Therapy.

YOGA: Ancient East Indian philosophy of life includes ethical principles, dietary restrictions, and physical exercise. Hatha yoga consists of asanas (body positions) and breathing exercises. Some yoga practices include meditation and relaxation.

YOGA THERAPY: uses yoga to address mental and physical problems while integrating body and mind. Practitioners work one-on-one or in a group setting.

ZEN BUDDHISM, Buddhist sect based on meditation rather than on adherence to a particular scriptural doctrine.

ZERO BALANCING: method for aligning body structure and body energy. Through touch akin to acupressure, practitioner seeks to overcome imbalances in the body’s structure/energetic interface, which is said to exist beneath the level of conscious awareness. Often used for stress reduction.

ZONE THERAPY: another name for reflexology. (See reflexology.)

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