| I was cleaning the barn today, a job that will take | | | | called by various names. I doubt, as the conclusion |
| at least several days. I kept finding things I totally | | | | of the JAMA article suggests, that the "claims of |
| forgot about, like an old green urn that used to sit | | | | Therapeutic Touch are groundless and that |
| in the corner of the living room in the old home | | | | further professional use is unjustified." |
| stead, which housed a large wooden protractor | | | | Add to this the method by which the practitioners |
| we used to draw circles with on the chalk board. | | | | were asked to sense the energy of their subject. |
| This urn is probably a good sixty years old, at | | | | A card board screen was set up by the |
| least. | | | | disbelieving child through which the practitioners |
| Then I found a letter I wrote to the New York | | | | put their hands. With their sight blocked, the child |
| Times in 1998 that I sent but was never | | | | asked them to identify which of their hands was |
| published. I remember the feeling of | | | | near one of hers, which they were able to |
| disappointment at the time because it was a | | | | identify only 44% of the time. |
| great letter and I enjoyed writing it. | | | | When one is engaged with the energy from one |
| The letter in question addressed a fourth grade | | | | human or animal to another, the idea is to |
| science project that sought to disprove the | | | | remove blocks that impede synergistic flow. In |
| validity of Therapeutic Touch and was written in | | | | the experiment, a cardboard barrier was placed |
| the April 1998 edition of Jama (Journal of the | | | | between the healer and the skeptical child. |
| American Medical Association), and was reviewed | | | | I dare say that this artificial prop did little to |
| April 1, 1998 by the New York Times. | | | | release the free flow of healing energy from one |
| The New York Times stated that seeking to | | | | subject to the other. In fact, a 44% success rate |
| disprove or debunk at the onset of any scientific | | | | is better than the medicine my father used to |
| experiment is not the way of pure science. And | | | | take for Alzhelmers, which supposedly helped |
| the 9 year old fourth grader at the onset of her | | | | patients only 25% of the time. |
| project set out to do just that. The article was | | | | This medicine hasn't been taken off the market |
| entitled: "A Child's Paper Poses a Medical | | | | yet. |
| Challenge," written in response to the JAMA | | | | Dr Mehmet Oz was interviewed on the Peter |
| article, "A Close Look At Therapeutic Touch." | | | | Jennings evening news program 4/1998 in |
| My letter addressed the JAMA article itself. At the | | | | response to the JAMA article. He vowed to |
| time, I served an indigent population as a Nurse | | | | legitimize Therapeutic Touch in his Cardiology |
| Practitioner in York, Pennsylvania. I practiced one | | | | practice. |
| form of energy healing, as taught by Leonard | | | | Ten years later, he accomplished that and more. |
| Laskow, author of "Healing With Love," in my | | | | Therapeutic Touch is used more widely now than |
| practice "without the permission or knowledge of | | | | it was ten years ago. Dr Oz uses Therapeutic |
| the attending physician." | | | | Touch (TT) practitioners in his surgical rooms to |
| The JAMA article made it obvious for all to see | | | | hasten the recovery of his cardiac patients |
| the appalling polarity that continues to exist | | | | undergoing heart operations. |
| between doctors and nurses. The article was | | | | Dr Oz is widely loved. His best selling books have |
| indeed about Therapeutic Touch yet the | | | | created a huge audience. I believe that the JAMA |
| undertone of scorn the editor/writer (Steven | | | | article served to strengthen resolve for healers |
| Barrett, MD) had for nurses showed me and my | | | | everywhere to bring TT and energy healing out |
| colleagues how doctors still believe that nurses are | | | | of the closet for once and for all. |
| their hand-maidens. | | | | The fourth grade science project was a success, |
| And ten years later, these attitudes still exist. | | | | after all, but not in the way Dr. Barrett had hoped. |
| Nursing at its heart has always been one of healer | | | | Love coupled with healing intention triumphed over |
| and healing. Our education is holistic in nature, | | | | dry science; and triumphed over those seeking to |
| teaching compassion and non-judgment. | | | | discredit the great personal meaning a spiritual |
| Many physicians are proponents of energy healing | | | | healing has in a person's life. |