Bodymind Healing Psychotherapy: Ancient Pathways to Modern Health

You’ve heard psychotherapists called “shrinks.” Bodymind Healing Psychotherapy takes the “shrink-rap” off to unveil an expansive view of psychotherapy and mind-body healthcare that includes ancient sacred wisdom traditions and energetic approaches to healing. This “era of energy,” begun by Einstein, is marked by an outer energy crisis and a search for sustainable solutions. At the same time, an equally insidious “inner energy crisis” is taking place where stressed-out, battle-fatigued soldiers of the information age reach for pills or extra cups of coffee on a quest to restore depleted internal reserves. In this book you’ll discover natural ways to harness the energy of life for bodymind healing, and how to sustain energy, replenish vitality, and cultivate inner peace. Drawing from 30 years of training in Tai Chi and Qigong with some of the most respected masters of these traditions, Dr. Mayer shows how to integrate the essence of these practices into psychotherapy and into our healthcare without ever doing a Tai Chi/Qigong movement, and without mentioning a word about Qigong. From this co-founder of an integrated medical clinic and award-winning author in the field of mind-body healthcare, you’ll see how this integrative approach contributes to alleviate the current healthcare crisis. Ancient and modern, East and West, psychotherapy and mind-body medicine are amalgamated to make a stronger integrative medicine. Theory, research, and case illustrations are blended as you learn bodymind healing methods for anxiety, chronic pain, hypertension, insomnia, trauma, and other common issues plaguing the modern world. You’ll learn how to use a variety of ancient pathways to help heal the mind and body such as: • Chinese medicine approaches including Qigong and acupressure self-touch • Innovative symbolic process methods stemming from age-old mythic storytelling, guided imagery, and breathing techniques • Methods drawn from ancient traditions of meditation and postural initiation This book is oriented to mental health workers, health professionals, and members of the lay public who are interested in self-healing methods for physical and mental health. What others are saying about Bodymind Healing Psychotherapy: Drawing upon over 30 years of his psychotherapy practice and personal training, Dr. Mayer has provided a seminal contribution to the field of mind-body interventions for a wide range of common disorders. His book is profound in its scope, evidence based, bridges eastern and western traditions, and provides practical insights and skills that can be of enormous value to both individuals and organizations seeking to attain optimal health. Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Stanford University and University of Arizona School of Medicine Author of The Best Alternative Medicine: What Works? What Does Not? A realization is dawning for millions of Americans: If we are to be our healthiest, we must rely on our own inner resources. BODYMIND HEALING PSYCHOTHERAPY will help anyone discover and manifest his or her healing potential. This book is a dazzling accomplishment...a thrilling blueprint for the integration of body, mind, and spirit. Larry Dossey, MD Author: Reinventing Medicine

Author's Bio: Michael Mayer, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist, hypnotherapist, and Qigong/Tai Chi teacher who specializes in giving his patients self-healing methods for health problems. Dr. Mayer presents his approach to bodymind healing at professional conferences, national/international workshops, universities, and hospitals; and he is a keynote speaker. He was a co-founder of, and a practitioner at, The Health Medicine Institute, a multi-disciplinary medical clinic practicing integrative health-care. Dr. Mayer pioneered the integration of Qigong and psychotherapy, and was the first person in the United States to train doctoral psychology students in these methods. The World Institute for Self-Healing gave him an award for outstanding research and contribution to the advancement of mind-body medicine. He is the author of ten publications on bodymind healing including four books, audiotapes on cancer and chronic disease, and articles on chronic pain and anxiety. His peer reviewed article on Qigong and hypertension appeared in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, and is updated in the book Healing, Intention and Energy Medicine, by Dr Wayne Jonas, past director of the National Institute of Health, Office of Alternative Medicine. Dr. Mayer has served as a peer reviewer for The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Complementary Therapies in Medicine, and Annals of Internal Medicine. His Bodymind Healing Qigong DVD is currently being used in training of trauma therapists by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Medical Director, The Trauma Center, Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Mayer s certification programs include Bodymind Healing Qigong for Qigong practitioners/teachers, and a Bodymind Health Practitioner s Certification Program for health professionals.