Care of the soul in medicine : healing guidance for patients, families, and the people who care for them

by Thomas Moore

Book, 2010

Status

Available

Call number

RS

Call number

RS

Publication

Carlsbad, Calif. : Hay House, 2010.

Original publication date

2010-04-15

Physical description

xxvi, 241 p.; 22 cm

Local notes

Few experiences stir the emotions and throw a person into crisis as illness does. If affects not only the body but also the spirit and soul. Illness is about life and death, fear and hope, love and conflict, spirit and body. And yet, the healthcare system is not structured around these considerations—our doctors and other medical professionals are not trained to deal with the whole person. Care of the Soul In Medicine is Moore’s manifesto about the future of healthcare. In this new vision of care, Moore speaks to the importance of healing a person rather than simply treating a body. He gives advice to both healthcare providers and patients for maintaining dignity and humanity. He provides spiritual guidance for dealing with feelings of mortality and threat, encouraging patients to not only take an active part in healing but also to view illness as a positive passage to new awareness. While we don’t fully understand the extent to which healing depends on attitude; it has been shown that healing needs to focus on more than the body. The future of medicine is not only in new technical developments and research discoveries; it is also in appreciating the state of soul and spirit in illness.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Silvernfire
Moore is basically saying in this book what he's said in most of his previous ones: that we need to honor our souls as well as our spirits. But he still says it well (plenty of practice!), and when talking about illness and the modern health-care system, it still needs saying. Moore encourages the
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medical profession to support patients' dignity and individuality and to connect with them as people while performing the sacred duties of healing. But he also has advice for patients: to share in the responsibility of preserving their individuality and to remember that they have lives and concerns beyond their illnesses. It was a bit depressing to read Moore's vision of what health care could be like and then think about the reality of my local health-care system (it's really tempting right now to mail a copy of this book to the CEO of my insurance company!), but his stories of the changes he sees happening and his suggestions for further change were encouraging.
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