scholarly journals Clinical Holistic Medicine: The Case Story of Anna. I. Long-Term Effect of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Incest with a Treatment Approach

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1965-1976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Birgitte Clausen ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Intensive Therapy ◽  
Therapeutic Touch ◽  
Holistic Medicine ◽  
Process Theory ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Existential Therapy ◽  
General Plan ◽  
Holistic Process ◽  
Nervous Breakdown

The nervous breakdown of a 22-year-old, young woman was caused by severe sexual abuse in childhood, which was repressed over many years. During therapy, the patient accumulated resources to start the painful integration of these old traumas. Using holistic existential therapy in accordance with the life mission theory and the holistic process theory of healing, she finally was able to confront her old traumas and heal her existence. She seemingly recovered completely (including regaining full emotional range) through holistic existential therapy, individually and in a group. The therapy took 18 months and more than 100 hours of intensive therapy. In the beginning of the therapy, the issues were her physical and mental health; in the middle of the therapy, the central issue was her purpose of life and her love life; and at the conclusion of the therapy, the issue was gender and sexuality. The strategy was to build up her strength for several months, mobilizing hidden resources and motivation for living, before the old traumas could be confronted and integrated. The therapy was based on quality of life philosophy, on the life mission theory, the theory of ego, the theory of talent, the theory of the evil side of man, the theory of human character, and the holistic process theory of healing. The clinical procedures included conversation, philosophical training, group therapeutic tools, extended use of therapeutic touch, holistic pelvic examination, and acceptance through touch was used to integrate the early traumas bound to the pelvis and scar tissue in the sexual organs. She was processed according to 10 levels of the advanced toolbox for holistic medicine and the general plan for clinical holistic psychiatry. The emotional steps she went through are well described by the scale of existential responsibility. The case story of Anna is an example of how even the most severely ill patient can recover fully with the support of holistic medical treatment, making her feel, understand, and let go of her negative beliefs and life-denying decisions.

scholarly journals Holistic Medicine III: The Holistic Process Theory of Healing

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1138-1146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Niels Jørgen Andersen ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
The State ◽  
Holistic Medicine ◽  
Process Theory ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
Safe Environment ◽  
Holistic Process ◽  
Will To Live ◽  
The Will

It is possible to understand the process of healing from a holistic perspective. According to the life mission theory, we can stretch our existence and lower our quality of life when we are in crises, to survive and adapt, and we can relax to increase our quality of life when we later have resources for healing. The holistic process theory explains how this healing comes about: Healing happens in a state of consciousness exactly opposite to the state of crises. The patient enters the “holistic state of healing” when the (1) patient and (2) the physician have a perspective in accordance with life, (3) a safe environment, (4) personal resources, (5) the patient has the will to live, (6) the patient and (7) the physician have the intention of healing, (8) the trust of the patient in the physician, and (9) sufficient holding. The holding must be fivefold, giving the patient (1) acknowledgment, (2) awareness, (3) respect, (4) care, and (5) acceptance. The holistic process has three obligatory steps: (1) to feel, (2) to understand, and (3) to let go of negative decisions. This paper presents a theory for the holistic process of healing, and lists the necessities for holistic therapy restoring the quality of life, health, and ability to function of the patient.

scholarly journals Clinical Holistic Medicine: Holistic Pelvic Examination and Holistic Treatment of Infertility

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 148-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Mohammed Morad ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
The Body ◽  
Therapeutic Touch ◽  
Holistic Medicine ◽  
Present Condition ◽  
Pelvic Examination ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
Holistic Treatment ◽  
Holistic Practice

In clinical holistic practice, it is recommended that ample time is spent with the gynecological or pelvic examination, especially in cases of women with suspected old emotional traumas following early childhood cases of incest or sexual abuse. The holistic principles of holding and processing should be followed with the purpose of healing the patient, re-establishing the natural relationship with the body, sexuality, and reproductive organs. Sexual violations are often forcibly repressed. It appears that the tissues that were touched during the violation often bear the trauma. It is characteristic of these patients that their love lives are often problematic and do not provide the necessary support to heal the old wounds in the soul and therapy is therefore indicated. When this is concerned with the reproductive organs, it poses particular difficulties, as the therapy can easily be experienced as a repetition of the original violation, not least due to the risk of projection and transference. There is, therefore, a need for a procedure that is familiar to and safe for the patient, for all work that involves therapeutic touching of sexual organs over and beyond what is standard medical practice. This paper presents one case story of earlier child sexual abuse and one case of temporary infertility. We have established a procedure of slow or extended pelvic examination, where time is spent to make the patient familiar with the examination and accept the whole procedure, before the treatment is initiated. The procedure is carried out with a nurse, and 3 h are set aside. It includes conversation on the present condition and symptoms; concept of boundaries; about how earlier assaults can be projected into the present; establishment of the therapeutic room as a safe place; exercises on when to say “stop”; therapeutic touch; visualization of the pelvic examination step by step beforehand; touching on the outside of the clothes with repetition of the “stop” procedure if necessary; pelvic examination paying special attention to traumatized (damaged/scarred/blocked) areas with feel, acknowledge, and let go of the traumatized areas; postprocessing of emotions and traumas with final healing. The patient cannot be healed until negative decisions are found and dropped with a tour back to the present, to let go of negative sentences and ideas, and a plan for further positive progress.

scholarly journals Clinical Holistic Medicine: Tools for a Medical Science Based on Consciousness

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 347-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Ventegodt ◽  
Mohammed Morad ◽  
Niels Jorgen Andersen ◽  
Joav Merrick
Keyword(s):  
Medical Science ◽  
The Body ◽  
Holistic Medicine ◽  
Process Theory ◽  
Frames Of Reference ◽  
Holistic Healing ◽  
Medical Clinic ◽  
Holistic Process ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Based Medicine

Biomedicine focuses on the biochemistry of the body, while consciousness-based medicine — holistic medicine — focuses on the individual's experiences and conscious whole (Greek: holos, whole). Biomedicine perceives diseases as mechanical errors at the micro level, while consciousness-based medicine perceives diseases as disturbances in attitudes, perceptions, and experiences at the macro level — in the organism as a whole. Thus, consciousness-based medicine is based on the whole individual, while biomedicine is based on its smallest parts, the molecules. These two completely different points of departure make the two forms of medicine very different; they represent two different mind sets and two different frames of reference or medical paradigms. This paper explains the basic tools of clinical holistic medicine based on the life mission theory and holistic process theory, with examples of holistic healing from the holistic medical clinic.

scholarly journals Mental Health in the Cree Peoples of Northern Quebec: Relationships Among Trauma, Familial Psychological Distress, and Mood or Anxiety Disorders

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-189
Author(s):  
Laura M. Heath ◽  
Jill Torrie ◽  
Kathryn J. Gill
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mood Disorder ◽  
Mood Disorders ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Substance Dependence ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Parental History ◽  
History Of

Objective: This study examined the physical and mental health of Cree adults, as well as the personal, clinical, and environmental factors associated with the presence of lifetime anxiety and mood disorders. Methods: Mental health was assessed using the computerised version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (CDIS-IV), and standardised instruments were used to assess physical health, addiction severity, and psychological distress in 506 randomly selected participants from 4 Northern Cree communities in Quebec. Results: Overall, 46.1% of participants reported chronic medical problems, 42.1% were current smokers and 34.5% met the DSM-IV criteria for an anxiety or mood disorder. Individuals with an anxiety or mood disorder were younger, predominantly female, and with higher educational levels, and a large proportion (47.7%) met the lifetime criteria for substance dependence. Hierarchical regression determined that anxiety or mood disorders were associated with serious problems getting along with parents, a history of physical and sexual abuse, and a lifetime diagnosis of substance dependence. Overall, 29.7% of Cree adults reported sexual abuse, 47.1% physical abuse, and 52.9% emotional abuse. Conclusions: This study highlights the high rates of physical and mental health problems in Cree communities and the association among parental history of psychological problems, history of abuse, and psychological distress. Participants expressed a desire for additional medical and psychological treatments to address the patterns of abuse, trauma, and mental disorders that are burdening the Cree communities in Northern Quebec.

Added Cost and Time Spent by Patients With History of Abuse in Florida Emergency Departments

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 741-750
Author(s):  
Natasha Kurji ◽  
Etienne E. Pracht ◽  
Barbara Langland-Orban ◽  
Kathleen Pracht
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Healthcare Costs ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Visit Duration ◽  
History Of ◽  
Log Linear

Interpersonal violence is known to lead to both short- and long-term health effects. Victims of sexual abuse tend to have higher healthcare costs and higher rates of physical and mental health issues than nonvictims. In this study, we investigate whether the comorbidity of mental illness and a personal history of adult physical and sexual abuse (HAPSA) results in higher healthcare costs and length of emergency department (ED) stay among Florida residents. A Negative Binomial and Log-Linear Regression Analysis suggest increased ED visit duration for those with a history of abuse, Hispanics, the uninsured, and those with multiple comorbidities. In addition, increased costs were found to be associated with White race, the uninsured, those with multiple comorbidities, and the facility type (for-profit hospitals).

Physical and mental health of children with substantiated sexual abuse: Gender comparisons from a matched-control cohort study

2017 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 155-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Daigneault ◽  
Pascale Vézina-Gagnon ◽  
Catherine Bourgeois ◽  
Tonino Esposito ◽  
Martine Hébert
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Matched Control ◽  
Control Cohort ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Gender Comparisons ◽  
Control Cohort Study

scholarly journals Knowledge of sexual abuse amongst female students in Malawi

Curationis ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Dzimadzi ◽  
H. Klopper
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Sexual Intercourse ◽  
Sexually Abused ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Male Adolescents ◽  
Sexually Abusive ◽  
Prevention Programmes

Sexual abuse is an increasing problem in Malawi amongst female students, and is associated with physical and mental health problems. This study aimed to determine existing knowledge of sexual abuse amongst female students in tertiary education institutions in Malawi. A descriptive, comparative, quantitative and contextual research design was used. Participants (n=219) were selected through systematic random sampling from a population of female students aged 18 to 21, at fifteen (n= 15) tertiary education institutions in Malawi. Sexually abusive behaviours demonstrated by a lover and friend were interpreted as not being abusive. There were no significant differences in knowledge of sexual abuse between the abused and non-abused respondent groups (p > 0.05). The overall prevalence rate of sexual abuse was 41%. Common forms of sexual abuse experienced were touching of breasts (54.4%) and attempted sexual intercourse (47.8%). Completed sexual intercourse was experienced by 18.9% of the respondents. The majority reported that they were sexually abused by men (98.9%). Twenty one percent experienced more than one sexually abusive incident and some respondents were abused by friends (30%). The abusers mostly used physical threats. Only 55.6% reported their sexual victimisation to others. Female students aged 18 to 21 in tertiary education institutions in Malawi had some knowledge of sexual abuse, but there were deficits in the interpretation of sexually abusive behaviours. The majority of abusers were male adolescents and young adults. Respondents should know what the Malawi law stipulates and what can be done to control and prevent sexual abuse. The information obtained from the study was used to develop guidelines for sexual abuse prevention programmes.

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