Sophia Kramer-Leto, Ph.D. Facilitator of Family Constellations, Teacher, Hypnotherapist, Voice-and Breath Practitioner, Vocal coach, Energy worker.

Sophia grew up in Germany and South Africa. She became a nurse and holistic practitioner, additional to this she was a performing artist. Sophia initially was introduced to Family Constellations in Germany, where this work was originated by Bert Hellinger, and has sustained a large following. She is a graduate of the first training in NYC under the auspices of the Bert Hellinger Institute. Sophia attended many workshops and supervisions, in Europe and the USA, being held by Bert Hellinger, Hunter Beaumont,Ph.D., Gunthard Weber,MD and many other leading teachers of this field. Sophia is leading workshops and individual sessions fulltime in NYC, New Jersey, Florida and California and in Europe and South Africa. She conducts trainings and holds lectures nationally and internationally.

For more information visit: www.sophiakramer.com

The role of parents in the use of hypnosis with their children raises many questions worthy of consideration. A survey of the literature reveals that this important topic has not been given the attention or depth it deserves. The author looks at (a) how, when, and whether to incorporate parents in the treatment of their children; (b) how to address attachment and trance between parent and child; (c) engaging parents in their own hypnotic abilities beginning as early as the birthing experience; and (d) improving parenting skills such as teaching parents to pay attention to their use of language with their children in order to shift patterns of communication from unproductive to useful. In addition, the author explores the ways to invite, teach, support and interact with the family system of parent and child in our hypnotic work.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2011 Jul;54(1):70-81. Linden JH. juliehlinden@comcast.net

Full Title: Attitudes towards Chiropractic: An Analysis of Written Comments from a Survey of North American Orthopaedic Surgeons.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest by chiropractors in North America regarding integration into mainstream healthcare; however, there is limited information about attitudes towards the profession among conventional healthcare providers, including orthopaedic surgeons. METHODS: We administered a 43-item cross-sectional survey to 1000 Canadian and American orthopaedic surgeons that inquired about demographic variables and their attitudes towards chiropractic. Our survey included an option for respondents to include written comments, and our present analysis is restricted to these comments. Two reviewers, independently and in duplicate, coded all written comments using thematic analysis. RESULTS: 487 surgeons completed the survey (response rate 49%), and 174 provided written comments. Our analysis revealed 8 themes and 24 sub-themes represented in surgeons' written comments. Reported themes were: variability amongst chiropractors (n=55); concerns with chiropractic treatment (n=54); areas where chiropractic is perceived as effective (n=43); unethical behavior (n=43); patient interaction (n=36); the scientific basis of chiropractic (n=26); personal experiences with chiropractic (n=21); and chiropractic training (n=18). Common sub-themes endorsed by surgeon's were diversity within the chiropractic profession as a barrier to increased interprofessional collaboration, endorsement for chiropractic treatment of musculoskeletal complaints, criticism for treatment of non-musculoskeletal complaints, and concern over whether chiropractic care was evidence-based. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis identified a number of issues that will have to be considered by the chiropractic profession as part of its efforts to further integrate chiropractic into mainstream healthcare.

Chiropr Man Therap. 2011 Oct 4;19(1):25. Busse JW, Jim J, Jacobs C, Ngo T, Rodine R, Torrance D, Kulkarni AV, Petrisor B, Drew B, Bhandari M.

Biofeedback is a method of training subjects to regulate their own physiology using feedback from physiologic sensors connected to an output display. Biofeedback-assisted stress management (BFSM) incorporates the physiologic signals with instructions on stress management. The goal of BFSM training is to give subjects the tools to control their own mental and physiologic reactions, leading to improved health and wellness. In cardiovascular disease, over activation of the sympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system and psychologic stress together negatively affect quality of life and clinical status. BFSM targets both areas. We hypothesize that this intervention can be used in cardiovascular disease to improve clinical status and quality of life, as well as interfere with disease progression. We are conducting trials of BFSM in heart failure and stable coronary artery disease. Preliminary data suggest that use of BFSM by heart failure patients may actually cause cellular and molecular remodeling of the failing heart in the direction of normal. We are comparing the effects of BFSM with usual care in patients with stable coronary artery disease, testing the hypothesis that the intervention will decrease both sympathetic hyperarousal and activation of the inflammatory cascade. Since heart rate variability is abnormal in both cardiovascular disease and depression, and since BFSM has been successfully used to change heart rate variability, we also expect this intervention to have a positive impact on the depression that often accompanies cardiovascular disease.

Cleve Clin J Med. 2011 Aug;78 Suppl 1:S20-3. Moravec CS, McKee MG. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NE61, Cleveland, OH 44195; moravec@ccf.org.

Data sourcesMedline, PubMed, The Cochrane Library 2010, CINAHL, Embase, seven Korean Medical Databases and a Chinese Medical Database (China Academic Journal, www.cnki.co.kr).Study selectionParallel or cross-over RCTs that assessed the efficacy of acupuncture regardless of blinding, language and type of reporting published in English, Chinese and Korean were included. Dissertations and abstracts were included provided they contained sufficient detail. Complex interventions in which acupuncture was not a sole treatment and studies with no reported clinical data were excluded.Data extraction and synthesisAll RCTs were obtained and read in full by two independent reviewers and data extracted according to pre-defined criteria. Quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias criteria. Meta-analysis was conducted using random effect models if excessive statistical heterogeneity did not exist. Additional subgroup analysis or sensitivity analysis additionally was conducted to explore heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot using the Cochrane software.ResultsSeven RCTs (including 141 patients) met our inclusion criteria. Six studies comparatively tested needle acupuncture against penetrating sham acupuncture, non-penetrating sham acupuncture or sham laser acupuncture, whilst the remaining study tested laser acupuncture against sham laser acupuncture. Five studies were considered to be at low risk of bias. Outcomes were reported for pain intensity, facial pain, muscle tenderness and mouth opening.Conclusions: This systematic review produced limited evidence that acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture in alleviating pain and masseter muscle tenderness in TMD. Further rigorous studies are, however, required to establish beyond doubt whether acupuncture has therapeutic value for this indication.

Evid Based Dent. 2011;12(3):89. doi: 10.1038/sj.ebd.6400816. Türp JC. Clinic for Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Disorders, Dental School, University of Basel, Switzerland.

Though there have been advances over the last 30 years in the therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular disease (CVD), heart disease and stroke remain the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Many medical therapies for CVD are associated with a number of side effects, often leading patients to seek non-pharmacological treatments to complement standard care. Referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), these therapies consist of a heterogeneous group of modalities used in addition to conventional health care. Biofield therapies exist within this CAM domain and involve the direction of healing energy to facilitate general health and well-being by modifying the energy field. What follows is a brief overview of three biofield therapies developed or used within the field of nursing (Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, and Healing Touch), surveying the use of these interventions for individuals with CVD, and outcomes that may impact CVD risk factors and health-related quality of life.

Holist Nurs Pract. 2011 Jul-Aug;25(4):199-204. Anderson JG, Taylor AG. Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.

Full Title: Effects of music therapy on anxiety of patients with breast cancer after radical mastectomy: a randomized clinical trial.

ABSTRACT: Aim. This paper is a report of a clinical trial of the effects of music therapy on anxiety of female breast cancer patients following radical mastectomy. Background. There is insufficient evidence on the effects of music therapy on state anxiety of breast cancer patients following radical mastectomy. Methods. A Hall's Core, Care, and Cure Model-based clinical trial was conducted in 120 female breast cancer patients from March to November 2009. A randomized controlled design was utilized. The patients were randomly allocated to the experimental group (n = 60) received music therapy in addition to routine nursing care, and the control group (n = 60) only received routine nursing care. A standardized questionnaire and the State Anxiety Inventory were applied. The primary endpoint was the state anxiety score measured at pretest (on the day before radical mastectomy) and at three post-tests (on the day before patients were discharged from hospital, the second and third time of admission to hospital for chemotherapy respectively). Results. The pretest score revealed that the majority of the patients had a moderate level (77•5%) and 15% had severe level of state anxiety. The repeated-measure ancova model analysis indicated that the mean state anxiety score was significantly lower in the experimental group than those in the control group at each of the three post-test measurements. The mean difference between the experimental and control group together with 95% confidence intervals were -4•57 (-6•33, -2•82), -8•91 (-10•75, -7•08) and -9•69 (-11•52, -7•85) at the 1st post-test, 2nd post-test and 3rd post-test respectively. Conclusion. Music therapy is found to have positive effects on decreasing state anxiety score.

J Adv Nurs. 2011 Oct 6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05824.x. Li XM, Zhou KN, Yan H, Wang DL, Zhang YP. Xiao-Mei Li PhD RN Associate Professor, Dean Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China Kai-Na Zhou MSc RN Assistant Researcher Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China Hong Yan PhD Professor Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China Duo-Lao Wang PhD Professor Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK Yin-Ping Zhang PhD RN Associate Professor Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationship between acute dissociative reactions to trauma and hypnotizability. METHOD: Acutely traumatized patients (N=61) with acute stress disorder, subclinical acute stress disorder (no dissociative symptoms), and no acute stress disorder were administered the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale within 4 weeks of their trauma. RESULTS: Although patients with acute stress disorder and patients with subclinical acute stress disorder displayed comparable levels of nondissociative psychopathology, acute stress disorder patients had higher levels of hypnotizability and were more likely to display reversible posthypnotic amnesia than both patients with subclinical acute stress disorder and patients with no acute stress disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The findings may be interpreted in light of a diathesis-stress process mediating trauma-related dissociation. People who develop acute stress disorder in response to traumatic experience may have a stronger ability to experience dissociative phenomena than people who develop subclinical acute stress disorder or no acute stress disorder.

Am J Psychiatry. 2001 Apr;158(4):600-4. Bryant RA, Guthrie RM, Moulds ML. School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia. r.bryant@unsw.edu.au