IGIsm
and Conventional Medicine
Most physicians recognize the importance of beliefs,
attitudes, stress, and mind/body effects in medicine, but
very few are well trained to help patients with these types
of issues. Imagery and visualization have become
increasingly accepted practices with both patients and
physicians, and both have deeply penetrated our culture.
Although many conventional medical practitioners continue
to be wary about the promulgation of unrealistic
expectations, and are rightly concerned that patients with
potentially treatable serious diseases do not substitute
imagery for more definitive medical or surgical procedures,
they are becoming increasingly more open to alternative and
complementary approaches to healing.
Responsible mind/body approaches such as guided imagery are
now generally quite acceptable to physicians. Several
recent studies have shown that almost 60 percent of
physicians refer to the top five complementary approaches,
with stress reduction, imagery, meditation and hypnosis
being the leading modalities. In addition, physicians are
utilizing these services even more frequently for
themselves and their families.
We believe that IGIsm is a potent form of
adjunctive treatment for almost any medical or
psychological situation. It is a simple, yet profoundly
effective, inexpensive and safe form of care that allows
the client/patient to participate in their own process of
healing.
This alone is a tremendous benefit, though other
significant benefits frequently accrue. Imagery is rarely
used as a sole form of treatment for serious illness, yet
it is almost always helpful in combination with nearly any
other type of treatment.
We encourage you to educate your own physicians about the
power of IGIsm by referring them to this
website, and particularly to the Research Findings
documenting the
clinical efficacy and safety of this and related
mind/body approaches.