Urban Healers: An Experiential Description of American Healing Touch Groups
- 1 November 1996
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Qualitative Health Research
- Vol. 6 (4) , 526-541
- https://doi.org/10.1177/104973239600600405
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in alternative healing in the United States. Healing touch has gained in popularity both within organized religious groups and in more secularized groups. Despite this interest, there are very few reports of the experiences of the healers and the recipients of these healings. This ethnographic report describes the healing sessions as well as the physical, emotional, visual, and interpretive experiences of both healers and recipients. The healings are contrasted with biomedicine according to setting, interaction, and the cognitive process involved in the treatment. Reflected values of each respective group are discussed.Keywords
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