“Healing Psyche”, Rob van Overbruggen’s book, is a masterpiece of psychosomatic medicine in Cancer Therapy, and it’s a rare book, because it doesn’t try to give any imperative strategies. It’s not for those who are constantly willing to re-examine what they think they know. There are others who cannot deal with the idea that what they were taught might be wrong. One can clearly see that in the reviews above.

What a refreshing point of view — I totally agree. It was a great Job, to collect all those materials, statistics, about cancer, to put them together, and to show his readers, that there is a chance, even you get cancer! This is not the END!!!

It seems like such an obvious no-brainer that “if you can’t prove it, it doesn’t exist” is a ridiculous idea! And I appreciate the courage that Rob had in putting himself in the line of fire, challenging this outmoded system. I wonder if part of the reason that groundbreaking ideas tend to be categorically dismissed is because they might threaten the financial systems that are already in place, benefiting from doing things (and much money) in the established way… my guess is “probably.”

Rob van Overbruggen had clearly challenged what we thought we knew, and didn’t open the Pandora’s Box himself, but he let us know, there is a “Box” out there. Scientists have long stated, “If you can’t prove it, it doesn’t exist.” That means that we relegate our belief system to the quality of our measuring devices. Since we couldn’t measure things at biological speeds until we got Pentium class computers, we haven’t been able to measure biological electronic function for very many years. Rob van Overbruggen has helped refocus us away from the false belief that the body is Newtonian and reductionist to the reality that the body works at the atomic level where Newton’s laws fail and electromagnetic energy rules.

Buy this book—it will change your life if you will measure it against what is real instead of what you were taught.

After you read this book, and you have cancer, there are only 2 possibilities:

• You open your mind, and imagine that you can take responsibility for your life, and your cancer!
• Or, you don’t open your mind, and you keep everything as before!!! With your Cancer!!!

Dr. George-Ivan Gal

As an NLP Practitioner and Meta-Medicine Health Coach, the question of what the best approaches to cancer care are has been on my mind for a while. No other disease carries a greater emotional punch than cancer, and no other disease gets the same level of medical funding and press attention. Yet there’s a sense that there’s a lot more complementary therapists could do in offering a more total solution.

Healing Psyche is a very large part of that solution. Rob’s PhD paper-turned-guidebook is an essential read for any psychological therapist working with cancer clients.
The amount of information he has sifted through to provide a comprehensive guide for psychological complementary cancer care is impressive. If, like me, you’ve spent hours on the internet piecing together therapeutic interventions, then you’ll know how unreliable the internet can be for solid information on cancer interventions. Sure there’s plenty of sites out there, but little detail about how best to approach cancer clients and which techniques work and why.

Rob’s first topic is dealing with what cancer is. He effortlessly knocks down our installed belief that cancer is a killer – pointing out that more people recover from a tumour than die from one. He then begins to look at the mind-body connection, and just shies away from putting forward the view that there’s no separate mind and body – that the two are in fact more than co-dependant, they are a single open system.

There’s plenty of explanation of how doctors approach cancer and patients, elucidating the often jargon-ridden way of grading patients that often concerns complementary practitioners. But in order to fully help cancer clients (with the attendant Big Pharma and traditional medicine approach), complementary practitioners need to understand the process their clients are asked to engage in.

One of the key moments for me, is the idea of focussing on quality of life rather than longevity. The phrase “expect to get better, accept that things could get worse” is now a mantra in my work with clients. Rob points out that those who overcome cancer often talk of feeling ‘weller than well’ and mentally much more alive and adaptable.

This belief is fascinating in itself, but the point that Healing Psyche blows me away is where Rob presents the evidence that a majority of cancer patients share many unproductive personality traits. They will often care for others far more than for themselves – to their own detriment. They also often have issues with lack of self-worth, self-confidence and assertiveness, and shy away from conflict or expressing anger. Saying ‘No’ is also a big problem.

At the time of writing, someone close to me is dealing with cancer, and reading this section of Healing Psyche was like looking inside their mind. The similarities were shocking, but also empowered me to know what interventions I could work with.

Rob’s points out that these unhelpful beliefs need to be changed before any work can be done directly to engage the client with working towards a better quality of life. As an NLP Practitioner and Meta-Medicine Health Coach I know how frustrating it can be when a client seems unwilling to engage in moving towards wellness, despite what they may tell me. The powerful interventions offered here arms me with the tools I need to better help my patients help themselves.

The number of interventions and approaches to treatment are incredible. Rob’s book has inspired me to create a cancer care programme, using many of these interventions and my knowledge of Meta-Medicine.
Many cancer care books are either too lightweight or offer dense, complecated approaches. Rob’s book walks a clever middle road, with the text littered with poignant quotes and easy to relate to metaphors that throw light on this fascinating subject area.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE USING A MENTAL, PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL APPROACH WITH CANCER CLIENTS.

Healing Psyche is a must read for anyone who doubts the power of the mind to heal or the power of the body to heal itself when blocks to healing have been removed; and, it has come at the perfect time as people’s minds are becoming more open to alternative and complementary therapies since Traditional Medicine does not, obviously, have all the answers.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS ‘WE WANT TO LIVE’.

Healing Psyche is about giving power back to cancer patients and about cooperation with Medical Staff so that the patient can benefit from the best efforts of a healing team. Anyone who has studied cancer treatment or has been involved with a loved one who has been diagnosed learns quite quickly that what is a cure for one person is not necessarily the answer for the next person.
That is why cancer is so difficult to cure; it behaves differently in each person. Chemo, unfortunately, doesn’t have the success rate of Penicillin. And that is mostly because germs are outside invaders and cancer is a reaction of the body to something within the MindBody itself.

Healing Psyche provides a great deal of proof for that theory along with the processes that may be an aid to healing. It is a monumental thesis written in a way that makes it useable by the patient. I am very grateful for the dedication and expertise that went into this healing guide.

Carole Seaver, MA, Holistic Counselor

Healing Psyche; op weg naar een psycho-oncologie

Rob van Overbruggen heeft met zijn Engelstalige boek “Healing Psyche, Patterns and Structure of Complementary Psychological Cancer Treatment (CPCT)” een bijdrage geleverd aan de psycho-oncologie. Zijn boek is een literatuur overzicht en analyse en gaat over de invloed van gedrag, gedachtenpatronen, emoties en omgangsmethoden op kanker, goed onderbouwd met wetenschappelijke literatuur. De therapieen die aan de orde komen zijn vooral gericht op het verbeteren van het algemeen welbevinden van een kankerpatient.

Dit boek laat zien dat de scheidslijn tussen lichaam en geest arbitrair is. Het boek is helder geschreven en daarom zinvol voor artsen, psychologen, maar zeker ook voor de patient en zijn familieleden.

In het eerste deel zet de auteur uiteen wat gezondheid en heling is, waarna uitgelegd wordt wat kanker is en hoe het immuunsysteem een rol speelt bij deze ziekte.

Het tweede deel gaat over hoe verschillende emoties, stress, gedragingen, overtuigingen en ingrijpende gebeurtenissen invloed hebben op het ontstaan van kanker en de prognose wanneer iemand kanker heeft.

In het derde deel worden verschillende complementaire therapieen en programma’s beschreven. De meeste programma’s zijn gericht op:

• actief worden
• assertiviteit
• expressie van emotie
• verminderen van afhankelijkheid
• versterken van eigenwaarde
• gevoel van controle
• blijheid versterken

In het vierde en het vijfde deel wordt dieper ingegaan op technieken die gebruikt kunnen worden om de kwaliteit van leven zo goed mogelijk te verbeteren. Technieken zoals hypnotherapie, Neurolinguistisch programeren (NLP), psychotherapie en meditatie passeren de revue.

Vanwege zijn zeer grondige zoektocht naar wetenschappelijk onderzoek over dit onderwerp, kan Rob Overbruggen gefundeerd aanbevelingen doen wat voor onderzoek er in de toekomst nodig is, om dit veld van de psycho-oncologie nog beter te doorgronden.

Stichting IOCOB www.iocob.nl

IOCOB: Foundation to support innovative research and education in the field of complementary medicine

Met toenemende verwondering, verbazing, respect en bewondering heb ik Rob zijn boek “Healing Psyche” doorgenomen. Volgens ingewijden en kenners heeft Rob door het schrijven en uitgeven ervan, een fenomenale bijdrage geleverd op het gebied van de psycho-oncologie.

Een onjuiste beperking van het aantal gebieden vind ik. Het boek bevat veel verschillende waardevolle bijdragen voor een breed scala van terreinen. Eigenlijk aan allen die zich bezig houden met het bevorderen van gezondheid en “wellness” van mensen, in welke situatie dan ook!
Natuurlijk denken wij dan heel snel aan de professionals die werkzaam zijn in alle terreinen van de gezondheidszorg. Maar ook denk ik bijv. aan degenen die in het (speciaal) onderwijs werkzaam zijn. Tevens ook aan mensen die als pedagoog, coach, trainer, opvoeder, begeleider van topsporters, enz. hun zingevend werk verrichten.
M.a.w., overal waar de wederkerige samenhang tussen ‘lichaam en geest’ aanwezig is in situaties van persoonlijk disfunctioneren.

En om dan te kunnen helpen vanuit het inzicht dat je zowel lichaam als geest als mogelijkheid hebt om een verandering ten goede op te starten. En daarbij gebruik te kunnen maken van enkele en / of combinaties van therapeutische aanpakken die Rob in zijn boek voor het voetlicht brengt.
In mijn werk zijn dit hele belangrijke elementen die Rob op een heldere en toegankelijke manier heeft behandeld en beschreven.
Dit stel ik vast op grond van wat ik heb meegemaakt in mijn ruim 20 jarige ervaring als Personal Coach.
Voor mij is het boek inmiddels een bron van inzichten en mogelijkheden geworden dat ik graag binnen handbereik heb.
Rob bedankt!
Dick Verburg Consult & Coaching

Kein ganzheitlicher Krebskongress kommt um die Feststellung herum: Krebsheilung ist nur von der Psyche aus möglich. Und wie geht das, was bietet man dem Patienten an? Unübersehbar ist bereits jetzt die Zahl der spirituellen, psychotherapeutischen, psychologischen, psychoonkologischen etc. etc. Therapieansätze, aber der Überblick geht verloren.

Hier bietet das Buch von Rob van Overbruggen eine Hilfe an, deren Bedeutung überhaupt nicht überschätzt werden kann, die einfach klingt und unendliche Mühe erforderte: er hat sich über alle Verfahren informiert, sie beschrieben, gesichtet, geordnet und z.T. beurteilt. Wer immer in der unübersehbaren Szene für sich oder seine Patienten einen therapeutischen Ansatzpunkt sucht (und wer kennt sich wirklich aus?), braucht dieses Buch.

“Author Rob van Overbruggen PhD shares his expertise and utilizes the power of the human mind to influence the cancer process in Healing Psyche. One of the most incredible ideas in modern science is that the mind can indeed influence the body. Even more amazing is the fact that psychology can actually influence the health of a patient. Cancer is perhaps the most dreaded disease of our lifetime, yet there are new treatments and pioneering new approaches to deal with this scourge. In this fascinating book, Rob presents a revolutionary treatment that bridges mainstream psychology with innovative psychological cancer treatments â?” and in doing so he creates a veritable miracle of healing.

Van Overbruggen explains his world-shattering views on healing and discusses cancer from a medical and psychosomatic perspective. Why certain personality traits that encourage cancer and why do patients with more positive self images have more spontaneous remissions?

Based on his meticulous research, Van Overbruggen makes scientifically based suggestions for creating effective programs for somatic healing and offers tips for further research into the healing potential of the mind.

During the research process, Van Overbruggen discovered overlapping patterns from different psychological approaches to cancer therapy. In his book, he identifies those psychological patterns that influence the cancer process and how those patterns can be changed to aid the healing process. Supported by many references to scientific literature, Healing Psyche is an analysis of the influence of mindset, behavior, emotions, and coping styles on cancer.

With the use of volumes of research by some of the most respected names in both psychological cancer treatment and overall MindBody healing studies you have catapulted the MindBody Connection premise by ions; and, by your comprehensive overview have given us in the field some much needed validation.

Healing psyche is a detailed analysis of scientific literature on how emotions, behavior and mindset influence the cancer process. This is a groundbreaking research paper that reads more like a page-turning novel. Full of absorbing case studies, Van Overbruggen presents some of the most provocative and mind-bending cancer research around.

Perhaps the most marvelous part of the book is the explorations of the therapeutic applications. This section is full of thoughtful and profound questions to help influence a patient’s mindset more beneficially. As soon as there is a psychological change, Van Overbruggen says, a physical change can be observed.

This work is a guidebook, not only for therapists who are working to help cancer patients become active participants in their own healing journey, but also for the cancer patients themselves to study and do their own introspection and, consequently, make the changes within that may be called for.

Healing Psyche is a must read for anyone who doubts the power of the mind to heal or the power of the body to heal itself when blocks to healing have been removed; and, it has come at the perfect time as people\’s minds are becoming more open to alternative and complementary therapies since Traditional Medicine does not, obviously, have all the answers.

With this influential book, Van Overbruggen has done what many would consider impossible: he has pit the possibility of miracles right in the grateful readers’ hands. Healing Psyche provides a great deal of proof for that theory along with the processes that may be an aid to healing. It is a monumental book written in a way that makes it useable by the patient.

The book will be of great help and interest to a wide range of health practitioners and therapists who work with patients diagnosed with cancer. Patients themselves will also benefit from the new hope that these alternative healing approaches provide. Healing Psyche will serve as a valuable addition and support to integrative medicine.

http://www.dgeim.de/page2/page21/page125/page125.html

There are many facets of psychological health and disharmony that may contribute to the development of serious illnesses. Some are well known, other are less familiar. Here are but a few of the numerous aspects of this important aspect of understanding and dealing with cancer that van Overbruggen clarifies.

The author marshals well-supported discussions on ways in which stress that is handled poorly can lead to serious illnesses. Stress is commonly assumed to occur with negative experiences, but van Overbruggen points out that positive ones such as marriage and relocation to a new residence or work situation may be equally stressful.

Similarly, residues of traumatic experiences that are not released may fester within people, eventually manifesting in physical disorders. Cancer is commonly found to occur following such experiences.

It is not the things themselves that confuse people, but their judgment of those things.
- Epictetus

A less well known factor is self-regulation.
Grossarth-Maticek et al. (1995) interviewed participants in 1973 to assess their level of “self-regulation.” Self-regulation is defined as people’s ability to notice the results of their behavior and correct it to achieve their goals. By definition, self-regulation can only take place when people have an internal locus of control. Fifteen years after the initial interview, they conducted a follow-up study to assess the participants’ health status. Of those who scored in the lower section of the test, only 2% were still alive. Of the participants who initially scored in the higher regions, 81% were alive. (p. 87)

The author points out that imagery is commonly used as a tool for transformation as a part of many therapies. It is often included in cancer treatments. What is less known is that assessments of the elements in people’s imagery can also have diagnostic value.

[Jean] Achterberg came to the following conclusion: “The total scores were found to predict with 100% certainty who would die or show evidence of significant deterioration during the two-month period, and with 93% certainty who would be in remission… (p. 168

Generous counterpointing quotes and client reports of their experiences with the various therapies make this book an engaging read. The many pages of references are a blessing to anyone seriously interested to know more about the many and varied available treatments for cancer. This book is highly recommended to anyone interested in wholistic approaches to helping people who have cancer. It is also helpful in addressing end of life issues and facing death. “Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.” (p. 200)

Dr. Daniel J. Benor, MD
An expert with an encyclopedic knowledge about healing, research methods, and the clinical efficacy of healing, and healing combined with psychotherapy.

Dr van Overbruggen’s book reviews psychological approaches to healing cancer such as the Simonton Program and Cancer As A Turning Point, and places them within a larger framework which makes sense of their results. He meticulously details both therapies which focus on revisiting and healing the psychological sources of immune system weakening and therapies which deal with current responses including meanings and emotions. He shows how to deal with clients pain management as well as their management of beliefs and presuppositions in their own thinking and in the thinking of their medical support team. He gives specific examples of healing visualization processes and explains where and how they will work. For me as a fellow NLP Trainer, one of the most refreshing aspects of Rob’s work is his ability to step out beyond belief systems (including those of alternative therapists) and consider what works. This absolute pragmatism is epitomized in the story of a man who goes to his doctor with a phobia – when he lies on his bed, he panics that someone is under his bed; when he lies under his bed he panics that someone is lying on the bed. The solution, found not by the doctor but by a bartender, is to cut the legs off the bed. This is the fundamental type of paradigm shift that moves us beyond the maze of orthodox responses to cancer.

I have had several clients who healed from cancer purely by using psychological processes, and I also saw my partner die of cancer ten years ago, despite using all the psychological approaches she could. That experience gave me a kind of humility about what I am doing, a humility which enables me to be far more at ease helping someone who faces a health crisis. There is not one “magic bullet” which heals cancer, but we do know more and more about how people can actually support their body to heal. When someone has cancer, they generally feel overwhelmed by the range of choices being offered them (by everyone except their oncologist). This book is the kind of overview which they need to make their own informed choices about the psychological approach to healing.

Like Dr van Overbruggen, I train Practitioners of both NLP and Dr Tad James’ Time Line Therapy™. Time Line Therapy™ is of course not promoted as a method of curing cancer. However it’s similarity to the (well researched) cancer treatment approach of Dr Carl Simonton has made it attractive to many clients overcoming cancer. Without actually teaching Time Line Therapy™, this book provides a framework for the use of the Time Line Therapy™ method with such clients. I strongly urge every NLP Practitioner who works with clients facing health issues to buy and read this book, and to buy a second copy to loan to their clients. I simply have never seen such a thorough and courageous explanation of this field. Not surprisingly, Dr Simonton himself has strongly recommended the book to all his students as have many other medical practitioners. This is a text book for working with clients who face cancer. Over ¼ of those living in the developed world will be diagnosed with cancer so all of us will probably know someone who faces this challenge.
My recommendation is: Read the book now!