You Can Heal From Child Abuse: Reclaiming Inner Territory

Cue the new age music and get centered: incest survivor/thriver/clairvoyant/consultant Lisa Patterson claims to help the shattered inner child of abuse victims via psychic energy healing. In the introductory interview Ms. Patterson talks about herself and her ambitions to educate and heal; gives vague, broad definitions of child abuse; and offers insubstantial advice on breaking addictions ("you have to stop doing it.") We go through a routine meditation exercise and learn how Ms. Patterson uses her clairvoyance to see other's hurt inner child (they actually appear on the victim's stomach.) Her particular incest story is moving, but then it leads to a discussion of Family of Origin therapy and the discovery of a 3-year-old girl and nurturing Mexican lady living inside of her. Ms. Patterson sounds like she's read a lot of books and gone through some tough times, but the best advice she can offer is to recommend therapy, something any good talk-show viewer would already know, in addition to 12-step programs, dream work, and astrology. They all seem to be of equal value in her opinion. Not recommended. (E. Druda)