Why People Don't Heal and How They Can

If you think that Carolyn Myss, Ph.D., medical intuitive, can spot a brain tumor at thirty paces in a crowded cocktail party, read no further: buy this video. If you entertain doubts (and I count myself among those Thomases), then allow me to nutshell Ms. Myss's pitch here and I'll let you be the judge. In a talking-head lecture lasting 76 minutes, Myss spends approximately 90% of her time explaining "why people don't heal" and 10% on "how they can" (5 steps--all vapid--such as "chart a course for the future"). There's a kernel of truth in Myss's central assertion that too many people are engaged in "woundology," or using their illness (and the term appears to encompass a variety of conditions) as a weapon and a crutch. After haranguing the studio audience for 61 minutes, Myss mentions her book (surprise!) and spends the last 15 minutes qualifying (or recanting, depending on how close you've been listening) her earlier remarks: turns out many people don't heal because they've been given the genetic shaft, so to speak. Bottom line: harmless, possibly marginally helpful, and sure to be popular. A strong optional purchase. A companion volume--Three Levels of Power and How to Use Them--is also available. (R. Pitman)