Healing in a Hospital; Scientific Evidence that Spiritual Healing Improves Health

Abstract

Despite no sign of a natural healing ability, I trained to be a spiritual healer with The Healing Trust, a non-religious UK charity. Ten years later, I instigated probably the largest medical research trial of healing in the world. Patients with long term illness put an ongoing strain on medical resources. Our research trial aimed to establish whether adding spiritual healing to conventional care would help patients suffering with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The trial was led by the University of Birmingham, a Russell Group university known for first-rate research. The methodology was approved by a team of scientists appointed by the National Lottery, which provided full funding (£205,000). IBS affects over 10% of the population. IBD affects over 0.5% of the population. There is no medical cure for either condition and conventional treatments are often ineffective. Every aspect of a patient’s life is affected by IBS or IBD symptoms. The symptoms are highly embarrassing, unpredictable, painful and debilitating