Energy medicine for long-term disabilities.

Energy medicine techniques derive from traditional Chinese medicine and are based upon the concept that health and healing are dependent upon a balance of vital energy, a still mind, and controlled emotions. Physical dysfunctions result from disordered patterns of energy of long standing and reversal of the physical problem requires a return to balanced and ordered energy. Qi Gong (Chi Kung) is a system which teaches an individual to live in a state of energy balance. Shen Qi is a sophisticated form of Qi Gong which relies on no external physical interventions but rather relies on mind control to prevent illness, heal existing physical and emotional problems, and promote health and happiness. This paper will describe the use of these techniques with people who have long-term physical disabilities.

The role of the psychologist in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Advances in the treatment of spinal cord injury have shifted the emphasis from problems of survival to problems of psychological integration into the community. However, the patient's expectations for a fairly normal life are often not realised because of discrimination against disabled persons by able-bodied persons. Therefore, rehabilitation should include psychosocial skills training to teach spinal cord injury persons to cope with these issues in their own world. To accomplish this, the psychologist can contribute to the rehabilitation process as a consultant to the rehabilitation team, as a researcher of the rehabilitation process, as an evaluator of patient skills and strengths, and as a counselor. Each of these roles is discussed and a conceptualisation of the rehabilitation process is presented.

Sexual function restoration in the physically disabled: use of a private hospital room.

For more than two years, a rehabilitation department in a large general hospital maintained a room adjacent to the ward as a site for evaluating and restoring sexual function of disabled patients. This report provides a description of the room, discusses its diverse purposes, and offers justifications of its feasibility in an acute hospital facility.

Sexual functioning in women with spinal cord injury.

The literature on women with spinal cord injury deals primarily with the factors of hormonal function, fertility and delivery. Unfortunately, information is limited concerning issues which are relevant to the total sexual functioning of these women. Little is known about potential hazards of contraceptives, the incidence of gynecological problems, the reactivity of vagina and external genitalia during sexual excitement, the nature of orgasmic experience, factors leading to orgasm and responsivity of nongenital erogenous zones. Sociocultural restrictions on vomen's sexual responsivity and willingness to discuss such issues are considered along with areas for future research, The authors emphasize the need to consider the totality of sexual functioning in future research and the need for women professionals to join research teams on this topic.