An alternative medicine practice that seeks to reenact the birth of the client in order to erase any traumatic experiences or illnesses that may have their origin in the early lifetime of the individual. Many techniques are employed to make the client think they are experiencing their birth - hypnosis, drugs, prolonged meditation, breathing exercises, psychotherapy, for instance.
Skeptical Perspective
The dangers of alternative practices that have little to no evidence in their favor are exemplified by the case of a child who died during a rebirthing session in Colorado in 2000. Also, due to the lack of evidence and the ambiguity of the claims made - the actual validity of this therapy is highly questionable. There seems to be no relevance to the birthing experience with health problems and/or emotional and mental disorders later in life. More important, however, it is not at all proven whether the birthing experience can even be recalled, let along reenacted.
- Joan Young (R.N.) |
