by Beren Crim Sabuncu  , Ankica Kosic  and Amy L. Ai

Received: 20 January 2024;  Published: 15 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2404059

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought forth global challenges in socioeconomic, political, and public health dimensions. For many, spirituality was a powerful source of support during this pandemic experience. The current review provides an apt overview of spirituality as a coping method to mitigate the mental and emotional impact of global turmoil of Covid-19 within the context of Europe. Using select studies from Czechia, Italy, and Turkey which have low, middle, and high religiosity indexes respectively, the potenti [...]

by Angie Huber  , Nicole Schroeder  , Dave Verhoff  and Andrew Parsons

Received: 21 June 2024;  Published: 19 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403052

The Health-Focused Physical Therapy Model integrates lifestyle behavior management into physical therapy practice using a standardized care model and motivational patient interviewing. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived opportunities and barriers physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and rehab administrators may face when implementing the model. This study included a survey of 19 physical therapy clinicians, and interviews with four rehabilitation administrators from one healthcar [...]

by OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine Editorial Office

Received: 18 September 2022;  Published: 20 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203043

Interview with Dr. Sok Cheon Pak. Dr Pak as a physiologist currently leads and guides research into nutraceuticals to provide relevant and impactful clinical applications. The best example is the rice bran arabinoxylan compound (RBAC). RBAC is a functional food produced from hydrolysed rice bran denatured with shiitake mushroom enzymes. RBAC demonstrates strong immunomodulatory properties, particularly for enhancing the natural killer cell activity. Additionally, RBAC is a potent antiproliferative food supplement w [...]

by Maya K. Marom

Received: 16 October 2023;  Published: 21 December 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2304062

It was March-April 2020. The first few weeks of the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown had just begun. Anxiety levels were high, and being locked up at home was an unfamiliar and eerie situation. A music therapist sent her clients (elementary school children on the autism spectrum) daily videos of her dog, Robben, during his daily routines. She dubbed the dog as if he told the children a story about a tail-less cat. This endeavor resulted in a series of 27 storytelling episodes titled “Robben’s Pandemic Adventures”, [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 24 September 2025;  Published: 25 September 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503040

This personal report summarizes the key experiences and insights gained from attending the 2025 International Symposium organized by the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) and the Acupuncture Science Association of Sweden (ASAS), held in Stockholm. The event brought together international experts to explore recent advances in acupuncture research, clinical applications, education, and global integration. Despite notable challenges—including issues with AI-assisted real-time translation and [...]

by Vsevolod Konstantinov  , Pavel Ustin  and Leonid Popov

Received: 18 July 2023;  Published: 01 November 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2304049

The negative psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the forced isolation of a large proportion of people worldwide have demonstrated the need to develop ways and technologies to reduce the effects of sudden threats of this type. The basis of any practical work to minimize the negative psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic associated with substance use is the monitoring and diagnosis of the psychological resources of the individual. The article aims to show the possibilities of predict [...]

by Hester O Connor

Received: 22 May 2024;  Published: 28 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2404063

Therapeutic presence brings one’s whole self into the encounter with another in the therapy room. It is a fundamental aspect of the relationship between therapist and client, the cornerstone of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. Therapeutic presence can be strengthened through spirituality, meditation, mindfulness, or other practices such as the intention to enhance the therapeutic encounter for both client and therapist. Despite its importance, standard experimental techniques cannot readily measure and invest [...]

by Jennifer Vasquez  , Carrie Heeter  , Michele Quill  and Chase Bossart

Received: 07 April 2025;  Published: 03 July 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503029

Therapeutic Viniyoga is holistic and the treatment, starting point, progression, and goals are unique for each individual client. This study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and directed content analysis, combining theory and application to offer a tangible, conceptually grounded window into the process and practice of one-to-one Therapeutic Viniyoga. How Viniyoga is applied therapeutically is explored through the lens of trained Viniyoga therapists. Fourteen Viniyoga therapists were interviewed, [...]

by Allyson Tabaczynski  , Catherine M. Sabiston  , Kelly P. Arbour-Nicitopoulos  , Ryan E. Rhodes  and Linda Trinh

Received: 16 July 2024;  Published: 08 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2404067

Theory-based physical activity (PA) interventions include PA promotion strategies that can be delivered by exercise professionals, friends, family and peers. Peer-delivery presents a valuable opportunity for community implementation. Few peer-led PA interventions for people living with and beyond cancer (LWBC) report the feasibility of their peer mentor training methods. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a peer mentor training program to deliver a behavioural PA interventi [...]

by Ludek Fiala

Received: 25 August 2023;  Published: 18 February 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401014

This research focused on two age groups of men (under 40 and over 40 years) and their sexual function during the COVID-19 pandemic. Somatic examinations, including the measurement of hormone levels, were conducted on all patients. The subjects also completed two questionnaires and provided personal history data. The first questionnaire covered the evaluation of erectile function, while the second assessed psychosocial trauma and stress. The results in the first group (men under 40 years of age) showed a correlation [...]

by Patricia LH Tay  , Eva LK Kerk  , Mandy MY Lau  and Soon-Noi Goh

Received: 30 April 2024;  Published: 04 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2404064

Hospital social workers commonly experience empathy fatigue and burnout at work. However, empathic distress can be reversed by cultivating compassion as a skill and learning how to turn empathy into compassion. This report explores how 60 staff used Compassion Mind Training (CMT) to promote workplace mental health for hospital social workers. It recommends building a workplace culture of compassion through CMT using various ways to reinforce individual and organizational commitments. This helps create a sense of p [...]

by Pamela Whitaker

Received: 07 June 2024;  Published: 25 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403056

This concept paper is proposing the inclusion of the home studio as an art making location for art therapy trainees who assemble personal belongings, within the context of their domestic lives. A collection of belongings can become an installation which brings together associations to identities in juxtaposition. The material culture of art therapy trainees, the objects which they live by, is a new contribution to art therapy pedagogy, as it designates the art of personal collections as a life archive (or accumulat [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 02 January 2024;  Published: 04 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401003

Auricular medicine, an integral component of traditional medicine, has grown famous as a complementary and alternative Medicine (CAM) modality. Despite its widespread acceptance and anecdotal support, the scientific community grapples with multifaceted challenges that impede the establishment of a comprehensive empirical foundation for auricular medicine. This editorial critically assesses the current scientific landscape, delineating unresolved issues and scientific lacunae that demand rigorous investigation.

by Shelby Rubino  and Rodger K. Bufford

Received: 03 December 2023;  Published: 29 February 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401017

In 2019 the novel coronavirus spread quickly throughout the world. It was easily transmitted, resulting in a sudden increase in infection and death rates that overwhelmed hospitals. This sudden pandemic resulted in government and health officials mandating physical and social quarantines to decrease the spread of COVID-19. All these unexpected factors induced traumatic stress across the world. The impact of this trauma is seen to date, as many studies reported adverse mental health effects in an array of population [...]

by Sarah L. Wells  and Raymond H. Baillargeon

Received: 31 May 2024;  Published: 08 February 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2501009

Disruptive behavior problems (DBPs) in young children are early indicators of potential disruptive behavior disorders (DBD), which can lead to negative health and social outcomes. Secondary prevention strategies that target DBPs may facilitate early interventions and reduce these risks. Current Canadian pediatric practice guidelines provide an example one such strategy and suggest screening for DBPs only if a child’s parent reports concerns about their behavior. This systematic review sought to determine if parents [...]

by Junfeng Zhang  , Yajie Li  , Qianghua Xue  , Wen He  , Chenchen Li  and Yanli Wang

Received: 21 January 2025;  Published: 12 May 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2502021

Evidence suggests that regular moderate exercise can improve symptoms of depression and may enhance immune function, with an interesting role in cancer prevention and improved cancer-related prognosis; however, over-exercising may lead to overtraining and generate psychological symptoms that mimic depression, and may impair immune function. In this study, we chose swimming as an exercise form to conduct research. Swimming groups were divided into 5, 20, and 60 min day-1, and open field tests (OFT) were used to asse [...]

by Maria Kosma

Received: 06 April 2025;  Published: 17 July 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503032

Contrary to the dominant ultra-cognitive approach in public health whereby only thought processes are supposed to link to action (e.g., physical activity) and health, in this research an embodied (body-mind unison) philosophy was examined by showcasing the importance of holistic and performative movement experiences to health and well-being. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine the interrelated, multiple, and embodied benefits of a community-based aerial sling class (“Flow”) on bod [...]

by Waqar Husain

Received: 30 May 2025;  Published: 10 September 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503037

Honor and shame function as moral currencies in many collectivistic cultures, shaping individual behavior, gender roles, and psychosocial well-being. This paper introduces Atimiaphobia—a newly proposed specific phobia defined as the intense and persistent fear of losing honor (particularly for men) or being labeled as shameless (particularly for women). Rooted in patriarchal, collectivist, and honor-based cultures, atimiaphobia manifests through intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, emotional turmoil, and compu [...]

by Nicole E. Mahrer  , Gabrielle R. Rinne  , Christine M. Guardino  , Danielle A. Swales  , Madeleine Ullman Shalowitz  , Sharon Landesman Ramey  and Christine Dunkel Schetter

Received: 02 September 2024;  Published: 04 March 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2501011

Certain observable parenting behaviors contribute to the risk of children developing internalizing and externalizing problems. Yet parenting behaviors do not affect all children uniformly and effects may depend on identifiable child characteristics. One factor is a child’s biological sensitivity to the caregiving environment, an indicator of which is a stress hormone, cortisol. This longitudinal study examines two dimensions of observable parenting behaviors, responsive and rejecting/harsh. These parenting behavior [...]

by Zohar Gabay  , Tal Eliav  , Oded Hammerman  , Odelia Elkana  , Maor Epstein  , Erez Yaakobi  and Yacov Ezra

Received: 30 July 2024;  Published: 27 April 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2502019

Hypnotherapy is effective for treating functional symptoms; however, some studies describe a paradoxical response to hypnotic relaxation. We hypothesized that functional patients who: 1) are aware of a stressful antecedent event and 2) recognize that stress is causing or exacerbating their symptoms would have reduced symptom-severity with hypnotic relaxation, whereas patients who do not perceive a stressful antecedent and do not recognize stress as causing symptoms, would more commonly experience paradoxical respon [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 15 June 2025;  Published: 18 June 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2502024

This editorial for the 27th ISLA Congress in Beverungen in Germany reflects on the development, achievements, and challenges of the International Society for Medical Laser Applications (ISLA-transcontinental) from the perspective of its President for Science and Research, Univ.-Prof. DDr. Gerhard Litscher. It reviews the organization’s milestones and growth while outlining future strategies for innovation, research, and international collaboration in medical laser technologies. The full keynote presentation is avai [...]

by Ellen Zhang  and Gerhard Litscher

Received: 11 September 2024;  Published: 11 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403050

In this interview Professor Gerhard Litscher discusses how new technologies like laser acupuncture and electroacupuncture, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics are revolutionizing acupuncture by enhancing precision and personalization. He emphasizes the potential for digital tools to improve treatment outcomes and training while maintaining the human aspect of this holistic practice. Litscher highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and ongoing education to successfully integrate these inn [...]

by Jane C. Johnson  , Carol K. Smith  and Brian F. Degenhardt

Received: 14 March 2024;  Published: 27 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403057

Acute stress during medical school affects medical student well-being. The objective of the current study was to examine the influence of a holistic, school-sponsored student wellness program (SWP) on acute stress during the first year of medical school. First-year medical students attending two osteopathic medical schools participated, one school with a holistic student wellness program (SWP group) and one without an organized student wellness program (Control group). The SWP was founded on osteopathic philosophy [...]

by Eli Cwinn  and Kayla Hamel

Received: 22 January 2024;  Published: 10 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403041

This paper argues that psychology, as a discipline, requires research to be situated in the context of a content-based theory. We identify several problems and pitfalls with requiring a content-based theory for applied mental health research, a priori. Nonetheless, we also articulate a rationale for why theory matters and that a new sort of theoretical framework is required for applied mental health research. We address this need by articulating a new theoretical framework called Applied Pragmatic Functional Contex [...]

by Anastasia Gyimah  , Chinyere Ajayi  and Peggy Mulongo

Received: 23 January 2025;  Published: 17 July 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503031

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) are amongst the most vulnerable populations worldwide, facing significant psycho-social and mental health challenges influenced by pre-migration, migration, and post-migration experiences. This narrative review examines the structural, legal, and practical factors affecting UASC, focusing on their lived experiences within the UK’s asylum system. Key areas explored include trauma caused by forced migration (pre-, during and post-migration), ethical dilemmas surrounding ag [...]

by OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine Editorial Office

Received: 05 January 2023;  Published: 05 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301003

The editors of OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2022. We greatly appreciate the contribution of expert reviewers, which is crucial to the journal's editorial process. We aim to recognize reviewer contributions through several mechanisms, of which the annual publication of reviewer names is one. Reviewers receive a voucher entitling them to a discount on their next LIDSEN publication and can download a cer [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 19 July 2023;  Published: 21 July 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2303031

The editorial lists 10 important topics that need to be considered more closely in the future in acupuncture research.

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 08 December 2025;  Published: 09 December 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2504053

Acupuncture has become an increasingly relevant complementary modality in modern gynecology and assisted reproduction. Its uses include the management of menstrual disorders, menopausal symptoms, infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and others. Scientific progress in neurophysiology, laser acupuncture, and biomedical imaging has enabled a deeper understanding of the central and peripheral mechanisms underlying acupuncture’s effects. This editorial summarizes current evidence regarding physi [...]

by María del Valle del Olmo de Dios  , Alfonso Roberto Barros-Loscertales  and Laura Laguna Cruañes

Received: 25 September 2023;  Published: 05 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403039

Mediterranean diet, considered key to varied diets, raises whether it is necessary to supplement it with compounds like nutraceuticals to obtain more benefits. A scoping review was conducted. Nine articles were selected that compared the effects of nutraceuticals on biochemical markers (such as total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc)), weight, and blood pressure in various studies to the results observed in groups only exposed to the Mediterranean diet. The aim was to assess the impact of [...]

by Ian Marburger  , Anna Scheyett  and Kaitlin Brianna Yoo

Received: 30 September 2024;  Published: 05 March 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2501013

Farmers experience high levels of stress, with negative sequelae including physical illness, depression, anxiety, and suicide. Despite this, farmers are often reluctant to adopt stress management behaviors. This study collected survey data on motivators and barriers to stress management behavior change among farmers from 162 participants at a regional fruit and vegetable growers’ conference. Survey findings were analyzed using the Health Beliefs Model (HBM) as an organizing framework, calculating the frequency of s [...]

by Alexander Tournier  , Yvonne Fok  , Robbert van Haselen  and Aaron To

Received: 29 February 2024;  Published: 29 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403043

Little systematic research has been conducted into the symptomatic expression of COVID-19 infections in patients. It is known that symptomatic expression varies between patients, but the nature and extent of this variability is poorly understood. This paper elaborates on the symptoms reported by Chinese patients infected with COVID-19 during the Omicron wave, and compares this with available data from other countries. This was an observational clinical case registry study of Chinese patients with suspected Omicron [...]

by Ali Asghar Fallahi  and Shahnaz Shekarforoush

Received: 27 November 2024;  Published: 05 August 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503034

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, prompting extensive research into effective methods for treatment and prevention. Among these, exercise training and physical activity are widely recognized as the safest and most effective strategies for improving health. Specifically, exercise training has been explored for its role in cardioprotection, particularly in reducing damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and myocardial infarction (MI). Both high-intensity interval trainin [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 07 July 2025;  Published: 10 July 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503030

With the passing of Prof. Dr. Frank Bahr, the field of complementary medicine has lost one of its most influential personalities. As a pioneer of auricular medicine in the German-speaking world, he helped shape the field of integrative medicine over many decades. This tribute by Prof. DDr. Gerhard Litscher honors Bahr's work, his convictions, and the legacy of a visionary whose impact on energy and spiritual medicine endures.

by OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine Editorial Office

Received: 04 January 2024;  Published: 05 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401005

Food insecurity and insufficient access to affordable nutrition have been associated with increased risk for the development of multiple chronic medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease. In this narrative review, we explore the association between food insecurity and the development of chronic medical conditions that confer increased cardiometabolic risk, cardiovascular disease, and mortality. We also identify the various barriers leading to food insecurity and lack of food literacy, with an emphasis on [...]

by Koré Monsterrat Moreno-Calderón  , Alfredo Saavedra-Molina  , Mariana Gómez-Barroso  , Donovan Javier Peña-Montes  , Christian Cortés-Rojo  , Alain R. Rodríguez-Orozco  , Omar Ortiz-Ayala  and Rocío Montoya-Pérez

Received: 08 January 2024;  Published: 10 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403040

An excess of adipose tissue characterizes obesity; it is associated with complications such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases due to an alteration in the lipid profile; this condition affects all tissues; even skeletal muscle is the most affected, causing its malfunction and bringing more significant consequences. Exercise has been described as one of the best treatments to combat obesity. At the same time, E. carlinae is a plant proven to have lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic effects, improving the function o [...]

by Rodolfo Pessina  , Fabrizia Colmegna  , Massimo Clerici  and Ester di Giacomo

Received: 26 December 2023;  Published: 13 June 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402034

Therapeutic termination of pregnancy (TToP) is performed for maternal health risks or severe fetal malformations. Research focuses on women's psychopathological outcomes after TToP, noting that 10-22% of women experience psychiatric disorders, especially depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, little is known about paternal mental outcomes. This study analyzed biological fathers' mental health at a 1-year follow-up after TToP. Results indicate biological fathers show no alarming psyc [...]

by Robert Marx

Received: 24 April 2024;  Published: 20 August 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403047

It is an axiomatic in secular mindfulness that to become present is to direct attention away from thinking to physical sensation. While this can be a useful strategy to manage depressive rumination, as an automatic default position, it risks demonising our fundamental human capacity to purposefully think about the causes of suffering and how to reduce it. Many approaches within Mahayana Buddhism in particular explicitly use reflection on key ideas as necessary pre-requisites to meditation, and in these traditions, [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 10 November 2025;  Published: 10 November 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2504049

During this year’s World Congress on Medical Acupuncture, the ICMART (International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques) Science Award 2025 was presented in recognition of excellence in research and innovation within the field of medical acupuncture. The award honored pioneering work on acupuncture and moxibustion in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), conducted in collaboration with the team at Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan. The study, a randomized controlled trial (RCT), showed that ac [...]

by Annie J. Keeney  , Anabel Rodriguez  , Jaime Murillo  and Savannah S. Ingold

Received: 20 August 2024;  Published: 06 January 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2501002

Farmworkers are the backbone of the agricultural economy in the US yet are disproportionately burdened with economic-related stress and adverse behavioral health outcomes. How these stressors translate to children and family well-being is poorly understood. Grounded in Transactional Stress and Coping Theory, we aimed to understand how children and families adapt and respond to the stressors associated with farm labor occupations in a rural, underserved, bi-national community. We utilized focus groups with adult chi [...]

by Paul Gilbert  , Derek Griner  , Kelly Morter  , Ptarmigan Plowright  , Jaskaran Basran  , Hannah Gilbert  , Victoria Nithsdale  , Eva Rogers  , Yoram Giglio  and Corinne Gale

Received: 07 April 2025;  Published: 12 January 2026;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2601005

There is now good evidence for the efficacy of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) for a variety of mental health difficulties. To deepen understanding of the processes underpinning CFT’s effectiveness, this service evaluation explored the experiences and reflections of individuals with long-term mental health difficulties who had previously received therapy and attended an 11-week CFT group. Ten clients were invited to the group; one withdrew before the group started because of work and personal commitments and anoth [...]

by Edward Caddye  , Yuliia Lukianstseva  , Richard Aceves  and Guy W. Fincham

Received: 28 July 2025;  Published: 22 January 2026;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2601006

This paper introduces Movement-informed Breathwork (MiB), a personalised breath-body approach with biofeedback that integrates a form of conscious connected breathwork (breathing without pauses) with targeted neuromuscular contraction and relaxation cycles. Drawing from neuromuscular torque chain dynamics, fascial research and sensorimotor trauma therapy principles, MiB aims to enhance autonomic regulation, interoceptive awareness and somatic-emotional integration by bridging traditional breathwork (deep, slow-pace [...]

by Jodi Coon-Robeson  , Jaicee Williamson  , Anna Kate Edgemon  and John T. Rapp

Received: 20 May 2024;  Published: 04 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403049

Previous studies have shown that the use of a three-color (red, yellow, and green) rating system of child behaviors by caregivers can help facilitate deprescribing of psychotropic medications in foster youth. Using a similar three-color rating system within a state-funded project, we assessed whether there was a day of the week when 48 foster youth consistently displayed challenging behavior. For each foster child, we used conditional probability analyses to determine if there was a day of the week with an increase [...]

by Pamela Whitaker

Received: 11 May 2025;  Published: 28 July 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503033

Performance art is both a visual arts practice and kinaesthetic approach to place-based health. The perspective of this commentary is to promote the attributes of performance art to showcase its capacity to extend people into new configurations of cultural engagement with beneficial effects. Performance art is an opportunity to engage both mind and body in actions that transform predictability and encourage wellness within the context of people’s life studios (their everyday lives). Wellness is defined here in rela [...]

by David Cawthorpe

Received: 04 March 2025;  Published: 11 September 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503038

This paper presents a unifying transcultural perspective on human illness, health and wellbeing by integrating insights from cognitive psychology, existential psychotherapy, Zen philosophy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and quantum consciousness theory. Kahneman and Tversky’s work on heuristics and biases highlights cognitive constraints shaping decision-making, while Yalom’s existential therapy explores fundamental struggles with death, freedom, and meaning. Watts’ Zen philosophy critiques the illusion of eg [...]

by Antonella Sansone  , Peta Stapleton  , Alan Patching  and Zoe Lawrence

Received: 21 May 2025;  Published: 26 October 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2504046

Pregnancy and the postpartum period are times of significant transition for women, with changes in maternal physical and mental health. The relationship between a mother and her infant has been recognised as laying the foundation for later child development. There is considerable evidence that this early relationship is influenced by a woman’s wellbeing during pregnancy and in the early post-partum period. Mindfulness has been found to have positive health outcomes, primarily in reducing maternal stress, anxiety, a [...]

by James D Adams

Received: 09 February 2025;  Published: 10 February 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2501010

Medicines used in pain and chronic pain are aimed at relieving neuroinflammation. This neuroinflammation can occur in the brain, brain stem, dorsal root ganglion and other sites. What causes neuroinflammation? Why does this neuroinflammation last for years? Are there cures for neuroinflammation?

by Corrado Angelini

Received: 06 February 2024;  Published: 21 June 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402035

An 83-year-old man with myasthenia gravis was hospitalized in the ICU; support for caregivers of elderly myasthenic patients in the ICU can be a crucial aspect of their care. Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that can cause varying levels of muscle weakness, which can significantly impact the patient's day-to-day activities and overall quality of life. This intervention was followed for over one month with success. The critical phases are presented and analyzed as a medical support art [...]

by Cheryl Armstrong  , Katarina Friberg-Felsted  , Jennifer Macali  , Jennifer Clifton  and Sara E. Simonsen

Received: 02 July 2024;  Published: 26 January 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2501008

The COVID-19 pandemic presented major changes for individuals working in nursing academia. While university faculty and staff encountered many challenges, the pandemic also presented new opportunities. The purpose of this study was to determine how the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted nursing faculty and staff perceptions about their wellness experiences. An on-line survey was developed and sent to all faculty and staff. Data were collected through a convenience sample using both open-ended and closed [...]

by Marcus A. Henning  , Philippa Miskelly  , Marta Gil-Lacruz  , Gary Cheung  , Frederick Sundram  and Ruth Teh

Received: 11 June 2025;  Published: 29 October 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2504047

Across the globe, countries are facing an ageing boom, with the proportion of the older adult population growing compared to younger age groups because of increased life expectancy and declining birth rates. Along with the ageing boom, there is increased interest in the wellbeing of older adults. Healthy ageing and social frailty are two constructs that have emerged in studying older adults and their quality of life. In this paper, we critically review salient literature defining and describing healthy ageing and s [...]

by Kathryn Curtis  , Hance Clarke  , Daniel Santa Mina  , Gitte Bechsgaard  , Aliza Weinrib  , Jennifer Jones  , Darren Au  and Joel Katz

Received: 29 April 2025;  Published: 30 September 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503041

The objective of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a specialized Iyengar-informed yoga intervention for individuals who experience chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP). This prospective, multi-wave pilot RCT was pre-registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03460028) and designed in accordance with the 2010 CONSORT statement. Participants (N = 21) with CPSP were out-patients or community members affiliated with a Toronto hospital. Participants were randomized to an 8-wee [...]