|
James
C. Nourse, Ph.D., L.Ac.
James C. Nourse has devoted both his personal
and professional life to exploring and integrating mind, body
and spirit. His professional training both as a clinical psychologist
and Chinese medical physician represents a unique combination
of healing methods, unifying ancient and modern approaches
to treating dis-ease and promoting health.
Clinical Psychology is a profession devoted
to the study and treatment of problems of the mind, emotions,
and behavior. Dr. Nourse is a proponent of a school of thought
within psychology known as transpersonal psychology, which
advocates that the spiritual component of life is a vital
part of a person's well-being. Although the transpersonal
psychologist does not advocate for any particular religion
or denomination, he believes that individuals are helped by
learning to discover within themselves sources of wisdom,
inspiration and a deeper understanding of their relationship
to the whole of life. Modern psychological understandings
of the human condition have established conclusively that
the state of mind and emotions have measurable efffects on
the state of the body. Dr. Nourse has had the good fortune
to study with one of the founders of Transpersonal Psychology,
Stanislav Grof. M.D. from whom he received certification in
Holotropic Breathwork in 1992, and has undergone personal
Jungian analysis, which he regards as a cornerstone of his
30+ year career. He has himself participated in what he invites
his clients to experience.
Classical Chinese Medicine is a practice
with at least a 3000 year history. It represents a continuous
testing and refinement, ultimately recorded in classical Chinese
texts. These texts describe a medicine that cannot, by its
very nature, fail to treat mind, body, and spirit simultaneously.
The human body is not just a physical object. It is a field
of energy, and this energy flows along channels (sometimes
called meridians) within and across the body. This energy
is a field which includes and interconnects what we think
of as mental, physical and spiritual aspects of the person.
When this energy is blocked or imbalanced in any way, illness
results, and, this can express itself as mental, physical
and/or spiritual distress. Acupuncture
and related methods go directly to the underlying energy problem
and strive to bring the system back into balance, so that
illness, of whatever type, has no comfortable place to live.
Dr. Nourse has been blessed with the opportunity to study
Classical Chinese Medicine with Dr.'s Sean Marshall, D.Ac.
and Tran Viet-Dzung, M.D., who are the major inheritors, trustees
and teachers of this body of knowledge in the world today.
When indicated, a combination of the two approaches creates
a powerful momentum for healing. Chinese Medicine may help
deepen and accelerate a person's progress in psychotherapy,
and psychological techniques may enhance and complement the
healing process of Chinese Medicine.
Psychotherapy
A term once reserved for Freudian-based practices for treating
mental illness, Psychotherapy now refers to a broad spectrum
of theories and techniques for relieving suffering, promoting
health and, in general, understanding and improving the human
condition. These practices range from highly focused behavioral
techniques for resolving very specific problems such as phobias,
traumas, or suboptimal social skills, to more philosophical
approaches for facilitating major life transitions, dealing
with loss and/or physical illness, or finding one’s
life purpose. One size does not fit all, but what all approaches
have in common is that the quality of the relationship between
the therapist and the client is a critical ingredient in the
healing process. Psychotherapy is one of the very few venues
in life for a person to openly reflect on his/her innermost
thoughts and feelings in a safe and supportive setting. Once
the province of Medicine, psychotherapy is not largely offered
by non-medical licensed professionals including clinical psychologists,
clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors.
Psynerqi (sin-er-chee)
An approach to health and healing developed by James C.
Nourse, Ph.D., L.Ac. from his nearly forty years experience
as a health care professional. Dr. Jim, as his patients refer
to him, is a clinical psychologist and board certified acupuncturist
whose training embraces modern western scientific, as well
as ancient and eastern understandings of health and disease.
The components of this training that have informed his work
are:
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University
of Tennessee
- Ten years of personal psychoanalysis (Jungian)
- Graduate of Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine
and Diplomate in Acupuncture, National Certification Commission
for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
- Meditation practice learned from various teachers, including
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Professionals,
taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.
- Holotropic Breathwork as taught by Christina and
Stanislav Grof, M.D., Ph.D., Certified Practitioner
- Studies with Michael Harner, Ph.D. and faculty of The
Foundation for Shamanic Studies; Beautiful Painted Arrow,
Southern Ute/Picuris Pueblo elder and healer; Stanley Kopa
Kaluahine, Hawaiian elder and healer: 'Ihaleakala Hew Len,
Ph.D., Hawaiian psychologist and ho'oponopono teacher
The term Psynerqi is a synthesis of psychology and energy,
specifically the ancient Chinese concept of a basic energy
or force that pervades all living things, called qi (pronounced
chee). According to this view health exists when the qi is
flowing and balanced, and illness occurs when it is blocked
or imbalanced. Chinese Medicine, using modalities such as
acupuncture, restore the qi to flow and balance so that illness
has greater difficulty manifesting. One of the master teachers
in Dr. Jim's school of Chinese Medicine taught: "We are
not here to compete with western medicine. We are here to
complete western medicine." Another teacher noted: "Western
medicine is about the moving leaf; eastern medicine is about
the wind that moves the leaf. There is only one medicine."
A complete and integrated therapy ideally includes attention
to mind and body and the flow of energy that underlies both,
and is tailored to the individual. Physical problems are always
influenced by and have an influence on a person's psychology,
and psychological problems always have physical components.
Psynerqi embraces the principle that at any given time a patient's
needs may suggest one or several modalities. Thus, for example,
a session might consist of conventional talk therapy alone,
or this might be done in combination with acupuncture. Another
session might be focused on relaxed breathing and visualization
alone or in combination with acupuncture. Self-acupressure
and meditative techniques might be prescribed for continuation
of the work between sessions.
Dr. Jim has authored several papers and books including Simple
Spirituality: Finding Your Own Way, and, soon to be released,
Opening the Aloha Mind: Healing Self, Healing the World
Through Ho'oponopono.
Education and Experience
PhD, University of Tennessee 1975,
Certified in Holotropic Breathwork(TM) and transpersonal psychology
by the Grof Transpersonal Training Program.
Trained in:
Mindfulness based stress reduction
of Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD.
Exceptional Cancer Patients by Bernie Siegel, MD.
Associate with Resource International, a Houston based management
consultant firm specializing in stress
management
Graduate and Faculty member biomedical sciences at the Jung
Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine
Clinical Psychologist; Individual, group and corporate stress
management specialist; Certified Grof Holotropic BreathworkT
Facilitator
|