"This book is an absolute must for practitioners of complementary therapies & for any one concerned with good therapeutic practices and patient satisfaction.It has a revolutionary central theme-patient /physician relationship more a partnership! It focuses on the dynamics between the physician and the patient- all verbal and non verbal communication that occurs in physician/ patient encounter . It illustrates the power of the mind and emotions over mere medication.First there has to be an unconditional acceptance of the patient and environment has to be created so that he may fruitfully interact. In a larger context it means understanding what the patient thinks about his illness, his causes, feelings, social context, his attempts at recovery, his capacity, resources etc. Then the dialogue may shift to the difference at the conceptual level about various things (about illness & its associated issues) between the patient and the physician. By direct or indirect means the physician should be able to deal effectively with these ideas. There could be certain prejudiced thinking or unresolved issues which the physician needs to address and present to the patient in ways acceptable to him. This “change” that occurs in the patient gives him control which enables him to help himself. It is this control over self by self that plays an important role in complementary therapy interactions that sets itself apart from the conventional set-up. Inorder to deal with patient’s concepts the physician has to have clarity at conceptual level himself. His health therefore is important but his sickness too can be an advantage in that he would be seen by his patients as vulnerable and human. This augers well for the learning experience of the physician. Hence the book confronts the physician at all levels - sensitivity, sensibility knowledge and care. It feels the need for the physician to not look down on the patient but be with him, feel like him and be him. The authors have taken care not to miss anything relating to the subject. It was inspiring (as a practitioner) to read about the newspaper article quoted-- The Independent (June 1995) where patients were urged to give their doctors a hard time by becoming more assertive. However , if one were to adhere to all that is recommended then it does ask too much of the physician. It would need to change the entire quantity of practice into the quality of practice . A balance between the two would do well . No doubt then that these interactions could be more satisfactory than conventional therapy. Besides practitioners and health-care workers it would benefit people involved in teaching medicine and drafting curriculums. How else would we hope to produce physicians who are stable and resourceful to deal with this dynamics? "