Rebirthing Banned in Colorado--Commentary by Dennis Lewis

[Guest guest]

I thought you might be interested in this story. Any comments on the

issues involved?

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, April 24, 2001--Two Colorado therapists were found

guilty of child abuse in the death of a 10-year-old girl who

apparently suffocated after being wrapped head-to-toe in a flannel

sheet during a " rebirthing " session. You can read the story at

 

http://www.cnn.com/2001/LAW/04/20/crime.rebirthing.reut/index.html

 

Responding to this death, the governor of Colorado, has

banned " rebirthing " by mental health practitioners in Colorado:

 

http://www.cnn.com/2001/LAW/04/17/rebirthing.ban/.

 

" Rebirthing, which has to do with simulating the birth process and re-

experiencing and freeing oneself from any traumas associated with it,

can be a powerful and useful therapeutic tool in the hands of

skilled, sensitive professionals who know what they are doing, " says

Dennis Lewis, author of " The Tao of Natural Breathing. " " But it can

also be easily misused and bring about further problems for the

person undergoing the treatment. The tragedy of this young girl's

death is that, according to tapes that were taken of the session, the

therapists apparently continued their so-called therapy even when

this girl was having major problems and pleaded with the

practitioners to stop.

 

It never ceases to amaze me the lack of common sense exhibited by

some people dispensing so-called 'New Age' techniques in the quest

for healing and health, " Lewis continues. " Rebirthing has a powerful

influence on a person's breathing, and thus on the entire

psychosomatic structure. Anyone practicing it has an enormous

responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of the person

undergoing the treatment.

 

But the governor of Colorado has gone too far in

banning 'rebirthing.' Imagine what would happen to our health-care

system if every pharmaceutical drug designed to help people was

banned when it brought them further problems or even death. There are

many thousands of deaths every year caused by drug prescriptions,

negligent health care professionals, medical misdiagnosis,

unnecessary surgeries, and so on. We do not ban the drugs or the

doctors (perhaps we should) unless they can be shown to cause a so-

called unwarranted risk. Often, many people have to die before the

FDA or other appropriate authorities even think about taking action.

 

Instead of banning 'rebirthing,' what is perhaps needed is some kind

of licensing approach based on rigorously maintained standards of

practice. 'Rebirthing' is not a therapy to be taken lightly, but it

is also much safer when practiced by competent, sensitive people than

many of the commonly practiced tools of the medical industry. "

 

Dennis Lewis

http://www.authentic-breathing.com