Professor, Department of Health Sciences

 

 

Lyn Freeman, Ph.D. earned her degree in psychology, with an emphasis in mind-body therapies (i.e. meditation, relaxation and imagery) as medical intervention for chronic disease. Her most recent research project tested the efficacy of imagery to modulate disease symptoms in 100 adult chronic asthma patients. Patients practicing biologically targeted imagery experienced clinically and statistically significant improvements in health outcomes, mood states, and coping behaviors (see research section). Dr. Freeman has also performed research on the effects of critical thinking as clinical intervention for out-patient suicidal adolescents.

Dr. Freeman is principle author of the only college textbook on the evidence supporting CAM outcomes (Mosby Publisher). The textbook was nominated for Health Sciences Book of the Year. She also authored a CAM educational manual for medical professionals that offers continuing education credits. Other published materials by Dr. Freeman include edited chapters on the legal, liability and ethical issues related to the integration of CAM, a series of articles on CAM for the Anchorage Daily News, peer-reviewed journal articles on Traditional Healing, and the Asthma Self-Regulation Manual. 



 

Mosby's Complementary and Alternative Medicine

A research based approach. (A 532 page college textbook for graduate-level health professionals.) The first comprehensive college textbook on alternative care, this book reviews more than 4,000 clinical trials and the history, philosophy, mechanisms, indications and contraindications for the major categories of alternative care. Chapters cover the topics of psychoneuroimmunology, stress factors leading to disease states, relaxation, meditation, hypnosis, biofeedback, imagery, acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, massage, therapeutic touch, herbal medicine, bioelectromagnetics, and spiritual medicine. Mosby Publishers, 2001.

Best Practices in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

An Evidence-Based Approach with CEs/CMEs, a 700+ page professional medical manual . The manual includes chapters on the history and philosophy of the evolution of alternative therapies and the clash between conventional and alternative care. Legal, ethical, and financial aspects of incorporating alternative care are described. Patient educational handouts are provided. Three thousand clinical trials are summarized by their relationship to hospital unit. Research is also broken out as related to the top 20 reasons that patients visit their family physician. Chapters on meditation, hypnosis, imagery, acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, massage, herbal medicine, and spirituality and healing are provided. Interviews with leading researchers and directors of integrative clinics are included. Aspen Publishers. Published March, 2001.