In recent years, interest in non-Western curative techniques among Americans has grown by leaps and bounds. Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit Social Work is the first book to strongly connect Western therapeutic techniques with Eastern philosophy and practices, while also providing a comprehensive and pragmatic agenda for social work, and mental health professionals. This breakthrough text, written by a cast of highly regarded researchers from both Asia and America, presents a holistic, therapeutic approach that ties Eastern philosophy and practical techniques to Western forms of therapy in order to help bring about positive, transformative changes in individuals and families.
Integrative therapy focuses on the mind-body-spirit relationship, recognizes spirituality as a fundamental domain of human existence, acknowledges and utilizes the mind's power as well as the body's, and reaches beyond self-actualization or symptom reduction to broaden a perception of self that connects individuals to a larger sense of themselves and to their communities. Here, the authors provide a pragmatic, step-by-step description of assessment and treatment techniques that employ an integrative, holistic perspective. They begin by establishing the conceptual framework of integrative body-mind-spirit social work, then expertly describe, step-by-step, assessment and treatment techniques that utilize integrative and holistic perspectives. Several case studies demonstrate the approach in action, such as one with breast cancer patients who participated in body-mind-spirit and social support groups and another in which trauma survivors used meditation to get onto a path of healing. These examples provide solidempirical evidence that integrative body-mind-spirit social work is indeed a practical therapeutic approach in bringing about tangible changes in clients. The authors also discuss ethical issues and give tips for learning integrative body-mind-spirit social work.
Professionals in social work, psychology, counseling, and nursing, as well as graduate students in courses on integral, alternative, or complementary clinical practice will find this a much-needed resource that complements the growing interest in alternatives to traditional Western psychotherapy.

Involving a third person in a child's conception raises many difficult issues and dilemmas. This book provides a comprehensive guide to the place of third party assisted conception within health care provision, drawing on local ethical and religious standpoints as well as political and economic factors. Eric Blyth and Ruth Landau have brought together authors from a broad range of professional backgrounds to consider the social, legal and ethical aspects of third party assisted conception in thirteen countries dispersed through North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Third Party Assisted Conception Across Cultures addresses many contemporary social issues including the role of the state in family creation, the changing forms and conceptualizations of a 'family' and concerns about the potential commodification of body-parts and functions. All health care practitioners and policymakers who wish to develop their knowledge and understanding of the policies underlying third party assisted conception practice and the ethical context surrounding it, will find this book invaluable.

When an individual or couple is considering a difficult choice such as IVF treatment or third party assisted conception, the moral and ethical basis for their decisions may often be informed by their particular faith traditions. Faith and Fertility is a comprehensive collection of essays by academics and faith leaders from around the world. The reader is introduced to the cultural and religious understanding of fertility as it is practised among diverse international faith traditions. Each chapter is written in an accessible and clear style, outlining each faith's history and its core beliefs and values, showing the influence these have on its moral and ethical perspective on the issues surrounding fertility. This book will be a welcome resource for anyone seeking information on the plethora of attitudes towards fertility that are at work in today's global and multi-cultural world.