NEW BACH FLOWER THERAPIES. HEALING THE EMOTIONAL AND SP

Dietmar Krämer, a German naturopath, has discovered new ways of improving both diagnosis and treatment with Bach Flower Remedies. Here he describes his innovative approach, which builds upon Edward Bach's foundation yet remains in tune with Bach's wish for simplicity and ease of use. New Bach Flower Therapies traces the relationships between the thirtyeight flowers in an unprecedented way. "Outer" flowers treat negative emotional states that are the result of external influences, while "inner" flowers address deep-rooted emotional conflicts and the surface symptoms they generate. If left untreated, Krämer argues, emotional problems will proceed along a developmental "track" from an initial state of distress through a stage of compensation to a final state of emotional collapse. Krämer describes twelve such tracks and associates a flower essence with each stage, illustrating each track with characteristic case studies. Because effective treatment addresses not only the acute symptoms but also the underlying causes, the tracks are extremely valuable as models for therapeutic approaches. To help the therapist identify and choose suitable flowers, a range of diagnostic aids are provided, including a detailed questionnaire to make the most of patient interviews. Other aids employ skin zones, the "language of the organs," and a carefully compiled astrological diagnosis, all of which can improve the recognition and treatment of underlying emotional conflicts.