[Nederlandse tekst: www.psychomedisch.nl ]

Psychomedical help is about psychological influences on physical disease. What contributes to sickness, what helps to heal? Marco de Vries and I studied people with spontaneous regression of cancer (Schilder et al., 2004).

In our study on spontaneous regression of cancer, we found that these patients got access to essential activities and experiences prior to the regression of their tumours. The actual realisation of this access to essential activities and experiences was the most precise start of the clinical improvement. In two patients a religious event was seen prior to healing. Van Baalen and De Vries earlier had observed a change toward personal autonomy, social support and meaning. Ikemi, a Japanese investigator of spontaneous regression of cancer, called it an 'existential shift'. 
Also, we studied if psychotherapy could affect cancer  (De Vries et al., 1997) . Some studies have shown it can, some didn't. As de Vries used to say: 'False hope doesn't exist'. False expectations should not be raised, though. The pleasant thing about psychomedical therapy is that nearly all patients are satisfied when they explore the dimensions of their life, feelings and personality. It's like starting to live, even in the face of death. Or it is humerous and challenging, even with frightening cancer or serious heart disease. And when it is sad and tearful, a face may become more radiant and decisive. 'The experience of disconnection is reconnection', as Yeomans has put it. And from reconnection come life, will, desire, feeling and expression, autonomy and relationships. In the language of dreams, ice melts and water starts to flow.