So I have a psychology professor whom I recently became skeptical of, because she started to explain how subliminal messages are very powerful (which was discredited in intro psych class) and how evil Disney animators were inserting sexual messages in their movies. I figured she of all people should really know how people imagine things are being said when they're really not, for example "Good teenagers, take off your clothes," which is apparently what is said in Aladdin, although she explained it as "Take off your clothes and let's have sex," which is less likely to be imagined. So I decided not to call her on this, it seeming a waste of time, in spite of my cringing at the girls around me going, "Ohhh woww..." not having before realized how evil Disney is. I also had to hold back on her mistelling of the Kitty Genovese story that led to research into the bystander effect. But I was giving her the benefit of the doubt.
Then, today, we got into non-verbal communication (NVC), and, specifically, touch. Now she was a trauma nurse for 15 years before beginning to teach, and now she also has a clinical practice while teaching. She was explaining how important touch is because the "skin is the biggest organ" and there are hundreds of millions of little hairs on it, which is the "basis for therapeutic touch". Now I had to interject. I put my hand up. "I thought the Human Energy Field was the basis for theraputic touch." She said, "Well, it is, but it's the air currents that stimulate the hairs which are so effective. It has a reciprocal effect leaving the practitioner feeling energized, as well as the patient. It's an exchange of energy. Not psychic energy. I dabbled in it for a while, but I have a close friend who does nothing but that." I said, "Energy? Are you serious?" And she said, "Yes." So I left it at that. But, really, there goes all her credibility in my eyes, and I have two of five classes with her. I don't think she understands the paranormal aspect of therapeutic touch, but... come on. Subliminal messages? Energy? Whatever.
Then, today, we got into non-verbal communication (NVC), and, specifically, touch. Now she was a trauma nurse for 15 years before beginning to teach, and now she also has a clinical practice while teaching. She was explaining how important touch is because the "skin is the biggest organ" and there are hundreds of millions of little hairs on it, which is the "basis for therapeutic touch". Now I had to interject. I put my hand up. "I thought the Human Energy Field was the basis for theraputic touch." She said, "Well, it is, but it's the air currents that stimulate the hairs which are so effective. It has a reciprocal effect leaving the practitioner feeling energized, as well as the patient. It's an exchange of energy. Not psychic energy. I dabbled in it for a while, but I have a close friend who does nothing but that." I said, "Energy? Are you serious?" And she said, "Yes." So I left it at that. But, really, there goes all her credibility in my eyes, and I have two of five classes with her. I don't think she understands the paranormal aspect of therapeutic touch, but... come on. Subliminal messages? Energy? Whatever.
