The Abyss of the Mind

Book excerpt: Among professionals in the medical field, psychiatrists have proven to be the least religious. But is it possible for mental health care and spirituality to coexist? According to Alan J. Lifchitz, MD, the two have more in common than it may seem. After becoming more religious later in life, the long-time psychiatrist began to take a look back at his extensive career, this time viewing his patients through the spiritual insight he had adopted-through the prism of the soul, rather than through their tangible physicality. Inspired by his Hasidic Jewish philosophy, Lifchitz set out to combine his deep spiritual beliefs with his experience as a clinician in his inspirational nonfiction autobiography The Abyss of the Mind. This candid memoir follows the author through medical school in South Africa, focuses on some of the most interesting case studies of his career, and reveals his journey to seeing things from a newly religious perspective. From professionals trying to meld religion and career to individuals suffering from mental illness, this book has something for anyone who is looking to take a more spiritual approach to life and reap the healing benefits of nurturing the soul as well as the body and mind.