Why would one examine in detail complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments in mental health care in an era when traditional psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatments have never been better? There are at least two reasons: one is empirical, the other is theoretical. First, empirical data show that public interest in CAM treatments is growing rapidly, and it is thus incumbent on physicians to follow their patients’ lead and become knowledgeable about these treatments (Spiegel 2000; Spiegel et al. 1998). Each year, an additional 1% of the population in the United States asks for a CAM therapy, with comparable increases in interest in other Western countries and long-standing high levels.
