Jennifer

What is nocebo? Merriam-Webster defines nocebo as “a harmless substance or treatment that, when taken by or administered to a patient, is associated with harmful side effects or worsening of symptoms due to negative expectations or the psychological condition of the patient.” So what does that actually mean? Most people have heard of the “placebo effect,” where positive expectations can lead to improvement. The nocebo effect is essentially the opposite. Negative expectations, fears, or...

Healing doesn’t always come from the outside—sometimes it’s the pieces within us coming together. We’ve all heard the word placebo - usually said in a dismissive way. As if it means something isn’t real or didn’t actually work. But the truth is, placebo is one of the most fascinating and overlooked parts of healing. Why? Because placebo works. In many studies, placebo—whether associated with energy healing, medications, or medical procedures—has been shown to produce an overall 35–55%...