Healing Rituals: There’s Power in Belief

A majority of people in the US believe that faith can heal. And while there isn’t any strong scientific data backing the idea of faith healing by divine intervention, there is a growing recognition that faith in the power of a person, religious ritual, or even medicine to heal can play a role in recovery via the placebo effect.

Join Dave and his guests, science writer Erik Vance and health psychologist Alia Crum, to explore the surprising ways belief in placebos can heal, and how, if you’ve ever taken a medication, it’s already worked to your benefit.


For more, check out Erik Vance’s book, Suggestible You.

Learn about Alia Crum’s work here.

Previous
Previous

Giving Alms: Why Everybody Wins

Next
Next

Transcendence: Why Chemicals Need Rituals