​"SOME BOOKS ASK US TO CHANGE OUR HABITS. SOME ASK US TO CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVE. AND THEN THERE ARE BOOKS THAT QUIETLY CHALLENGE THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO UNDERSTAND OURSELVES IN THE FIRST PLACE.

DR. ROBERT N. KOPPEN’S STEPPING STONES TO PERSONAL HEALING BELONGS TO THAT LAST CATEGORY.

WHAT IMMEDIATELY DREW ME TO THIS BOOK IS THE COURAGE BEHIND ITS PREMISE. HERE IS A TRADITIONALLY TRAINED PHYSICIAN WHO BECAME WILLING TO LOOK BEYOND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE MEDICAL FRAMEWORK HE HAD KNOWN AND EXPLORE A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF HEALING—ONE THAT GIVES SERIOUS ATTENTION TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, BELIEFS, AND THE WAY WE EXPERIENCE OUR LIVES.

THAT IS NOT A SMALL INTELLECTUAL OR PERSONAL STEP.

IT REQUIRES HUMILITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE EDUCATION THAT SHAPED YOU MAY NOT CONTAIN EVERY ANSWER YOU WILL EVENTUALLY NEED.

AND IT TAKES EVEN MORE COURAGE TO KEEP LEARNING.

KOPPEN’S JOURNEY IS THEREFORE AS IMPORTANT AS THE IDEAS HE PRESENTS. THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A PHYSICIAN TELLING READERS WHAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE. IT IS A STORY OF A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL EXPANDING HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING, QUESTIONING PREVIOUSLY HELD ASSUMPTIONS, AND BECOMING OPEN TO A MORE HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE.

THAT PERSONAL EVOLUTION GIVES THE BOOK ITS HEART.

THE CENTRAL IDEA—THAT OUR HABITUAL THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS CAN INFLUENCE HOW WE EXPERIENCE OUR PHYSICAL LIVES—IS ONE THAT HAS RESONATED WITH READERS AND THINKERS IN THE HOLISTIC HEALTH TRADITION FOR DECADES. KOPPEN TAKES THAT CONCEPT AND PRESENTS IT AS AN INVITATION TO BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE PATTERNS WE CARRY WITHIN OURSELVES.

WHAT ARE WE REPEATEDLY TELLING OURSELVES?

WHAT EMOTIONS HAVE WE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO CARRYING?

WHAT BELIEFS HAVE QUIETLY BECOME PART OF OUR IDENTITY?

AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF WE BEGAN EXAMINING THOSE PATTERNS INSTEAD OF SIMPLY ACCEPTING THEM?

THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT STAYED WITH ME.

I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED THE BOOK’S EMPHASIS ON THE WORD "STEPPING."

HEALING IS RARELY A SINGLE DRAMATIC MOMENT.

IT CAN BE A SERIES OF SMALL REALIZATIONS.

A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE.

A DIFFICULT TRUTH FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED.

A DESTRUCTIVE THOUGHT PATTERN INTERRUPTED.

A WILLINGNESS TO FORGIVE.

A DECISION TO STOP DEFINING OURSELVES ENTIRELY BY THE WOUNDS OF THE PAST.

ONE STEP LEADS TO ANOTHER.

THAT IS WHAT MAKES THE TITLE STEPPING STONES TO PERSONAL HEALING SO APPROPRIATE. THE JOURNEY IS PRESENTED NOT AS AN INSTANT TRANSFORMATION BUT AS A PROCESS OF MOVEMENT, DISCOVERY, AND GROWTH.

AND PERHAPS THAT IS A MORE COMPASSIONATE WAY TO TALK ABOUT HEALING.

WE CAN BECOME IMPATIENT WITH OURSELVES WHEN WE DO NOT CHANGE OVERNIGHT. WE EXPECT OURSELVES TO RELEASE YEARS OF FEAR, RESENTMENT, SELF-CRITICISM, OR LIMITING BELIEFS SIMPLY BECAUSE WE HAVE DECIDED WE WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

BUT TRANSFORMATION OFTEN REQUIRES PRACTICE.

IT REQUIRES AWARENESS.

IT REQUIRES PATIENCE.

AND SOMETIMES, IT REQUIRES THE COURAGE TO ADMIT THAT THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT OURSELVES IS NO LONGER SERVING US.

THIS IS WHERE I SEE A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION BETWEEN DR. KOPPEN’S WORK AND THE LEGACY OF LOUISE HAY.

LOUISE HAY HAS LONG REPRESENTED A PHILOSOPHY CENTERED ON SELF-LOVE, AFFIRMATIONS, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGING ONE'S INNER DIALOGUE. KOPPEN’S WORK ENTERS A RELATED CONVERSATION, PARTICULARLY THROUGH ITS EMPHASIS ON THOUGHT AND FEELING PATTERNS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF CULTIVATING A DIFFERENT INTERNAL OUTLOOK.

BUT I WOULD NOT DESCRIBE DR. KOPPEN AS SIMPLY "ANOTHER LOUISE HAY."

I WOULD SAY SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING:

HE MAY REPRESENT A MALE VOICE CARRYING A SIMILAR SPIRIT OF HOLISTIC SELF-EXAMINATION INTO A DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CONTEXT.

THERE IS SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT ABOUT A PHYSICIAN MAKING THIS JOURNEY.

MEDICAL TRAINING TRADITIONALLY EMPHASIZES OBSERVABLE EVIDENCE, DIAGNOSIS, PATHOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY, AND TREATMENT. THOSE THINGS REMAIN ESSENTIAL. BUT KOPPEN'S WILLINGNESS TO EXPLORE WHAT LIES BEYOND PURELY PHYSICAL EXPLANATIONS REFLECTS A BROADER HUMAN DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PERSON RATHER THAN ONLY THE CONDITION BEING TREATED.

THAT IS WHERE THE BOOK BECOMES ESPECIALLY INTERESTING.

THE HUMAN BEING SITTING ACROSS FROM A PHYSICIAN IS NOT MERELY A COLLECTION OF SYMPTOMS.

THAT PERSON HAS MEMORIES.

FEARS,RELATIONSHIPS,BELIEFS,STRESS,HOPE,LOSS, & PURPOSE.

AND AN ENTIRE INNER WORLD THAT CANNOT ALWAYS BE CAPTURED BY A LABORATORY VALUE.

DR.KOPPEN’S HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE ENCOURAGES READERS TO CONSIDER THAT DIMENSION OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

I ALSO FOUND THE BOOK’S EMPHASIS ON PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY MEANINGFUL, PARTICULARLY WHEN APPROACHED WITH COMPASSION. TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR THOUGHT PATTERNS DOES NOT MEAN BLAMING OURSELVES FOR EVERY HARDSHIP, ILLNESS, OR DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE. THAT WOULD BE NEITHER FAIR NOR CONSTRUCTIVE.

INSTEAD, THE MORE USEFUL MESSAGE IS THAT THERE MAY BE AREAS OF OUR INNER LIVES WHERE WE HAVE MORE INFLUENCE THAN WE PREVIOUSLY REALIZED.

WE MAY NOT CONTROL EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO US.

BUT WE CAN SOMETIMES INFLUENCE HOW WE INTERPRET IT.

WE CAN EXAMINE THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES.

WE CAN QUESTION BELIEFS THAT HAVE BECOME AUTOMATIC.

WE CAN DEVELOP HEALTHIER EMOTIONAL RESPONSES.

WE CAN CHOOSE WHAT WE CONTINUE CARRYING.

THOSE ARE POWERFUL POSSIBILITIES.

AND THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ORDINARY PEOPLE.

THAT IS ONE OF THE BOOK’S GREATEST STRENGTHS.

IT DOES NOT REQUIRE READERS TO BECOME PHYSICIANS, PHILOSOPHERS, OR SPIRITUAL TEACHERS. IT ASKS THEM TO BECOME MORE ATTENTIVE TO THEMSELVES.

THAT MAKES STEPPING STONES TO PERSONAL HEALING ESPECIALLY RELEVANT IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE ARE INCREASINGLY OVERWHELMED BY STRESS, INFORMATION, EXPECTATIONS, AND THE PRESSURE TO KEEP FUNCTIONING REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING INTERNALLY.

WE HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD AT TAKING CARE OF WHAT IS VISIBLE.

BUT MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO CARE FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE.

DR.KOPPEN’S WORK REMINDS US THAT INNER WELLBEING DESERVES ATTENTION TOO.

THE BOOK WILL LIKELY RESONATE STRONGLY WITH READERS INTERESTED IN HOLISTIC HEALTH, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, MIND-BODY APPROACHES, SPIRITUALITY, EMOTIONAL WELLBEING, AND SELF-REFLECTION. IT MAY ALSO BE PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL TO PEOPLE WHO APPRECIATE LOUISE HAY’S PHILOSOPHY AND ARE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONSCIOUSNESS, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND HEALING.

FOR READERS COMING FROM A CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL BACKGROUND, THE BOOK MAY BE ESPECIALLY THOUGHT-PROVOKING BECAUSE OF THE AUTHOR'S OWN PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY. KOPPEN IS NOT WRITING AS SOMEONE WHO HAS ALWAYS STOOD OUTSIDE CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE. HE IS WRITING AS SOMEONE WHO ENTERED THAT WORLD AND THEN FOUND HIMSELF COMPELLED TO EXPLORE BEYOND IT.

THAT MAKES HIS PERSPECTIVE DISTINCTIVE.

I ADMIRE THAT INTELLECTUAL OPENNESS.

THERE IS STRENGTH IN KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW.

BUT THERE IS ALSO STRENGTH IN BEING WILLING TO ADMIT WHAT YOU DO NOT YET UNDERSTAND.

DR. KOPPEN’S WILLINGNESS TO KEEP SEARCHING IS, TO ME, ONE OF THE MOST ADMIRABLE ASPECTS OF THIS WORK.

I DO NOT WANT TO CHAMPION STEPPING STONES TO PERSONAL HEALING SIMPLY BECAUSE IT SPEAKS ABOUT HEALING. I WANT TO CHAMPION IT BECAUSE IT ENCOURAGES READERS TO PARTICIPATE MORE CONSCIOUSLY IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL GROWTH.

IT REMINDS US THAT HEALING CAN INVOLVE MORE THAN ADDRESSING WHAT IS PHYSICALLY WRONG.

IT CAN INVOLVE EXAMINING WHAT WE BELIEVE.

IT CAN INVOLVE CHANGING HOW WE SPEAK TO OURSELVES.

IT CAN INVOLVE RELEASING PATTERNS THAT HAVE KEPT US TRAPPED.

IT CAN INVOLVE REDISCOVERING HOPE.

AND SOMETIMES, IT BEGINS WITH SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS REALIZING THAT THE THOUGHTS WE HAVE REPEATED FOR YEARS DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO REMAIN THE THOUGHTS WE CARRY TOMORROW.

THAT IS A LIBERATING IDEA.

I ALSO BELIEVE THIS BOOK HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INTRODUCE READERS TO A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT HEALING MEANS. IT ENCOURAGES US TO CONSIDER THE PERSON AS A WHOLE AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF LIFE CAN ALL MATTER TO OUR EXPERIENCE OF WELLBEING.

THAT DOES NOT MEAN EVERY HEALTH CHALLENGE CAN BE SOLVED THROUGH POSITIVE THINKING, NOR SHOULD READERS ABANDON APPROPRIATE MEDICAL CARE IN FAVOR OF ANY SINGLE PHILOSOPHY. RATHER, DR.KOPPEN’S WORK CAN BE APPRECIATED AS AN INVITATION TO EXPLORE THE ADDITIONAL DIMENSIONS OF PERSONAL WELLBEING THAT OFTEN RECEIVE LESS ATTENTION.

AND THAT BALANCE MATTERS.

THE BOOK IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT POSSIBILITY.

THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN GROW.

THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN CHANGE.

THE POSSIBILITY THAT OUR PAST DOES NOT HAVE TO DICTATE EVERY ASPECT OF OUR FUTURE.

THE POSSIBILITY THAT HOPE CAN BECOME A PRACTICE RATHER THAN MERELY A FEELING.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT LOUISE HAY’S INFLUENCE, I UNDERSTAND WHY THE COMPARISON COMES NATURALLY. HAY HELPED COUNTLESS READERS APPROACH SELF-LOVE AND PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION THROUGH A LANGUAGE THAT WAS ACCESSIBLE, COMPASSIONATE, AND DEEPLY PERSONAL.

I SEE A SIMILAR POTENTIAL IN DR. KOPPEN’S WORK—BUT WITH A DISTINCTIVE VOICE AND PERSPECTIVE SHAPED BY HIS EXPERIENCE AS A PHYSICIAN.

IF LOUISE HAY HELPED MANY PEOPLE ASK, "WHAT AM I SAYING TO MYSELF?", 

DR. KOPPEN’S WORK INVITES A RELATED QUESTION:

"WHAT KIND OF LIFE MIGHT BECOME POSSIBLE IF I BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE PATTERNS I HAVE BEEN CARRYING?"

THAT IS A QUESTION WORTH SITTING WITH.

AND IT IS WHY I SINCERELY WANT TO CHAMPION STEPPING STONES TO PERSONAL HEALING.

DR. ROBERT N. KOPPEN HAS DONE SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES GENUINE COURAGE: HE HAS ALLOWED HIS PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY TO EVOLVE. HE HAS LOOKED BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT HE WAS ORIGINALLY TAUGHT AND FOLLOWED HIS CURIOSITY INTO A BROADER EXPLORATION OF HEALING, CONSCIOUSNESS, AND PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION.

THAT WILLINGNESS TO KEEP SEARCHING IS ITSELF INSPIRING.

PERHAPS ONE DAY, WHEN PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT MEN WHO HELPED BRING COMPASSIONATE HOLISTIC THINKING TO A WIDER AUDIENCE, DR. KOPPEN’S NAME WILL BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.

I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY SOMEONE MIGHT SEE IN HIM A POTENTIAL "MALE LOUISE HAY"—NOT AS A REPLACEMENT FOR HER, BUT AS ANOTHER VOICE CARRYING FORWARD THE IDEA THAT PERSONAL HEALING DESERVES TO BE APPROACHED WITH GREATER AWARENESS, COMPASSION, AND HOPE.

HIS CONTRIBUTION IS ULTIMATELY AN INVITATION.

TO LOOK INWARD.

TO BECOME CURIOUS ABOUT OUR PATTERNS.

TO CHALLENGE WHAT NO LONGER SERVES US.

TO MAKE ROOM FOR HOPE.

AND TO REMEMBER THAT HEALING CAN BE A JOURNEY RATHER THAN A DESTINATION.

STEPPING STONES TO PERSONAL HEALING IS THEREFORE MORE THAN A BOOK ABOUT HOLISTIC HEALTH. IT IS A REFLECTION OF A PHYSICIAN’S WILLINGNESS TO KEEP LEARNING AND A REMINDER THAT SOMETIMES THE MOST IMPORTANT BREAKTHROUGHS BEGIN WHEN WE BECOME BRAVE ENOUGH TO QUESTION THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WE ALREADY KNEW.

DR. KOPPEN HAS TAKEN THOSE QUESTIONS SERIOUSLY.

AND I SINCERELY HOPE READERS DO THE SAME.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE FIRST STEP TOWARD A DIFFERENT LIFE IS NOT FINDING A MIRACULOUS ANSWER.

SOMETIMES IT IS SIMPLY TAKING THE FIRST STEPPING STONE."

SAM COLLINS