#2381: Carmela Vuoso-Murphy

Rev. Carmela Vuoso-Murphy is the director of something called The Divine Light Center, which is devoted to energy therapy and integrated energy therapy®. As Vuoso-Murphy sees it, “[t]oday, science and medicine recognize the value of multiple therapies for human well being,” including “Reiki, Integrated Energy Therapy & MariEl (energy therapies).” This is false, of course, but then Vuoso-Murphy seems to have little idea about what science is or, for that matter, the distinction between fact and imagination or how evidence works. Energy therapy, says Vuoso-Murphy, “works well for those with chronic or degenerative diseases in decreasing the side effects of medications and treatments.” It does not. 

But what is integrated energy therapy? Vuoso-Murphy is happy to explain: “Integrated Energy Therapy is the next level to heal with the energy of angels,” no less. Apparently developed at something called the Center of Being, by one Stevan J. Thayer, Vuoso-Murphy was apparently “part of the group that received the IET healing method and was one of the first IET practitioners.” But how, precisely, does it work? “IET uses a divine angelic energy ray to work directly with your 12-Strand Spiritual DNA. IET supports you in safely and gently releasing limiting energy patterns of your past, empowering and balancing your life in the present, and helps you to reach for the stars as you evolve into your future.” After all, as long as what you claim doesn’t really have any intelligible content, scientists cannot really properly falsify it through testing either. At least her website has a quack Miranda warning.

 

Vuoso-Murphy’s medical background include being “ordained as an Interfaith Minister in 1987” and receiving “degrees in Spiritual Counseling and Spiritual Therapy”. She is currently a minister with the Unity Christ Church. In addition to energy therapy sessions, she offers “Past Life Regressions, Spiritual Counseling for individuals and couples, Numerology, Hypnotherapy, and other services such as Wedding Ceremonies, Baby Welcoming/Naming Ceremonies, Christenings, Memorial Services, Funerals, House blessings, etc.” Because if you think Integrated Energy Therapy sounds worthwhile, you’d probably be susceptible to go for any nonsense she might throw at you. You can even take courses, such as her “A Course In Miracles”. 

 

Diagnosis: Yes, people fall for this kind of bullshit, in droves. For the rest of us, it is hard to fathom how anyone could see a name like “Divine Light Center” and not roll their eyes. It’s less clear that she can be characterized as particularly “harmful” – if you fall for what Vuoso-Murphy offering, any potential harm has probably been guaranteed for a long time already.