Book Review: You Can Heal Your Life

Louise Hay is known as one of the founders of the Self Help movement and is the head of Hay House, a successful publishing company. After an unstable and impoverished childhood, she started what would become her life’s work in New York City in 1970. She attended meetings at the Church of Religious Science and began training in the Ministerial Program. She became a popular speaker at the church and soon found herself counseling clients.

After several years, Louise compiled a reference guide detailing the mental causes of physical ailments and positive thought patterns for reversing illness and creating health. This compilation was the basis for her best-selling book, Heal Your Body, which was introduced to people in 30 different countries. She began traveling throughout the United States, lecturing and facilitating workshops on loving ourselves and healing our lives.

Louise put her philosophies into practice when she was diagnosed with cancer. After developing an intensive program of affirmations, visualization, nutritional cleansing, and psychotherapy, she was completely healed of cancer within six months. In 1985, Louise began her famous support group, “The Hayride,” with six men diagnosed with AIDS. By 1988, the group had grown to a weekly gathering of 800 people.