Prayer as a treatment for depression and anxiety is the subject of a new book by a retired Vicksburg physician and his wife.

“Released to Soar: A Medical Study Shows the Power of Healing Prayer,” by Dr. Peter and Eleanor Boelens, with co-author Maureen Rank, details the Boelenses’ prayer ministry in Vicksburg and tells stories of dramatic healings experienced by their clients.

The process of healing prayer practiced by the Boelenses over a number of sessions separates a client’s memories of past hurts and destructive errors from the painful, negative emotions that accompany them, often haunting the client for decades, producing depression and anxiety.

“It’s remarkable,” Peter Boelens said. “This whole separation occurs between the memory and the emotion. These are beautiful stories about what happens, and no two stories are alike. We are all individuals.”