Alexander Moreira-Almeida, MD, PhD. (Psychiatrist)
Mind Beyond the Brain
“Mind Beyond the Brain” is the name of a thematic issue at the International Review of Psychiatry which has just been published. This is the first time a major mainstream medical journal has devoted a full issue to non-materialist perspectives of the mind. The journal is published on behalf of King’s College, UK, and John Hopkin’s University, USA. It publishes international research into psychiatry, including psychiatric disorders, therapeutics and rehabilitation.
The editorial below is open access and provides an overview of all the papers composing this issue.
Moreira-Almeida, A., Costa, M. de A., & Schubert Coelho, H. (2025). Mind beyond the brain: evidence, hypotheses to be tested, and research proposals. International Review of Psychiatry, 37(2), 67–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2025.2518721
Following is the Table of Contents of the full issue
Mind beyond the brain: evidence, hypotheses to be tested, and research proposals
International Review of Psychiatry, 37(2); 2025
Editorial
Mind beyond the brain: evidence, hypotheses to be tested, and research proposals
Alexander Moreira-Almeida, Marianna de Abreu Costa & Humberto Schubert Coelho
Pages: 67-71
Articles in this Issue
Hidden histories of science and medicine: spirit mediumship and the ‘psychology without a soul’
Andreas SommerPages: 72-84
How metaphysical ignorance shapes the discussion on the nature of the mind
Humberto Schubert CoelhoPages: 85-94
Gregory ShushanPages: 95-101
The mind-brain problem: Ethical and clinical implications for psychiatry
Marianna de Abreu Costa & Alexander Moreira-AlmeidaPages: 102-114
What psi research can – and cannot – say about ‘mind beyond the brain’
Etzel CardeñaPages: 115-119
What out-of-body experiences may tell us about the mind beyond the brain
Marina Weiler & David J. AcunzoPages: 120-129
Near-death experience during cardiac arrest and consciousness beyond the brain: a narrative review
Bruno Angeli-Faez, Bruce Greyson & Pim van LommelPages: 130-141
Taís Oliveira Silva, Kathryn Levy & Christopher W. KerrPages: 142-156
What does mediumship tell us about the mind beyond the brain?
Marianna de Abreu Costa & Alexander Moreira-AlmeidaPages: 157-166
What do the cases of the reincarnation type tell us about the mind beyond the brain?
Jim B. TuckerPages: 167-173
Neural filters to conscious awareness and the phenomena that reduce their impact
Marjorie Woollacott & Marina WeilerPages: 174-188
Mind beyond the brain: proposal of a pragmatic interactionist framework
Alexander Moreira-AlmeidaPages: 189-200
Other Blogs About Alexander’s Work
IMHU has recently published a couple of other blogs about the work of Alexander Moreira-Almeida. These include a link to his speech earlier in 2025 when he received a major reward for his contributions to Psychiatry and Religion and Spirituality. LINK
Earlier this year another blog recognized his leadership. Alexander Moreira-Almeida, MD, has been awarded the 2025 Oskar Pfister Award by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). This prestigious award recognizes his exceptional contributions to the scientific study of spiritual experiences and their profound implications for our understanding of consciousness and the survival of consciousness beyond bodily death.: LINK
Resources for More Learning
For those healthcare providers and change agents who want to learn more: IMHU offers a 7-day Seminar on location in Brazil once a year. November 8-16, 2025 are this year’s dates. It’s a transformative experience learning about this paradigm of care from the Spiritist MDs and energy medicine practitioners who do the work. https://courses.imhu.org/courses/2025-weeklong-seminar-in-brazil-spiritist-therapies-in-brazil
For all interested to learn more: An armchair online course about Spiritism is at https://courses.imhu.org/courses/spiritist-therapies-hybrid
A 20 minute documentary film on Spiritism, co-produced by Emma Bragdon and Anne Macksoud, is available HERE
a lot,lot lot of thanks…blessings and hugs