It is quite a rollercoaster, taking in NLP, hypnosis, fire walking, plant medicine and shamanic practices using ASCs, with many subsections in the two main parts. She also has direct contact with traditional shamans, who have an important message for rampant Western consumerism and its impact on the environment.The author's journey also reflects one from rationality and the need for proof towards intuition and experience, even if these are not classically provable.In personal terms, experience trumps experiment any day. She concludes with some general observations on feeling and the importance of using the full spectrum of consciousness in the healing process. ~ David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer

We are living in a time in which a new psycho-spiritual complex is coming into being, one that encourages each of us to become our own teacher, our own prophet or priest, one that blends both modern science and traditional indigenous wisdom. In her book Linda Edwards has woven a fabric in which she has created very good medicine indeed. Highly recommended. ~ Hank Wesselman PhD., co-author of the award-winning Awakening to the Spirit World: The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation, with Sandra Ingerman

In Linda Edwards's comprehensive book, The Other Side of the Valley the reader is treated to an extensive coverage of how Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) are vital to wellbeing and indeed healing. The author sets the stage by explaining the essence of trance and ASC. She covers how trance is formed both intentionally and unintentionally. This section will give the reader a greater appreciation of how altered states can be used in positive ways such as learning and healing and how they can be misunderstood resulting in vulnerable states with negative consequences. Dr. Edwards then provides an overview of the art and science of hypnosis. This section alone could be considered a hypnotherapist's primer on the subject. As well, she explains how trance is related to Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). Finally, she gives an in-depth exploration of indigenous trance practices from the Americas and how they relate to healing in their respective cultures. Much of this information comes from her personal experiences. Although some of these subjects are considered "Woo-Woo" by many people, Linda Edwards brings these down to earth with her personal anecdotes combined with her formal research. Her citations are complete. All-in-all, I found this book to be a fascinating read. ~ Dr Brian Walsh, author