Mind-body Skills Groups
Mind-body skills groups have shown to be helpful for:
What is Mind-body Medicine?
Mind-body Medicine is the use of techniques that use the conscious mind to affect the brain and our physiology. Techniques such as meditation, guided imagery, breathwork, biofeedback, etc. exert their effect on the hypothalamus in the brain. This exercises control over the autonomic nervous system (controls heart rate, blood pressure, etc.), endocrine (glandular) system & immune system.
The Science Behind Mind-body Medicine
The scientific literature on these approaches is robust. Studies dating from the late 1960s have shown the power of mind-body techniques to balance the over-activity of the sympathetic nervous system. The “fight or flight” and “stress” responses. This is implicated in many physical and emotional diseases and conditions, with parasympathetic nervous system stimulation that promotes relaxation. These techniques create beneficial changes in many of the body’s physiological responses including blood pressure, stress hormone levels, pain response & immune functioning. As well as making a significant clinical difference in conditions as diverse as hypertension, HIV, cancer, chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mind-body Skills Groups have developed over the last 30 years from a model created by the Founder and Executive Director of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, James S. Gordon, MD.
What You Will Learn
In a Mind-Body Skills Group, you will learn evidence-based techniques such as meditation, guided imagery, biofeedback, breath work, movement & self-expression. These techniques promote self-awareness and self-care. The group framework provides a safe and supportive environment where you can connect and grow with others. Groups are small, with 8-10 people, and meet on a set day and time for 8 sessions (usually weekly), each lasting 2 hours. This format provides an opportunity to begin to integrate mind-body skills into your life, in a real and practical way, with the support of the group to help you work through any difficulties along the way.
The skills that you will learn will help lower levels of stress, improve mood, enhance resiliency and optimism, and help prevent and improve chronic health conditions.
These skills include:
Meditation – Several different kinds, including concentrative, mindfulness, and expressive meditations – all of which promote relaxed, moment-to-moment awareness.
Guided Imagery – To mobilize your imagination, improve physiological functioning, and address concerns and problems that have previously resisted solutions.
Autogenic Training & Biofeedback – To develop control over autonomic system functioning, reduce stress, and bring mind and body into balance.
Breath Work – Enhance your health through breath awareness
Movement – To release stress and increase energy.
Self-expression – in words and journaling and drawing, to find solutions to previously insoluble problems
What Is This Not
This is not a drop-in group. It is also not a therapy group! Instead, this is a very supportive educational group with a facilitator who is also an equal participant in the group.
Other Requirements to Register
Please bring a commitment to participate in all 8 group sessions and a desire to connect with, relate to, and understand others and that their unique experience is equal to your own.
Please contact Dr. Blewett to find out when the next Mind-Body Group will be starting!