Mind-body Skills Groups
Enhance Resilience and Build Community
Mind-body skills groups are educational, supportive groups that offer participants an opportunity to learn strategies of self-care and experience evidence-based techniques to enhance well-being and resilience.
“Mind-body approaches use the conscious mind to directly affect the workings of the brain and the rest of the body.”
We teach experiential and integrative mind-body techniques, including meditation, guided imagery, autogenic training, breath work, awareness through movement, self-expression, nutrition, and mindful eating in a supportive environment that promotes personality development through self-awareness and active listening. Participants share and connect with others creating a positive learning environment that supports individual and collective well-being.
This group series is expanded upon the work of Dr. James Gordon, the founder of the Center for Mind Body Medicine, who is recognized for his use of self-awareness, self-care, and group support for healing. Mind-body skills groups equip participants with tools and support to change their experience of life and how they relate to themselves and to others. These groups have also been proven to decrease stress¹, depression², anxiety, and sleep disturbance.³
These groups are particularly beneficial for people who:
are looking for ways to empower themselves to enhance their own health.
are feeling “stuck” and want to get “unstuck.”
are looking to experience everyday life from a new perspective and learn more ways of stress relief.
are looking for community and connection.
“Dr. Singh’s mind-body medicine course was a wonderful health journey that brought me from an overworked and stressful lifestyle to a place of more peace and joy in only a few weeks. Everyone should take this course as part of health education and self-care. It is invaluable.”
Program Includes:
2-hour weekly small group sessions over the course of 6, 8, or 10 consecutive weeks delivered online through Zoom
15 minute pre-group one-on-one meet and greet with each participant
Weekly emails to participants with suggestions for home practice, suggested readings, and inspirational quotes
1 hour reunion session approximately 4-6 weeks after the group finishes
Each participant will receive:
a copy of Dr. Gordon’s book The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma and a mind-body skills workbook
a pulse oximeter for the biofeedback activity
Enrollment Details:
Participation is voluntary
No prior experience required
Each participant is an important part of the group. Therefore, participants must join with a commitment to attend all of the sessions.
This is not a therapy group. This is an educational group with a facilitator who is also equal participant in the group.
Join a Mind-body Skills Group
Ongoing Groups
Connect with others in a supportive, learning environment that promotes individual and collective well-being. These groups are open to one and all. Complete the interest form to join a group. You can also visit our events for group offerings.
Groups for Organizations
Enhance resilience, build community, and encourage effective, respectful communication. Mind-body skills groups can benefit any organizational setting, helping to mitigate burnout and enhance professional fulfillment.
Sample 8 Week Curriculum
Week 1
Overview of mind-body medicine. Experiential with drawings for self-expression.
Week 5
Emotions and how they impact us. Experiential with the use of dialogue to access inner wisdom.
Week 2
Biology of mind-body medicine. Understanding and experiencing autogenics and biofeedback.
Week 6
Food as medicine, exploring our relationship with food. Experiential with mindful eating.
Week 3
Meditation in the context of mind-body medicine and meditation practice.
Week 4
Guided Imagery as a mind-body approach. Exploring and experiencing guided imagery.
Week 7
Spirituality in relation to mind-body medicine, exploring the possibility of forgiveness and healing. Experiential with imagery & meditation.
Week 8
Ceremony and ritual as mind-body approaches, and understanding their impact. Closing ceremony.
Join an Upcoming Mind-Body Skills Group
Sponsor Mind-Body Skills Groups for Medical Students and Physicians-in-Training
Given the high prevalence of burnout and the extraordinary debt that physicians incur, Dr. Jessica Singh has provided full scholarship positions (free tuition) for medical students and physicians-in-training (residents and fellows) ever since she started facilitating mind-body skills groups. In order to sustain this effort giving the growing popularity and interest in these groups, she is excited to implement this sponsorship program.
By becoming a sponsor, you give the invaluable gift of self-care and well-being to medical student or physician in training by supporting their education in mind-body medicine, with this validated model that has been proven to mitigate burnout, heal trauma, enhance stress management, and improve quality of life. National and international participants are welcome!
Learn more about becoming a mind-body skills group sponsor and what the scholarship for medical students and physicians-in-training entails.
Mind-Body Medicine Blog Posts
References:
van Vliet, M., Jong, M., & Jong, M. C. (2017). Long-term benefits by a mind–body medicine skills course on perceived stress and empathy among medical and nursing students. Medical teacher, 39(7), 710-719.
lsma, M. C., Jones, L. D., Staples, J. K., et. al. (2020). Mind-body skills groups for adolescents with depression in primary care: A pilot study. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 34(5), 462-469.
Staples, J. K., Gordon, J. S., Hamilton, M., & Uddo, M. (2020). Mind-body skills groups for treatment of war-traumatized veterans: A randomized control study. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.
