February 10, 2018, 10:00 - 12:00
Overview
Our mind plays an important role in how our body heals from illness or even in how we maintain good health. The intimate connection between our mind and body leading to wellness is becoming more understood and is changing how we tackle health and disease. Self-awareness is central to creating harmonized interactions with our internal and external worlds. Being able to accurately gauge what is happening within ourselves provides important insight into how we manage ourselves in both our mental and physical wellbeing. Cultivating contemplative practices have been shown to reduce stress (Goyal) and improve sleep (Gong). Additionally, cultivating positive mindsets (e.g. growth) have been shown to improve healthy attributes such as resiliency (Dweck).
Target Audience
Doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, allied healthcare professionals, students, educators, counselors and administrators.
Objectives
- Summarize the importance of the mind in relation to physical health presented by the scientific literature.
- Discuss evidence-based strategies that healthcare practitioners may advise students to use to reduce stress, promote self-awareness and self-expression.
- Discuss experience with mindfulness practices pre and post meditation.
- Develop an action plan to cultivate stillness of the mind.
Workshop Outline
| Time |
Topic |
| 10:00am – 10.15am |
Overview of the science behind mind-body connection to health |
| 10:15am – 10:45am |
Walking meditation |
| 10:45am – 11:00am |
Debrief of the experience |
| 11:00am – 11:15am |
Coffee Break |
| 11:15am – 11:30am |
Introduction to various practice to cultivate stillness |
| 11:30am - 11:50am |
Development of personalized action plan |
| 11:50am – 12:00pm |
Wrap Up |
References
Gong, H., Ni, C. -., Liu, Y. -., Zhang, Y., Su, W. -., Lian, Y. -., . . . Jiang, C. -. (2016). Mindfulness meditation for insomnia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 89, 1-6. Doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.07.016
Goyal, M., Singh, S., Sibinga, E. M. S., Gould, N. F., Rowland-Seymour, A., Sharma, R., . . . Haythornthwaite, J. A. (2014). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 357-368. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018
Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A. O., Kristeller, J., Peterson, L. G., Fletcher, K. E., Pbert, L., . . . Santorelli, S. F. (1992). Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 149(7), 936-943. Retrieved from www.scopus.com
Vanhuffel, H., Rey, M., Lambert, I., Da Fonseca, D., & Bat-Pitault, F. (2016). Contribution of mindfulness meditation in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Encephale, doi:10.1016/j.encep.2016.12.001
Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindset. London: Robinson, 2012.