International Day of Yoga at MGH – June 21, 2018
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International Day of Yoga at MGH – June 21, 2018
In celebration of International Yoga Day, the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at MGH is pleased to invite the entire community to hear Jeffery Dusek, PhD present “Kripalu’s RISE: A Yoga-Based Mindfulness Program for Healthcare Professionals, Educators and Frontline Professionals.” This presentation will be held Thursday, June 21st from 1 PM to 2:15 PM in the MGH Ether Dome.
Since its inception in 2015, the International Day of Yoga has served as an opportunity to study and celebrate the physical, mental and spiritual practice of yoga. In Massachusetts, the celebration precedes the 3rd International Conference on Integrative Medicine: Role of Yoga and Ayurveda in Cancer and Palliative Care, which will be held June 22-24, 20198 at the Joseph Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Dusek, the Chief Research Officer at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, MA, will discuss the ways in which mindfulness and yoga practices can help healthcare providers balance life and work. Dr. Dusek has been a longtime research collaborator with the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine (BHI) at Massachusetts General Hospital, is a recent appointee of MGH’s Department of Psychiatry.
BHI Hosts Annual Mind Body CME October 19-21, 2017
BHI will host its annual conference at Harvard Medical School October 19-21, 2017. This year’s course, “Mind Body Medicine: Guiding Patients to Health and Happiness,” will provide hundreds of clinicians and mind body practitioners from across the globe an opportunity to explore cutting-edge research, share best practices and discover new strategies for treating patients. The 2 ½ day Continuing Medical Education (CME) course will be held at the Joseph Martin Conference Center in Boston.
The conference will feature a joint presentation by BHI founder Dr. Herbert Benson (author of “The Relaxation Response,” a groundbreaking work of mind body medical literature) and Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, whose pioneering work in the field led him to coin the phrase “mindfulness” and found the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester. BHI Director Dr. Gregory Fricchione will present “Evolutionary Mind Body Medicine: Implications for Health and Well-Being.”
Keynote speakers Amy Cuddy, PhD and Robert Waldinger, MD are Harvard professors and TEDtalk phenoms who between them have more than 50 million views. Dr. Cuddy’s 2015 book “Presence: Bringing your Boldest Self to your Biggest Challenges,” explores how harnessing inner strength can help propel individuals to greater success. A professor of psychology at Harvard, Dr. Cuddy is perhaps best known for her TEDtalk about “the power pose,” which discusses how one’s carriage can influence interpersonal relationships. Dr. Waldinger directs the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest longitudinal studies of adult life ever done. Dr. Waldinger’s research focuses on the lifetime predictors of healthy adult development, studying two groups of men recruited as teenagers from Harvard College and from Boston inner city neighborhoods, and who have been part of the Study for 76 years.
The BHI is proud to feature members of the Healing Emergency Aid Response Team 9/11 (H.E.A.R.T. (9/11). The team of New York-area police, fire, emergency medical and building trades personnel responded in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attack; their shared experiences bonded the members and propelled them to share their strategies for responding to crises with other first responders around the country. HEART 9/11’s mission is to respond to natural and man-made disasters, help those affected to rebuild and recover by teaching resiliency skills to individuals and families.
Registration for the course will be conducted through Harvard Medical School. For more information or to register, please click here.
This offering meets the criteria for 22.25 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for physicians. The institute is applying for Continuing Education (CE) credit(s) for nurses and psychologists, and for credit hours for social workers and counselors.
*Note to New York state social workers: BHI has applied to become an approved CME provider. Please check back for more information.
Five Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress: Pandemic Edition
The holidays can be the best of times and the worst of times, but we can manage our response to stress and find joy in small things to build resiliency. BHI’s John Denninger, MD, PhD, has some ideas for how to make the holidays a little lighter and brighter for those who may be feeling stressed, lonely or overwhelmed during this second pandemic holiday season.
By focusing our intentions on the following, Dr. Denninger says, we can reframe our thoughts and bring positivity to a stressful season or event: optimism, flexibility, social connection, creativity and kindness, and mindfulness.
Optimism
Focusing on optimism in an intentional way is a good way to reduce pandemic-related stress.
“We should be reminding ourselves that things are likely to continue to improve,” Dr. Denninger says. “We can expect the best, while preparing for the worst and build a sense of empowerment by doing our part to lessen the impact of the pandemic: getting vaccinated, wearing masks, limiting our exposure and, when we gather together, doing so in small groups and in safe, ventilated spaces.”
Gratitude is another important thing factor.
“Gratitude has been shown to be helpful in maintaining mood and preventing depression. Although it may seem like a difficult time to generate gratitude—with everyone weary from all we’ve been through—it is a time to focus on how grateful we are for what we’ve come through, what we’ve survived.”
Dr. Denninger recommends keeping a gratitude diary—on paper, on your phone or other device, or just as a daily reflection. Bringing to mind one to three things, people, or activities we appreciate each day can be a wonderful way to maintain gratitude and build a positive outlook.
Flexibility
Flexibility in the face of adversity is a trait we can all benefit from cultivating.
“You may be thinking, ‘Here we are—even in highly vaccinated Massachusetts—and we’re still seeing an upswing in infection rates!’ Practicing flexible thinking will help us see that this doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate with friends and family, but just have to think about shifting things a little: having smaller gatherings, making sure all are vaccinated—and preferably boosted—and paying to attention to what local COVID rates are.”
Recognize that we can’t control the pandemic, just our response to it.
“Practice acceptance. Acceptance is not saying that you like the situation—it’s just coming to a point where you can admit, ‘This is the reality, I have to deal with it,” and then figure out where to go from there,” Dr. Denninger says.
“We’ve all had things we’ve needed to accept—things beyond our control—and we’ve all experienced the peace that comes from accepting a situation as opposed to just being angry or hurt by it. We are in the midst of a pandemic, and, sure, the holidays are going to be somewhat different. But they can still be joyous.”
Social Connection
Many people report feeling isolated or lonely at the holidays, and even more so during the pandemic.
“One thing is to take stock of who you give support to and who you get support from—both now and in the past. Especially during this holiday season it may be a good time to reach out to people you think may need your support or to those who have no one to spend the holidays with and may be feeling lonely,” Dr. Denninger says.
And it doesn’t just have to be to individuals; we can reach out (even virtually) through religious organizations, support groups, clubs and peer-led organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous, all of which can be wonderful ways to connect.
It’s also a good idea to gather with others who love the things you do: if you are an art lover, go to a museum. You’ll find others who share your passion. Like music? Try a concert (but wear a mask). Even if you’re going to something by yourself, it can be a way to feel connected to the people around you when you’re sharing in things you all enjoy.
“Human beings are social creatures, and if we feel that our connection to our family or work group has been damaged, there are many others who are looking for similar connections. It can feel difficult to reach out, but we often find that that difficulty is easily overcome. Especially at the holidays, and during a pandemic.”
Creativity & Kindness
Kids are great at expressing creativity, but somewhere along the line many adults stop finding time to be “makers.” Find time pick up an old knitting project, get back to your woodworking tools, get out some pencils and find some time to draw or color. Dr. Denninger and his family like to make gingerbread houses during the holidays.
“it’s not about the finished product, it’s about finding time to do something you enjoy.”
People draw satisfaction and purpose from helping others; so, while you’re being creative, you can bake some cookies for a neighbor and drop them off. Take the extra food in your cupboards to the local pantry, donate toys or coats to those less fortunate.
“We can improve our own outlook by knowing we are useful and helpful to those around us. Think of who in your life could use a little boost, and find a way to make that happen—whether it’s going through old photos and sending them to a friend or shoveling an elderly relative’s driveway, there are plenty of things we can do to make ourselves and those around us feel valued and seen.”
Taking a Mindful Moment
If something is stressful, stop, breathe, reflect, and choose:
- Stop for a moment
- Take time to do some mindful breathing or a longer guided meditation
- Reflect on how you want to proceed in the face of the stressor
- Choose a path forward.
“We’re all in the same boat together. One could view that as something to be despairing about, but it’s also an opportunity for us to come together,” Dr. Denninger says. “The holidays are a potential time for unity and wouldn’t it be nice if we were all working together toward unity and compassion?”
