Peg Baim, MS, ANP-BC

Director, Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) Program

Ms. Baim is a co-author and Director of BHI’s Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program, which serves patients coping with a variety of illnesses and stress-exacerbating symptoms. She has earned international recognition as a leading educator and lecturer in the field of mind body medicine. Ms. Baim began her nursing career upon graduation from the Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Boston College, where she earned her graduate and post-graduate degrees. Prior to joining the Institute in 1990, Ms. Baim’s professional background included work in the following medical specialties; cardiac, respiratory, critical care, and also oncology nursing (at Stanford Medical Center). Much of Ms. Baim’s work focuses on the relationship between stress and health conditions, creating innovative programs to help patients decrease physical and psychological symptoms. As a researcher and clinician, Ms. Baim’s principle areas of interest include mind/body applications of meditation practices, empathy, humor, and the cultivation of beliefs and behaviors that enhance resilience.

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Rana Chudnofsky, MEd

Director, PART Training Program and Resilient Youth

A mind body practitioner and accomplished lecturer for nearly two decades, Rana helped create BHI’s Positivity and Relaxation Training (PART) program, a self-care education program for delivery in community and corporate settings.  Rana is also the driving force behind BHI’s youth programming, leading trainings for students, teachers and parents.

A frequent public speaker and sought-after lecturer, Rana specializes in relaxation techniques and cognitive strategies for clinical treatment centers, schools and universities, as well as group-based self-care programming for veterans with PTSD.

Rana trained in Biofeedback at Boston Behavioral Medicine and in Vipassana Meditation at the Vipassana Meditation Center in Shelburne Falls, MA.  She is also certified in Medical Qigong and Reiki.  Additionally, she graduated from the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Care’s Clinical Pastoral Education fellowship.

She earned a Masters’ in Technology in Education from Harvard University School of Education, and a dual BA in Psychology and Education from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She is also an established entrepreneur and the founder of NextStep Training Inc., a Newton-based technical software training firm.

L. Elizabeth Lincoln, MD

Staff Physician

Dr. L. Elizabeth Lincoln is an experienced General Internist who has served as a practicing primary care physician for over 25 years. She completed her education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago and her training in Internal Medicine at Rush University. Her areas of expertise include women’s health and trauma informed care. After many years of practice, she became interested in supporting patients to make healthy lifestyle change to support themselves. In this vein, she pursued additional board certification in Lifestyle Medicine, certification in Stress Management and Resiliency Training through the Benson Henry Institute, and became a certified health and wellness coach through Wellcoaches. She is an internist at Massachusetts General Hospital Beacon Hill, an instructor at Harvard Medical School,  and serves as a physician coach for the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization. She has been on staff at the Benson-Henry Institute since 2020 and loves to share her journey from stress to wellness.

John D. Matthews, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. John Matthews is a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and assistant professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He received his Master of Science degree in neurophysiology from the University of Michigan, and his medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, California in 1975.

At BHI, his work is focused on applying the Stress Management and Resilience Training Program (SMART) for psychiatric patients. Dr. Matthews joined MGH’s inpatient psychiatry department in 1994, and served as medical director of Inpatient Psychiatry at MGH from 1998-2004 and as director of Inpatient Research and Training from 2004-2012. From 2012-2023, he was medical director of the Bulfinch Program at MGH, a specialty program that approached mental illnesses as whole-body disorders. Dr. Matthews has received numerous awards for excellence in patient care from the National Alliance for the Mentally, Manic Depressive and Depression Association, Massachusetts Medical Society, and, most recently, the MGH “Excellence in Action” award, nomination for the McGovern Clinical Excellence Award, and the American Psychiatric Association Lifetime Distinguished Fellow award.

Dr. Matthews is a founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and is especially interested in medical/psychiatric problems, pharmacological treatments of psychotic depression, metabolic risk factors in major depressive disorder, treatment approaches to reduce the cognitive impairments secondary to electroconvulsive therapy, the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing suicidal thinking and behaviors in major depressive disorder, and the use of metabolic genotyping in predicting the efficacy and tolerability of antidepressant medications in major depressive disorder. He has received research grants from the National Institutes of Mental Health, the Pharmaceutical Industry, and private donors. His teaching for MGH/McLean residents and Harvard medical students focuses on psychopharmacology,  cognitive behavioral therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

He is a well-respected speaker and researcher and is the author or co-author of numerous original articles, reviews, and book chapters. He has recently submitted a book to the American Psychiatric Association Press on inflammation in the brain and body, which has been accepted for publication. His career reflects exceptional leadership and dedication to research, patient care, and resident training.

Laura Malloy, LICSW

Director of Yoga Programs
Co-Director Resilient Youth Program
Program Leader Mind Body Program for Successful Aging

Ms. Malloy is Director of Yoga Programs and a Co-Director for the Institute’s Resilient Youth program (formerly the Education Initiative). She is also a program leader for the Mind Body Program for Successful Aging.

Laura is a licensed independent clinical social worker, specializing in working with children and their families.

She earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and her MSW from Salem State College. Ms. Malloy is also a Kripalu yoga teacher, certified at the 500 hour level, with additional certifications in Yoga of the Heart, for individuals with cancer and cardiac disease, Laughter Yoga and Yoga Ed for children. She has a certification in yoga therapy from the Rocky Mountain Institute for Yoga and Ayurveda. Ms. Malloy has been practicing yoga since 1994 and teaching since 2001.

Her specialty areas include yoga for stress reduction and health promotion, and bringing mind/body stress reduction strategies into school settings.

Jacob Mirsky, MD, MA

Staff Physician

Jacob Mirsky attended medical school at the University of California San Francisco and completed residency in internal medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston as part of the Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates primary care track. Jacob studied neuroscience during college and graduate school and researched neurologic diseases before attending medical school. He views patient education and empowerment as the cornerstone to health, and he is a strong advocate for mind-body practices for symptom management and disease prevention. He is currently a primary care physician at the Massachusetts General Hospital Revere HealthCare Center, and he joined the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in the fall of 2018 for patient consultations.

Shirly (Shalu) Ramchandani

Staff physician

Dr. Shirly Ramchandani (Shalu) is an experienced Internist who has practiced Primary Care in Boston for 19 years. Shalu completed her medical training at The George Washington University and Internal Medicine residency at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

During her extensive primary care career managing chronic diseases, Shalu became very eager to promote well-being and disease reversal using lifestyle interventions. She has been passionate about helping her patients adopt healthy lifestyles that would help prevent and reverse chronic diseases by advocating behavior change and patient empowerment. She led shared medical appointments emphasizing comprehensive lifestyle strategies, which included enabling 5 K walks/runs for her patients.

She became a diplomate of Obesity Medicine, and a Health and Wellness coach in 2016. She is a culinary coach and on the faculty for the Chef Coaching program at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine. Her personal interests include yoga, meditation, tennis and running. Shalu is also an avid cook with a penchant for nutritious international cuisines and experiments her recipes frequently for her family, including her golden doodle, Teddy.

Katherine Rosa, PhD, CNP, FNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner

Katherine Rosa is an experienced Family Nurse Practitioner who has worked in primary care with patients of all ages and taught at UMass Lowell in their graduate nursing programs. She earned her BS in nursing from Northeastern University, her MSN from University of Lowell, and her PhD in nursing from Boston College. Her research work focuses on understanding how the human connection within the nurse-patient relationship fosters healing while living with chronic illness. She received a Connell Nursing Research Scholar Award from the Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research at MGH for this work. She is an instructor, part-time, at Harvard Medical School and is a long time practitioner and recognized teacher of Therapeutic Touch^®. She has extensive experience teaching individuals and groups on meditation, relaxation techniques, and the practice of Therapeutic Touch^®.

Ellen A. Slawsby, PhD

Director Mind/Body Chronic Pain Service
Staff Psychologist

Dr. Slawsby is director of the Mind/Body Chronic Pain Service and provides individual therapy, specializing in individuals with chronic illness, IBS/IBD, GERD, chronic fatigue, and pain. She received her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.With the BHI since 1996, she is also a researcher and clinical trainer at the Institute and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Slawsby has published and presented research on chronic medical illness and infertility.

Elyse R. Park, PhD, MPH

Director of Research

Dr. Park has extensive experience designating and evaluating behavioral intervention trials. Her clinical research focuses on tobacco treatment for cancer patients, cancer risk perceptions, cancer survivor quality of life, and resiliency. She is an expert in mixed methods research development and uses qualitative research to inform interventions and measurement design. Her research has been supported by funding from the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Livestrong Foundation. She has published over 120 peer reviewed original articles.

At the Benson-Henry Institute, Dr. Park has created a manualized version of the Relaxation Response Resiliency program (3RP) which is currently being tested with a variety of medical populations (women undergoing breast biopsy, women with infertility, patients with Multiple Myeloma) and providers (palliative care clinicians, cancer care interpreters). She is also the lead investigator for several mind-body behavioral trials, assessing the feasibility and potential efficacy of integrating the relaxation response into hospital based group and individual treatments. She is currently testing the validity and reliability of a postpartum stressors scale. To see Dr. Park’s BHI-related research, click here.

John Denninger, MD, PhD

Director of Clinical Training

John Denninger, MD, PhD, is director of clinical training at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). He also serves as a Psychiatrist at MGH, as Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and as Senior Advisor in the MGH/McLean Psychiatry Residency Research Concentration Program.

After receiving his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, Dr. Denninger completed his MD/PhD—with dissertation work on the biochemistry of the nitric oxide receptor—at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He completed his internship and residency in the MGH/McLean Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program and served as chief resident in psychopharmacology at MGH. He has received a Master of Medical Sciences from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology as part of the Clinical Investigator Training Program.

Dr. Denninger has received many awards for his research and teaching, including the NCDEU New Investigators Award and the Harvard Medical School Students Award for Teaching.  In his role at BHI, he is responsible for the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program certification program for licensed healthcare clinicians.

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Sarah Lazar, PhD

Associate Director of Neuroscience Research

Sara W. Lazar, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation, both in clinical settings and in healthy individuals. She has also collaborated with clinicians to study the effects on mindfulness on anxiety and depression. Her current work is focused on well-being and personality development. Dr. Lazar has been practicing yoga and mindfulness meditation since 1994 and her research has been covered by numerous news outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, CNN, and WebMD.

Christina Luberto

Associate Director for Compassion-Based Research

Christina Luberto, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Her interests center on mindfulness- and compassion-based interventions for emotional and behavioral health promotion in people with heart disease. Dr. Luberto is a staff psychologist and clinical researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital where she works as Associate Director for Mindfulness Research and Programs in the Health Promotion and Resiliency Intervention Research Center, and Associate Director for Compassion-based Research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine. She is founding Director of the MGH Women’s Heart Health Mindful Living Center, a clinical and research center focused on evidence-based mindfulness and mind-body interventions for patients with heart disease. Dr. Luberto is also staff psychologist in the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at Cambridge Health Alliance, and she teaches mindfulness

Lisa Teague

Operations Manager

Lisa has been with the Institute for more than 18 years, serving in supervisory and managerial roles. As Operations Manager, she is responsible for overseeing the daily administrative operations for the clinical practice, including managing support staff, maintaining schedules for providers and programs, and assisting patients with resolving insurance and claims issues.

Shannon O'Connor

Staff Assistant

Shannon O’Connor is the Staff Assistant at the Benson-Henry Institute. She helps coordinate appointments at the Bulfinch Program, as well as assisting with the SMART Program. She has worked at MGH since 2016, in several different departments. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing and Literature from Bennington College, and has published short stories, poetry, and writes a blog which has readers worldwide. She is a member of several writers’ organizations, and brings her creativity and vision for a more hopeful world to the Benson-Henry Institute.

Samreen Sethi

Training & Events Coordinator
Samreen received a B.A. in Socio-Cultural Anthropology and Political Science from the University of California, Davis. A former AmeriCorps VISTA member, prior to joining the Benson-Henry Institute she working for a non-profit in San Francisco, CA dedicated to advancing educational equity and promoting public education.  In her role at BHI, Samreen manages the SMART and PART certification pathways, assists in the institute’s annual CME course, and supports the Child Resiliency Program.

Kiara Robinson

Patient Services Coordinator
Kiara Robinson is the face and voice of BHI; in her role as patient services coordinator, she greets patients, schedules appointments, and coordinates SMART groups, among other things.  Prior to joining BHI in 2021, Kiara had worked at Mass General for 12 years beginning as a sterile technician before becoming a patient services coordinator through the Bulfinch Temp service, where she learned systems and protocols in more than 21 different departments including Primary Care, Nuclear Cardiology, Neurosurgery, and multiple postings in Neurology.