Mind-Body
The underlying premise is that our mind and our emotions affect our bodies. The converse is also true, that illness and changes in our bodies affects the mind. The better we understand this relationship the greater control we can have upon our physical and emotional health. Every physical illness is affected by our psychological states. Study after study has supported the observation that people who take time to acknowledge and to express their emotions enjoy greater health. They are also more likely to survive cancer, less likely to suffer or die from heart attacks, and even have a lower incidence of colds and flu’s.
Dr. John Sarno, author of Healing Back Pain and The Mindbody Prescription claims that chronic pain is often a manifestation of chronic tension and hidden, unseen emotions. He has assisted thousands of patients in finding freedom from chronic pain by helping them understand this simple concept.
Dr. Dean Ornish demonstrated several years ago that heart disease could be reversed by practicing meditation, exercise, participating in support groups, and changing the diet. His most recent book Love and Survival makes clear the association between our emotional state and the health of our heart. While Dean Ornish’s diet has received much attention, most people don’t realize that it was the commitment to the meditation and the support group that accounted for the most significant improvements in the participants, compared to the control group.
Psychologist Jon Kabat-Zinn is another pioneer in mindbody medicine. Author of Full Catastrophe Living and Wherever You Go, There You Are, he introduced mindfulness meditation into dozens of hospitals and medical centers throughout the country. He also published several well-designed studies validating the physical and psychological benefits of meditation.
Another psychologist that must be mentioned in this vein is Marshall Rosenberg, author of Nonviolent Communication. Many of us do not think of ourselves as violent. But, if we look closely we realize that we have many misunderstandings, miscommunications, and often are left feeling disconnected from our coworkers and family. If we believe in the concepts of mindbody medicine then we realize that we need to heal our relationships in order to heal ourselves. And, some of us believe that we need to heal our global relationships in order to bring healing to our world. In either case, Marshall Rosenberg’s wisdom and guidance can be invaluable in our process.
The Santa Cruz Medical Clinic supports healing of the mind and body. To this end, we offer several classes and groups. Family Physician, Bruce Eisendorf, M.D., has studied with Dr. Sarno and offers regular classes as well as support groups in mindbody medicine. His CD, Mindbody Meditations, is available at the clinic pharmacy. Robert Stahl, Ph.D. has studied extensively with Jon Kabat-Zinn and has been teaching stress-reduction classes at the Clinic since 1993. The Clinic also offers a Mindful Communication class, led by Jean Morrison, MA. Jean has been a long-time student of Marshall Rosenberg’s, teaching classes for over 10 years.
To find out more about these and other classes offered at the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic, see our list of classes or call Sheri Beatton, Patient Education Coordinator, 458-5880.