Human Resources: Free Stress Reduction Classes Found to be Beneficial

Vero Beach, FL (PRWEB) October 29, 2008 -- An article in USA Today, published earlier this month, entitled "Health Takes a Hit as Economy Creates More Stress" reports that a recent survey by the American Psychological Association shows "…more than half of Americans report irritability or anger, fatigue and sleeplessness, and almost half say they self-medicate by overeating…"

eMindful.com, a web-based mindfulness training resource, and Duke Integrative Medicine have recently completed a series of free, live online classes which taught stress reduction techniques intended to counteract these health-related symptoms to more than 100 people affected by the recent events in the financial markets. The classes were developed and taught by experts from Duke Integrative Medicine and conducted in virtual classrooms on eMindful.com where students could see, hear, and interact live with their teachers and other students.

Given the success of these classes over the past two weeks, eMindful and Duke Integrative Medicine would like to continue lending a hand to those who are feeling the effects of financial stressors. The second round of free classes began on Sunday, October 12, and, depending on demand, classes will be offered, as needed, until November 10. The courses are interactive and offer experiential exercises which allow students to utilize the techniques learned in class.

A class taught by Jeffrey Brantley, M.D. and the founder and director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) at Duke Integrative Medicine, was found to be very beneficial by participants. Participant Marge O'Connor commented, "Thank you for this class, (Dr. Brantley). I could actually feel the tightness in my chest releasing as we practiced these techniques (during the live class)." Most of the students expressed appreciation for Dr. Brantley's explanation of the effects of chronic stress and for the techniques he taught in the Five Good Minutes online class, based on his book of the same name, to short-circuit the effects of stress and its ancillary detrimental impact on health.

The USA Today article quotes Rajita Sinha, director of the Yale Stress Center at Yale University School of Medicine, as saying, "The rise in stress symptoms indicates more chronic stress, which can weaken the immune system, disturb sleep, increase appetite, raise blood pressure and lead to unhealthy habits."

Duke Integrative Medicine is again offering the time and expertise of a leading researcher in stress reduction techniques in a new round of free, online classes through eMindful. Dr. Ruth Wolever, Director of Research at Duke Integrative Medicine, will offer a 90 minute introduction class called Mindfulness Practices for Weight Management. The 60 minute Learning to Manage Stress with Mindfulness will be taught by Jennifer Davis, MS, LPC, who is a psychotherapist and licensed professional counselor at the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Brantley will again offer his Five Good Minutes class. All three classes teach stress-reducing techniques in an experiential forum.

Entering eMindful's virtual classroom is simple - and no software is required; even novice computer users have easily accessed and enjoyed the eMindful classes.

Class times can be found at: http://www.emindful.com/schedules/MBSR.html

Email info [at] emindful.com if you are interested in joining one of the complimentary stress reduction classes. Please include your name as well as the class and time you are interested in.

The following classes will be offered:

Mindfulness Practices for Weight Management taught by Ruth Wolever, Ph.D., Director of Research at Duke Integrative Medicine. This class will focus on techniques for dealing with stressors in more healthful ways than overeating.
Five Good Minutes - taught by Jeffrey Brantley, M.D., and based on the popular book by the same name. This 90 minute class will teach brief stress reduction skills and focus on how to deal with anxiety and fear.
Learning to Manage Stress with Mindfulness - taught by Jennifer Davis, MS, LPC, who is a psychotherapist and licensed professional counselor at the Duke Integrative Medicine, focuses on helping people facing challenging situations.
Mini-Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction - taught by several of eMindful's teachers, this highly experiential 90 minute class will teach basic mindfulness skills and provide opportunities to practice them in the live classroom.

eMindful was founded in 2007 and offers online mindfulness courses for a variety of stress reduction and weight control issues. Classes specifically tailored for teens and children are available as well - please write info [at] emindful.com for more information or group discounts.

The interactive classes listed below offer CMEs for physicians and CEUs for nurses. For a full list of classes offering CME credits, please see eMindful's CME Information page.

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction class is eight weeks in length and is designed to help people develop specific skills for deep relaxation and paying attention. The mind is known to be a factor in stress and stress-related disorders, and mindfulness has been shown to positively affect a range of autonomic physiological processes, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing overall emotional reactivity.
Mindfulness for the Adolescent: A Class for Teens is tailored for the specific stressors teens face today. Taking a minute to be here, right now and not always "up in your head" can reduce both mental and physical problems. How do we know this? Hundreds of teens with problems have been through this program and come out feeling a whole lot better about themselves and about life in general.
Mindful Eating is an important skill set in our weight management "toolbox". Research shows stress is an important factor in weight gain - this class offers stress reduction techniques specific to weight management. In addition, the class provides a step-by-step guide to creating a healthy relationship with food through a deeper knowledge of self, based on personal direct observations.

Mindful Awareness Programs (MAPS) for ADHD, taught by Lidia Zylowska, M.D., a psychiatrist and researcher at UCLA, provides an overview of ADHD and uses mindfulness meditation to enhance the well-being of adults with ADHD. The class discusses the latest scientific understanding of ADHD and meditation's impact on the brain and attention regulation.

Duke Integrative Medicine offers a broad array of clinical treatments and educational workshops, programs, and classes that build upon the practice of mindfulness to help patients achieve their optimal health. Integrative physicians, nurses, and health coaches work alongside expert therapists--acupuncturists, health psychologists, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, massage therapists and others--to provide a full complement of treatments that address specific conditions as well as the pursuit of overall health and well-being. Mindfulness is at the center of their clinical approach, and patients are offered opportunities to develop specific skills for paying attention and for deep relaxation, and to apply these to address their health. Offerings include:

Three-day Health Immersions: in-depth, personalized, and comprehensive experiences designed to address individual concerns and objectives with a team of integrative health partners.
Annual Membership: the opportunity to plan for health over the course of an entire year partnering with an integrative health care team that creates a personalize health plan. MBSR training (at the Durham location) is included in annual membership.
Managing Difficulties with Mindfulness helps people cope with challenging situations.
Calming Your Anxious Mind, taught by Dr. Jeff Brantley, trains participants to deal with anxiety, fear, and panic using principles from his book by the same name.
Mindfulness Practices for Achieving and Maintaining a Healthy Weight, taught by mindful eating experts Sasha Loring, M.S., M.Ed. & Dr. Ruth Q. Wolever, teaches some of the principles used in the eMindful.com virtual program for bariatric patients.