UC to offer Mind/Body course Spring 2019

A new course titled “Science and Practice of Mind Body Medicine” will be offered in Spring 2019 to all University of Cincinnati (UC) students.

The course, an elective, was born out of efforts by the UC Center for Integrative Health and Wellness to spread the understanding and application of integrative health techniques to optimize personal and professional health.

“This course will provide both a scientific and experiential introduction to mind-body practices that can be used broadly for well-being,” says the center’s director Sian Cotton, PhD, a professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Since its establishment in 2014, the center’s mission has been to raise awareness of evidence based, integrative medicine therapies such as mindfulness, nutrition, yoga, massage, music, acupuncture, meditation, Tai Chi, and stress reduction as complementary therapies embedded within a traditional health care culture.

"We should be focusing on behavioral and lifestyle issues that we know can help people stay and get well, with a moral mandate to take these services and make them accessible and affordable to everybody," says Cotton.

The academic initiative resulted in the incorporation of integrative medicine courses into UC’s Academic Health Center curriculum and offering faculty, staff and students mindful meditation classes. The new elective is a natural extension, says Cotton.

Participants will be taught techniques (e.g. breath meditation, body scan meditation, biofeedback, gentle yoga) and group connection aimed at enhancing self-awareness and self-care.

The course has room for 45 participants and hopes to expand in future years.

UC students who would like to participate can email kelly.lyle@uc.edu or http://med.uc.edu/integrative for more information. Please look for MEDS 2088, Course # 46984 when registering.