ABOUT US
HERBERT BENSON, MD
GET INVOLVED!
CALENDAR
STORE
CONTACT US
CONDITIONS WE TREAT
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
MIND/BODY BASICS
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
RESEARCH
Mind/Body Basics
 
"Mind/body medicine is of course nothing new-What is new is the legitimization of research in this field to the point of government funding and the incorporation of mind/body programs into the offerings of major medical institutions, many of which are noted for their conservatism and scientific bent."William Collinge, MPH, PhD
Researcher
MIND/BODY BASICS
Herbert Benson, MD, the Benson-Henry Institute's Director Emeritus, has written that the fundamental element of mind/body medicine - the elicitation of the relaxation response - can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. It appears that one of our most basic bodily avenues to better health is the simple following of the breath, in and out, and the avoidance of distracting thoughts.

Dr. Benson and his colleagues have taken this universal activity and extensively researched and adapted it; today mind/body medicine and self-care has been shown to be effective and essential in improving our health and, thus, is growing in acceptance to become a third modality in health care, taking its place next to surgery and pharmaceuticals.

In this section, you can read more about stress and the major elements of mind/body medicine and access a variety of "how-to's" for managing stress.


More Information
For more information on mind/body medicine, you may contact Director of Communications Martha Waldron at 617.732.9760 or mwaldron3@partners.org
Read Books by BHI Staff
Review News Clips including Newsweek's Special Issue
Herbert Benson, MD Director
Emeritus, Benson-Henry Institute,
Mind Body Medical Institute Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School.