How a Mind/body Approach to Wellness can be Beneficial

McEwen (2017) explained that mindfulness-based stress reduction practice demonstrated an increase in brain gray matter. The increase in brain gray matter density was noticed in the hippocampus, cerebellum, and prefrontal cortex, which are the regions in the brain that impact learning, process memory and emotional regulation. One of the positive outcomes appears to be the enhancement of self regulation concerning mood and emotion. Meditation also impacted the enlargement in the volume of the hippocampus but appeared to be different in men and women which suggested to the researchers that the practice of mindfulness impacts men and women differently.

Minkos et al. (2018) noted that mindfulness-based intervention has the potential to improve academic engagement and students that need to work on self- management skills. The researchers described mindfulness as cultivating an awareness that cultivates a sense of purpose and paying attention in the moment in a way that is non-judgmental.The students in the study engaged in a mindful breathing practice which was delivered to the whole class and improved the students' symptoms.

Seigel and Solomon (2020) quoted Deepak Chopra’’s metaphor. Chopra asserted that emotions go through an evolution as part of an experience that he termed” intervening ness” but what is referred to as interpersonal neurobiology in which empathy develops. He made the connection between the neural correlates of emotions and spiritual experience which could be interpreted as neural correlates in the brain.He noted that self discovery creates brain changes and referred to the brain as a blueprint through which consciousness perceives itself as what he termed” mind- body and universe.”

McEwen, B. S. (2017). Epigenetic Interactions and the Brain-Body Communication. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 86(1), 1–4. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48516311

Minkos, M. L., Chafouleas, S. M., Bray, M. A., & LaSalle, T. P. (2018). Brief Report: A Preliminary Investigation of a Mindful Breathing Intervention to Increase Academic Engagement in an Alternative Educational Setting. Behavioral Disorders, 43(4), 436–443. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26660366

Siegel, D. J., & Solomon, M. F. (Eds.). (2020). Mind, consciousness, and well-being.