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Stress and the Relaxation Response: The Fundamentals of Mind Body Medicine (April 2025)
Registration Deadline: April 21, 2025
This interactive course is led by health experts from the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, including mind body medicine pioneer Dr. Herbert Benson.
The course provides an evidence-based overview of the basic principles of mind-body medicine. It provides the foundation you need to help your patients understand the science of how stress impacts health.
Research shows that stress is a contributing factor in many common conditions and diseases. Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, pain, mood disorders and more. This course gives you a deeper understanding of how mind-body therapies decrease stress and enhance well-being. It strengthens your knowledge and skills for recognizing early warning signs and weighing the relative risks of various conditions.
Ultimately, this course lets you help your patients alleviate stress and either prevent or relieve medical conditions. That makes this course ideal for clinicians across practice settings in mental health, primary care, social work, psychology and more.
The course includes an array of resources, videos and other materials to guide you through your learning experience. All content and assignments can be completed whenever your schedule allows. Weekly call-in times allow faculty to hear and respond to your questions directly, and an interactive discussion board lets you post your own questions and interact with peers from across the United States and around the world. Plus, the course is accessible via desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet.
Course materials are available beginning April 7, 2025 and all course work must be completed by May 19, 2025.
Pricing
Registration Deadline: April 21, 2025
Physicians and Doctoral-level Professionals: $445.00
Other Professionals: $345.00
Cancellation Policy
Refunds will be issued for cancellation requests made during the first week of the course, but an administrative fee of $25.00 will be deducted from your refund. Cancellation requests made during the second week will receive a credit toward a future offering of the same course. No refunds or credits will be granted after April 21, 2025.
Q&A Schedule
Week Start Date | Date of Q&A | Time of Q&A | Faculty Name |
|---|---|---|---|
Week 1: 4/7/2025 | 4:30-5PM EDT | John W. Denninger, MD, PhD | |
Week 2: 4/14/2025 | 4:30-5PM EDT | John W. Denninger, MD, PhD | |
Week 3: 4/21/2025 | 4:30-5PM EDT | John W. Denninger, MD, PhD | |
Week 4: 4/28/2025 | 4:30-5PM EDT | John W. Denninger, MD, PhD |
Target Audience
This program is intended for:
- Psychiatrists
- Primary care physicians
- Family practice physicians
- Psychologists
- Nursing professionals
- Mental health counselors
- Social workers
Learning Objectives
By the end of this program, participants should be able to:
- Define allostasis and allostatic load.
- Describe four perturbations within the stress system that lead to allostatic load.
- Recognize that allostasis and allostatic load cause and/or contribute to the pathogenesis of many common diseases and symptomatology.
- Identify concepts of allostasis and allostatic load in clinical practice to improve patient assessment and treatment.
- Identify the key components of human resiliency and how to enhance them.
- Identify three landmark studies of the relaxation response.
- Define neuroplasticity and its significance to health and wellbeing.
- Describe four neural mechanisms associated with the meditation techniques that elicit the relaxation response.
- List four potential epigenetic mechanisms whereby elicitation of the relaxation response regulates gene expression.
- Illustrate the potential influence of the RR on the individual, healthcare, and society.
Participants must complete each week sequentially and while completing all components of each week to receive credit, including:
- Activity Overview
- Video Lecture
- Reading and Resources
- Q&A with Faculty
- Discussion Board
- Case Assessment
Week 1
| Key Characteristics of Stress Participants should be able to understand the following key elements:
|
Week 2
| The Science of Resiliency Participants should be able to understand the following key elements:
|
Week 3
| Overview of Current Research Participants should be able to understand the following key elements:
|
Week 4
| Benefits of Meditation Participants should be able to understand the following key elements:
|
Available Credit
- 14.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. McLean Hospital is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
McLean Hospital designates this Live activity for a maximum of 14.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 14.00 Nursing Contact Hours
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 13, sections 13, 14, 14A, 15 and 15D and Chapter 112, sections 74 through 81C authorize the Board of Registration in Nursing to regulate nursing practice and education.
This program meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR 5.00) for 14.00 contact hours of nursing continuing education credit. Advance practice nurses, please note: Educational activities which meet the requirements of the ACCME (such as this activity) count towards 50% of the nursing requirement for ANCC accreditation.
- 14.00 Social Workers
The Collaborative of NASW, Boston College, and Simmons College Schools of Social Work authorizes social work continuing education credits for courses, workshops, and educational programs that meet the criteria outlined in 258 CMR of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Workers
This program has been approved for 14.00 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. Collaborative of NASW and the Boston College and Simmons Schools of Social Work Authorization Number D71189
- 14.00 Participation
This course allows other providers to claim a Participation Certificate upon successful completion of this course.
Participation Certificates will specify the title, location, type of activity, date of activity, and number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ associated with the activity. Providers should check with their regulatory agencies to determine ways in which AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may or may not fulfill continuing education requirements. Providers should also consider saving copies of brochures, agenda, and other supporting documents.
- 14.00 Psychologists CE Credit
The Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
This offering meets the criteria for 14.00 Continuing Education (CE) credits per presentation for psychologists.
Price
Release Date: January 8, 2018
Expiration Date: April 17, 2027
Review Date: March 22, 2021 by Robert Althoff, MD, PhD
Course Director
Herbert Benson, MD
Gregory Fricchione, MD
Planners
David H. Rubin, MD, reviewer
Jane Pimental, MPH
Susan E. Sprich, PhD, psychologist reviewer
Peg Baim, MS, NP
Herbert Benson, MD
ARCHIVED DISCLOSURES
Disclosure Information
In accord with the disclosure policy of McLean Hospital as well as guidelines set forth by the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education, all people in control of educational content, including speakers, course directors, planners, and reviewers, have been asked to disclose all relevant financial relationships with commercial interests of both themselves and their spouses/partners over the past 12 months, as defined below:
Commercial Interest
The ACCME defines a “commercial interest” as any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services, used on, or consumed by, patients. The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical service directly to patients to be commercial interests. For more information, visit www.accme.org.
Financial relationships
Financial relationships are those relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, ownership interest (e.g., stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit. Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received, or expected. ACCME considers relationships of the person involved in the CME activity to include financial relationships of a spouse or partner.
Relevant financial relationships
ACCME focuses on financial relationships with commercial interests in the 12-month period preceding the time that the individual is being asked to assume a role controlling content of the CME activity. ACCME has not set a minimal dollar amount for relationships to be significant. Inherent in any amount is the incentive to maintain or increase the value of the relationship. The ACCME defines “’relevant’ financial relationships” as financial relationships in any amount occurring within the past 12 months that create a conflict of interest.
Conflict of Interest
Circumstances create a conflict of interest when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME content about products or services of a commercial interest with which he/she has a financial relationship.
The following planners, speakers, and content reviewers, on behalf of themselves and their spouse or partner, have reported financial relationships with an entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services (relevant to the content of this activity) consumed by, or used on, patients:
Gregory L. Fricchione, MD
Royalties (book and editor authorship): Johns Hopkins University Press, Belvoir Press, University of Chicago Press/Ivy Press
Honoraria (lecturer): Institute for Living, Sheppard Pratt, Harvard CME, Boston University Medical Center
Susan Sprich, PhD
Royalties (Co-Author): Oxford University Press
Royalties (Co-Edited Book): Springer
Honoraria (Associate Editors): Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT)
All other individuals including course directors, planners, reviewers, faculty, staff, etc., who are in a position to control the content of this educational activity have, on behalf of themselves and their spouse or partner, reported no financial relationships related to the content of this activity.
Disclosure Information
In accord with the disclosure policy of McLean Hospital as well as guidelines set forth by the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education, all people in control of educational content, including speakers, course directors, planners, and reviewers, have been asked to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies for the past 24 months, as defined below:
Ineligible Companies
The ACCME defines an “Ineligible company” as “those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.” For more information, visit
Financial Relationships
Financial relationships are those relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, ownership interest (e.g., stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit. Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received, or expected.
Mitigation of Financial Relationships
All financial relationships are reviewed to determine which ones are relevant, and then measures are taken to mitigate all relevant financial relationships and ensure that they do not insert commercial bias into the content of the education.
The following planners, speakers, content reviewers, and others in control of educational content have reported financial relationships with ineligible companies over the past 24 months. Measures have been taken to mitigate the impact of these financial relationships on the educational content and ensure that they do not insert commercial bias into the content of this education.
John Denninger, MD, PhD
Recipient of Research Supplies: Basis/Intel
Research Funding (Recipient): Onyx/Amgen
All other individuals in a position to control the content of this educational activity have reported no financial relationships with ineligible companies.
Hardware/Software Specifications
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using Internet Explorer 8+, Mozilla Firefox 3+, Safari 4+. This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration
Flash Player: Adobe Flash Player 10.1+
Browser: Firefox 3+, Internet Explorer 8.0+, Safari 4.0+, or Google Chrome 7.0+
Operating System: Windows XP+ or Mac OS X 10.4+
Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements
Windows PC:500-MHz Pentium II; Windows XP or higher; 128 MB RAM; Video Card at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card at least 16-bit; Macromedia Flash Player 10 or higher, audio playback with speakers for programs with video content; Firefox 1.1+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Safari 1.0+, Google Chrome, or Opera
Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.3 or higher with latest updates installed; 1.83MHz Intel Core Duo or faster; RAM: 128MB or more; Video Card: at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card: at least 16-bit
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