Neuroscience and Spirituality

Competency to discuss mindfulness practices and spirituality are becoming essential for mental health care providers. Many providers want to know “How do we make sense of these mindfulness practices and spirituality from a scientific perspective?” After all, medical providers are scientists and healers at heart.

In this course, we’ll take a close look at the neuroscience of meditation, flow states, and hands-on practices to build resilience in the nervous system. We’ll examine scientific research that confirms specific neurochemical, neuroelectrical and neuroanatomical changes occur in brain function during certain types of spiritual practices.

By practicing the HEAL method and training the attention and rehearsing positive events, you can literally rewire the brain for joyfulness and resilience. What patient wouldn’t want more of that?

• Learn how to define a spiritual experience
• Discover the “spectrum of ecstatic experience” from a neurological viewpoint
• Find out how the spiritual experience can help ameliorate basic suffering, including anxiety and depression

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CME/CE Information

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 the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Integrative Psychiatric Institute. The University of Colorado School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Colorado School of Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

In order to obtain your CME credit for this course, you will need to take and pass the CME quiz and complete a CME evaluation after watching the video. The quiz will be linked under the video. The Evaluation will follow automatically. If the quiz is passed, you will be prompted to download your CME certificate immediately after.

Joan Borysenko, PhD

This distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine is a world-renowned expert in the mind/body connection. Her work has been foundational in an international health-care revolution that recognizes the role of meaning, and the spiritual dimensions of life, as an integral part of health and healing. Eloquent and inspiring in settings that range from hospitals to hospices, from theaters to conference venues, and from boardrooms to houses of worship, she is a credible bridge between faith and reason. Her brilliance, humor, and authenticity—in combination with the latest research—make her a compelling and inspiring speaker and writer.