Research

The Healing Mind is focused on collecting, sharing, and supporting research on mind body and guided imagery effects on health and self-care. We review and summarize relevant research and also offer expert commentary and observations about the results. We participate in, design, and support research projects that help us better understand how people can use relaxation and guided imagery to support their health and healing.

Why are we focused on research ?

Dr. Rossman and our expert advisors have spent much of the last 30 years working with lay people and professionals alike to understand how the mind and body best work together towards better health. We have discovered that there is an extensive and compelling body of research that demonstrates the effectiveness of relaxation, meditation, and guided imagery in a wide range of medical and health-related conditions, but this knowledge is largely not known by the medical profession. Our mission includes sharing this information with both the public and health professions in appropriate formats, so that these simple, inexpensive, and empowering approaches become part of the standard of good medical care. The Healing Mind not only aggregates and publishes research reviews, but also works collaboratively with researchers in the field to design and support original research. If you are aware of research that doesn't appear yet in our free research reviews, or know of research opportunities thart we might support, please let us know.

How can you participate ?

The Healing Mind is a community of health professionals and experts and community members and visitors who share a common focus on Mind Body/Guided Imagery. This community is designed to encourage the participation of all members and to offer them a chance to support our research efforts. The Healing Mind will leverage the information we collect to publish research reports documenting the effectiveness of Mind Body/Guided Imagery approaches and tools. You will be asked if you are willing to participate and support our research efforts. If you allow us to use your feedback you will provide a valuable contribution to our effort to illuminate the benefits of Mind Body/Guided Imagery tools. Your experiences, progress and feedback will also be extremely valuable to other community members with similar concerns or issues. Your participation can be anonymous if you choose but will regardless be a significant contribution in our effort to show people that Mind Body/Guided Imagery is an effective tool with research proven benefits. You can participate by using the PARTICIPATE feature.

How can you find research related to a topic ?

You can search for topics of interest using our SEARCH feature, or identify content related to a SPECIFIC HEALTH ISSUE. If you are a community member, you will receive summaries of research results that are relevant to your area of interest or concern.

Angiogram:

The value of these procedures is unquestioned; most cardiologists recommend an angiography for any patient having surgery on blood vessels Angiography is also useful for both immediate diagnostic purposes and can sometimes predict future problems (Grossman, 1986). Angioplasty can treat some blocked arteries, allowing some patients to avoid surgery.
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Asthma:

According to the American Lung Association, asthma is a large, growing, and expensive health problem in all industrialized countries. As of 2003, the CDC estimated that 20.7 million Americans adults and 9.1 children have asthma; the condition generated 12.9 million office visits; in 2002, asthma occasioned 1.7 emergency room visits, and caused 4261 deaths in this country (CDC).
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Back and Neck Pain:

Fifteen to twenty percent of Americans have back pain at any given time, and 70% have had back pain at least once in their lives (Atlas, Deyo, 2001; Lipman, Jackson, 2000). According to the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, back pain is the second leading cause of absenteeism from work. Work-related back injuries are the country’s number one occupational hazard, with the cost to Americans of lower back pain given as $50 billion a year (NINDS).
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Child Birth:

About four million births take place annually in the United States (NCHS). Many of the mothers involved are looking for ways to participate more actively in preparation for delivery and in the process of labor, and to avoid “medicalized” births.
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Coronary Artery Disease:

CHD is the most common form of heart disease and is the leading cause of death in Americans, both male and female -- over 500,000 deaths annually (National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.)
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Diabetes:

There are two kinds of diabetes, with Diabetes Type I resulting from a lack of insulin and requiring its replacement, and Diabetes Type II, much more common, which is brought on by overweight, sedentary lifestyle, and a resulting resistance to the effects of insulin. Medical research shows that good stress management is an important part of diabetes management, and that relaxation and guided imagery can be very helpful.
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Headache

Over 45 million Americans have recurring headaches; 28 million of them have chronic migraines. Headaches cause 329,000 school absences per month and cause Americans to miss more than 150 million workdays a year. These missed workdays and their associated medical costs represent a loss to industry of $50 billion annually.
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Hypertension

Hypertension (HTN) is defined as a repeated blood pressure reading of greater than 140/90 mm Hg. Over 50 million Americans have HTN, and more than 31% of those who have it don’t realize it (National Institute of Mental Health). Predisposing factors include many lifestyle choices (obesity, smoking, diets high in fat or salt); other factors are co-existing diabetes, and genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors (American Heart Association, 2003).
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Insomnia

One can be said to have insomnia if it takes more than 30 minutes to get to sleep, awakens for than 30 minutes, or awakens earlier than desired, resulting in fatigue and drowsiness during the day, recurring during a 30 day or longer period (Lacks, 1987).
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Alternatively known as "spastic colon," irritable colon," or the highly imprecise "nervous stomach," Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the bowel.
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Preparing for Surgery

In 2000, there were almost 40 million surgeries performed in U.S. hospitals (Hall, and Owings, 2000). In 1998, there were also 32.5 million in-office surgery procedures, many of which routinely use some sedation (Hall and Hall, 1998).
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Sinus Pain

Chronic sinusitis is defined as long-term inflammation of the sinuses.
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Smoking Cessation

Cigarette smoking is the largest preventable cause of illness, death, and medical expenditures in the U.S.A. (CDC). In 1993, direct medical costs associated with smoking amounted to approximately $50 billion; smoking was responsible for approximately 7 percent of total U.S. health care costs (CDC).
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Stress

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that, 75-90% of office visits to primary care physicians are stress-related. Stress reduction is important because stress has been linked to every major cause of death in this country. A Gallup Poll reported that 80% of Americans feel stress on their jobs, and almost half of these workers reported that they needed training to manage their stress.
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