Science has confirmed that emotional fluctuations and emotional status directly influence health. Mind/body medicine focuses on the connection between one’s opinion of one’s health and the physical realities. Mind/body medicine is embodied by the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), which links emotions with chemical processes taking place throughout the body.
Mind/body medicine takes a holistic view of the healing process, believing that because each person is unique, it follows that treatment for an individual should also be unique. Placing emphasis on the body’s ability to regulate and heal itself as well as on the importance of the practitioner/patient relationship, mind/body medicine ensures the patient is an active partner rather than a passive recipient in all stages of treatment. Given the individual emphasis of mind/body medicine, treatments can encompass a wide range of modalities, including imagery, biofeedback, yoga, and hypnotherapy.
