Mind-Body Medicine
Techniques designed to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect bodily function and health. Mind-body medicine focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body and behavior and the ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual and behavioral factors directly impact physical health and wellbeing. Mind-body intervention strategies that are thought to promote health include hypnosis, meditation, yoga, cognitive-behavioral therapies, tai chi, group support, autogenic training, and spirituality. Some mind-body approaches have been documented to be effective and are considered mainstream, i.e. cognitive therapy, hypnosis, meditation, and expressive therapies. Other mind-body techniques, like prayer, though widely considered effective, are still being researched for their effectiveness.