MANDALA Winter 2013 CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
INSIDE:
Tom Rath: Creating wellbeing in your workplace Evaluating the link between spirituality and wellbeing Global connection: Integrative healing in Hawaii, India, Peru, and Brazil
the CONNECTION issue
Turning Everyday CHOICES Into Long-Term SUCCESSES. At the Center for Spirituality & Healing, we often talk as a team about the importance of living the work, and not just doing the work. In other words, we are challenged — by endless email, long to-do lists, and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. This fall, we hosted two speakers as part of our Wellbeing Lecture Series that prompted considerable reflection and action. Kristin Neff brought a message of self-compassion and the power of vulnerability. Tom Rath, author of Eat, Move, Sleep, highlighted the importance of choices we make everyday, choices that shape our lives in the near term and impact our odds of having a long and healthy life. We know from research on behavior change that small steps are important and that it is helpful to have another person hold you accountable. Rath cites one study in his book that found that a simple check-in from another person nearly doubled each participant’s activity over the span of a year. This is actually quite a profound finding — it takes more than just individual willpower to change behavior. In addition to peer support, structuring the physical environment can help maximize success. For example, having healthy food in your home and workplace increases the odds of eating healthy! This kind of structuring helps to create situations where you will make healthy choices because it is easier than making unhealthy choices. To support our individual and collective wellbeing, the Center team is in the process of self-examination. During this process, we are sharing with each other what we are personally doing to increase our own wellbeing and are gathering ideas from teammates about what we could do collectively at the Center to enhance the wellbeing of the team. We are striving to put what we know into action! Stay tuned, ask how we are doing, and consider exploring the importance of wellbeing in the workplace with your colleagues. Check out our Taking Charge of Your Health and Wellbeing website — www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu — for easy and practical tips on how to improve wellbeing in your personal life, family, work environment, and community. You may also learn more about wellbeing on the Center’s new Wellbeing Blog, which can be found at cshwellbeingblog.com. On behalf of the Center faculty and staff, we wish you peace and wellbeing during the holiday season and in the new year.
Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FA AN Founder and Director, Center for Spirituality & Healing
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mandala capture the many diverse aspects of the Center’s work: reflection, transformation, spirituality, creation, and lastly, the ongoing journey that continues to shape what we are to become. transformational art in the sand; art therapists to facilitate healing; and Tibetans as visual representation of Buddhist beliefs. As a universal symbol of healing, the respective circles of the Mandala is the Sanskrit word for “circle” and is a sacred symbol that mirrors a state of consciousness through a concrete pattern. Native Americans use mandalas as healing and
MANDALA
Table of CONTENTS Letter from Mary Jo
Page 2
Tom Rath How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes
Page 4
Integrative Nursing Book to be released in January
Page 6
Honoring a Friend Bravewell Distinguished Service Award
Page 7
Healing the Healers Park Nicollet’s Family Birth Center
Page 8
Taking Charge: Using Your Connections to Enhance Wellbeing
Page 10
Assess Your Wellbeing
Page 11
Creating Global Connections: Center Travel Courses Help Students Discover Integrative Healing Around the World
Page 12
MeetDr. Cindy Wilcox the Center’s New Director of Education
Page 14
Defining Spirituality
Page 16
Craig Blacklock Connecting Humans and the Natural World Through a Lens
Page 18
Kristin Neff Embracing our Common Humanity with Self-Compassion
Page 20
The Wellbeing Lecture Series Page 21 Making Friends With Yourself: An Interview with Kristin Neff Racing Toward Innovation: Philanthropy in Action
Page 24
COVER ARTWORK courtesy of Center Senior Fellow Craig Blacklock. Mr. Blacklock, a renowned photographer, collaborates with the Center on our Wellscapes video series. For more information about Wellscapes, please visit http://z.umn.edu/ wellscapes or to learn more about Craig Blacklock, visit www.blacklockgallery.com AUTHORS: Craig Blacklock, Kit Breshears, Louise Delagran, Matt DePoint, Dianne Lev, Kristin Neff, Susan O’Conner-Von, Andrea Uptmor PHOTOGRAPHY: Kit Breshears, Miriam “Mim” Cameron, Connie Grauds, Meghan Krause, Mary Jo Kreitzer, Dennis McKenna, Aimee Prasek, Katie Schuver, Eric Todd DESIGN: Jo Penfield Mandala, a biannual publication, is produced by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality & Healing. Detailed information about Center research, events, academic courses, workshops, and more can be found on our website at csh.umn.edu. Letters to the editor must include name, address, telephone number, and email address. EDITOR: Kit Breshears cbreshea@umn.edu
Center for Spirituality & Healing Mayo Memorial Building, MMC #505 420 Delaware St. S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455 www.csh.umn.edu
WINTER 2013 MANDALA
How
SMALL CHOICES
lead to By Matt DePoint
BIG CHANGES
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW YOU CAN MAKE JUST A FEW SMALL CHANGES THAT COULD GREATLY AFFECT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND OVERALL WELLBEING? What if someone told you that one way to make these life-altering but necessary changes was to be mindful of what you eat, be more active throughout the day, and make getting enough sleep a priority? Could it really be that simple? If it was that simple and easy, wouldn’t everyone do it? Best-selling author of StrengthsFinder 2.0 Tom Rath discussed how making such small changes can lead to big differences during the Center’s Wellbeing Lecture Series on November 14. To date, Rath has sold more than 4 million copies of his books and has spent an equally impressive 250 appearances on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. University of Minnesota employees are likely to be quite familiar with his work from StrengthsFinder 2.0, in which nearly all University employees participate to identify their strengths and behaviors. Using research gathered by The Gallup Organization, Rath suggests that when people have identified their strengths, they are best able to develop personal strategies to meet and exceed the everyday demands in their lives, careers, and with their families and friends. In his latest book, Eat Move Sleep, Rath discussed how the seemingly small daily choices we all make add up, both positively and negatively, and make a big difference in our overall health and wellbeing. Rath was inspired to write this book because he was tired of losing close friends and family members to preventable conditions like diabetes and heart disease. A 20-year cancer survivor, Rath focused his book on three fundamental elements for living a long and healthy life.
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
EAT:
“We need to be aware of every bite of food and drink that we put into our bodies,” he says. “Each day we have to make good dietary choices because over time these daily choices compound and can have dramatic effects on our overall health. Next time you reach for a piece of candy or bag of chips on the office table, ask yourself if this choice will lead to a net positive or net negative consequence. Maybe skipping the snack — or reaching for an apple instead — will help you on the path to a net positive outcome.”
MOVE:
It’s no secret that being active is better for your health than being sedentary. But according to Rath, sitting for long stretches of time throughout the day can counteract some of the exercise you do. He suggests getting up and moving regularly during the work day. In a recent interview with Forbes.com, Rath said, “Being active throughout the day is what matters most.” So, whether it’s a midmorning or afternoon walk or quick set of pushups, do something active throughout the day. It’ll give you the energy you need to power through the day and help fight off preventable diseases.
SLEEP:
People often underestimate the value of sleep and how poor sleep can impact wellbeing. In the same Forbes.com article, Rath explained that “the best performers sleep longer to get more done. I would have assumed the hardest working people and highest performers are the first to sacrifice sleep. But it turns out sleep is more of an investment than an expense.” So rather than using lack of sleep as a badge of honor as it relates to your success or work ethic, Rath recommends getting at least eight hours or more of sleep. Sleep helps set the tone for the rest of your day, so it’s important to have healthy sleep habits.
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SO WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE MAKE POOR CHOICES IN THEIR DAILY LIVES? Rath believes that people simply give into temptation. “By limiting the access and availability of unhealthy activities, people can start to make healthier options a way of life and not just an every once in a while thing,” he says. To Rath, nothing is more important for wellbeing than the close personal and social relationships that we make and maintain throughout our lifetime. According to his research, people are seven times more likely to be engaged at their jobs if they have a “best friend” at work. “Organizations should develop cultures where these relationships are valued and encouraged,” he says. “Life is all about connections, so it’s important to know what works well socially for your wellbeing.” Rath estimates that the average person needs about 5-6 hours of social time during the day for it to be considered a good day. He recommends investing in these times and really making them a point of emphasis in your daily activities. “In order to create better connections in your life, and therefore improve your personal wellbeing,” he says, “you can ask what you can do to improve the quality of life for someone else every day. With anything you do in your life, it’s often best to have a plan. Be specific and deliberate in your actions and words. You can’t just think about your own wellbeing.” +++
TIPS FROM TOM RATH FOR WORKPLACE WELLBEING
1. Stop jumping from one
diet to the next and focus on eating right for life.
2. Build movement and
activity into every hour of your day. Aim for 10,000 steps a day.
3. Get at least 7-8 hours of
quality sleep each night to stay sharp and achieve more.
4. Find a “best friend”
in your workplace. Workplace relationships are important to your professional wellbeing.
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WINTER 2013 MANDALA
Integrative Nursing Book y Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer B and Dr. Mary Koithan
to Be Released in December
Integrative medicine is defined as healingoriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind, and spirit) as well as all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative. Integrative Nursing is authored by Center Founder and Director Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer, Associate Dean for Professional and Community Engagement at the University of Arizona School of Nursing Dr. Mary Koithan, and nearly 70 nurse collaborators. “The collaborative process of envisioning, then creating, the contents for this book has certainly been the most rewarding experience of my professional life,” says Koithan. “Mary Jo’s ability to organize something of this magnitude and to create a fully collaborative process where everyone (editors, authors, and support staff) felt fully engaged, heard, and personally invested in the outcome was brilliant. I think this is a great product that all of us are incredibly proud of. Our vision of integrative nursing has grown because of our association with each other.” This volume is the first complete roadmap to integrative nursing, providing a step-by-step guide to assess and clinically treat conditions through a variety of combined methodologies including wellness, lifestyle enhancement, and nutrition.
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H
Four Easy Ways to Order *Use Promo Code: 32136 for a special 20% discount
1. PHONE 800-451-7556 2. FAX
919-677-1303
3. WEB
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It puts forth both the skills and theoretical frameworks for multidisciplinary leaders to consider and implement integrative healthcare strategies within institutions, including several case studies involving practical nursing-led initiatives. Sections one and two cover the foundations, including principles and best practices, healing environments, whole systems healing, and measurement of outcomes. The third section outlines major areas of system management such as pain, nausea, insomnia, anxiety, depression, stress, and behavioral dysfunction. The fourth and fifth sections address applications to patient populations, models of care, and models of education. The final section collects global perspectives. The academic rigor of the text is balanced by practical and relevant content that can be readily implemented into practice for both established professionals as well as students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate nursing programs. “One of the most unique features of this book is the glimpse it provides into the wisdom of nurses,” Koithan says. “The symptom chapters are masterful — they clearly delineate how nurses think about the whole person in his/her environment, how we select and use the full spectrum of possible treatment modalities to address the suffering of those we care for, and how we determine outcomes associated with health and wellbeing. This book is so incredibly practical – students, nurses in direct care, and advanced practice nurses will all find it helpful.” Integrative Nursing is published by Oxford University Press. +++
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Honoring Honoring a Friend
Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer Receives Bravewell Distinguished Service Award
By Kit Breshears On October 27, 2013, in Chicago, the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, also known as CAHCIM, presented Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer with the Bravewell Distinguished Service Award for 2013.
for informing health care policy,” she says. “With regard to the Consortium’s efforts, Mary Jo has been the guiding light in influencing change so that the healthcare system of tomorrow is an integrative one.
The award is issued to a person who has shown an exceptional long-term commitment to the work of the Consortium and made an outstanding contribution to furthering the organization’s mission and its ongoing work.
Dr. Kreitzer, a founding member of the Consortium, accepted the award with reflection. “The Center for Spirituality & Healing began at the University of Minnesota in 1995 — eighteen years ago. It was four years later that we had the inaugural meeting of the group that would become the Consortium. The stories of many of the early centers were closely intertwined with the evolution of the Consortium. What could have been a lonely venture became a journey with fellow pioneers who have become dear friends. I am truly moved and deeply grateful to receive this award.”
“From the earliest days of the Consortium, Mary Jo Kreitzer has played a critical role in the growth and development of the organization,” says Dr. Benjamin Kligler, current Consortium Chair. “Her commitment to our mission, to our communal work, and to her role as mentor and guide to so many of its current leaders are unsurpassed. We owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude for helping us grow into the thriving organization we are today.” Dr. Margaret Chesney, incoming Consortium Chair, served as the Consortium’s Policy Working Group Chair with Dr. Kreitzer for two years. “One of the goals of the Consortium is to be a collective voice
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The Consortium is composed of 56 highly esteemed medical centers and affiliate institutions. It seeks to advance the principles and practices of integrative healthcare within academic institutions. The Consortium provides its institutional membership with a community of support for their academic missions and a collective voice for influencing change. +++
a Friend WINTER 2013 MANDALA
AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH DAY at Park Nicollet’s Family Birth Center, the nurses on staff gather in a circle. As the unit’s Clinical Nursing Director, Dr. Katherine Todd, rings a Tibetan singing bowl, the entire care team comes back to the present moment and centers themselves for the work ahead of them. They breathe deeply together and envision what they want to bring to the next shift. They connect to one another and to themselves. And then they go off to do the work of healing, grounded and relaxed. It hasn’t always been this way, though. When Todd, a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, took the position at Park Nicollet in the spring of 2011, the unit was in dire need of transformation. She saw right away where her work would begin: “Nurses were coming in, getting their assignments, and beginning to see patients without taking the time to connect to one another or themselves first.” This disconnect was causing burnout among the staff, which—as research shows—trickles down to affect the patient experience. Todd explains, “I knew the first thing I needed to address was healing the healers and creating a culture of compassion and empathy.”
Healing THE HEALERS Park Nicollet’s Family Birth Center HOW ONE NURSING DIRECTOR USED CONNECTION AND GENTLE ACTION TO TRANSFORM THE CARE ENVIRONMENT. By Andrea Uptmor
She did so by quickly implementing a remarkable set of changes. Within her first few weeks, she reorganized the floor so that the nurse managers and educator were housed together in a central office area, rather than spread out at opposite ends of the hall, which facilitated a sense of connection between the staff. Knowing that a healing environment can have enormous impact on wellbeing, Todd created a staff renewal space in the unit. Todd used her family’s road-trip money (which was later reimbursed by a grant) to create a staff renewal space in the unit. The room, painted in warm colors, has a massage chair and ottoman, music, prayer rugs, and aromatherapy, giving stressed nurses an opportunity to re-center themselves in between patients. Nurses were also provided “comfort kits” with aromatherapy tools, massagers, and music, which then began to be offered to patients on the floor as well. (The renewal center is so popular that most units in Methodist Hospital now have one.) In collaboration with a physical therapist who uses integrative approaches to healing, Todd also organized a 9-week Mind-Body Skills group for staff. “We go into healthcare for noble reasons, and most often it’s the process that supports the culture,” she explains. “The research is clear that if we’re not mindful of the ways in which we interact and the relationships we form, we cannot create an optimal healing environment. You have to be mindful of your own healing practice while you’re supporting the healing of others.” Drawing upon experts like Dr. David Peat’s process of gentle action and Otto Scharmer’s Theory U, Todd worked to be completely transparent in the process and
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mindful of the impact change has on the whole group. “No one owns the process. I want the nurses to know who I am transparently and understand my intentions. Starting out that way with the team made all the difference.” She has very intentionally taken steps to diminish hierarchy and establish a sense of co-creation with the entire team. And at the core of her leadership has been the willingness to be present herself—to remain open and listen deeply to the needs of her staff. The response on the unit has been powerful. One nurse approached Todd in the hallway and burst into tears as she described the impact of these self-care practices on her work. “I love my work as a nurse,” she told Todd. “But I thought I was going to have to leave. I couldn’t find happiness or joy or resilience to show up day after day. Until now.” But the outcome is more than anecdotal—within just 8 months, metrics showed that nurse engagement and patient satisfaction both increased dramatically, skyrocketing the unit from among the lowest scores in the hospital to among the highest. Todd’s tenacity, vision, and leadership approach assisted in securing funding for a complete renovation of the family birth center at Methodist Hospital that will implement evidence-based design to create an optimal healing environment. The new birth center, set to open on Valentine’s Day 2014, will have four water-birthing suites and continue to support evidence-based integrative modalities, such as aromatherapy and music therapy, for mothers in labor. Todd credits the University of Minnesota’s evidencebased courses for enabling her to become a change agent at Park Nicollet. “There’s no way I could have collaborated in this kind of change without the U of M. Mary Jo Kreitzer, Debbie Ringdahl, and all of the wise thought-leaders connected to the University’s School of Nursing and Center for Spirituality & Healing have established a program by which we can launch integrative heath into practice…when you present the evidence, you just feel confident about how to move forward.” The Center for Spirituality & Healing’s courses were also instrumental in enhancing Todd’s connection with her own family—during her DNP program, she took classes with her daughter and daughter-in-law as they completed their undergraduate degrees in the School of Nursing. (Her son, a third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota, also takes after his mother by adopting a holistic perspective in his practice.) The experience introduced the younger students to integrative modalities like Reiki and strengthened the bond between all three of them. “Everyone should try taking a Center for Spirituality & Healing class with a family member. It helps us grow stronger not only as individuals, but also as a family,” says Todd.
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Katherine Todd, center, with daughter Aria Demer, son Addison Demer, and daughterin-law Casey Demer. Casey and Aria are graduates of the School of Nursing; Addison is a third-year student in the Medical School.
Katherine Todd’s dedication to family extends not just to her children but to her team of nurses at Park Nicollet. Once, during a particularly highpressure day, Todd was feeling burned out and having difficulty staying fully connected. While many managers might cope by closing the office door or calling in sick for the afternoon, Todd took a different approach: she opened her door, cleared her calendar, and invited her nurses to stop in for a hand massage. “I had enough intuition to realize that I needed to re-connect to purpose. For me to be their nurse—and that’s how I feel as a leader—I have to be deeply connected and building consistent relationships that help them launch their own healing process.” Of the massages, she says, “ I needed it as much as they did.” Over the course of the afternoon, nurses lined up in the hallway and Todd took each of their healing hands in her own. With massage, music, and aromatherapy, she helped to create a healing moment one nurse at a time. All were relaxed and more connected. More than one cried. And now it has rippled into a regular occurrence within the Spiritual Care team and among other leaders across the hospital, just one of the many simple changes Todd encouraged that has transformed the entire facility. These changes are small, but they have dramatic results, says Todd. “You have to connect with the people you work with. It’s very much like family. When that happens, you feel really engaged with the team. And you’re invited to do best work.” +++
WINTER 2013 MANDALA
LOOKING TO ENHANCE YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING? You may not have thought of it this way, but your connections will play a huge role. And we’re not just talking about your connections to a good healthcare provider or clinic—we mean your connections to your friends and family, your community, the nature that surrounds you, your purpose in life, and even to your own awareness of how you are doing right now, both physically and emotionally.
A NEW MODEL These conversations—and growing research in the science of wellbeing—influenced Kreitzer’s six-part model, which informs the updated Taking Charge site. The real power of the Wellbeing Model is that it highlights the interconnections between the choices we make and their impact on our wellbeing—often in unexpected ways. For example, whether we consciously work to cultivate a good attitude or not can impact our cardiovascular health; the amount of sleep we get affects the food we reach for the next day; and what we choose to do with an extra $20 can influence our mood and relationships with others.
Using Your Connections
TAKING CHARGE:
to
ENHANCE WELLBEING By Louise Delagran and Andrea Uptmor
Many of us spend our lives ignoring our connections to the larger world and are blind to what is actually going on inside us. And in doing so, we are jeopardizing our wellbeing. As Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer, Founder and Director of the Center for Spirituality & Healing, says, “We can all think of people we know who have excellent physical health, yet they are unhappy, fearful, lonely, isolated, or lacking purpose in life.” But those who nourish their connections can find wellbeing even in difficult situations. Kreitzer explains, “On the other hand, there are people who have very compromised health, yet they exude wellbeing. They have a life filled with purpose, are engaged with family and friends, and live within a community that nurtures and supports them.” These insights inspired the new Enhance Your Wellbeing section of the updated Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing site. Enhancing your wellbeing, it turns out, involves a broad, wholeperson, whole-life perspective that includes the communities and environments in which we live. “When you ask people what they yearn for in life,” says Kreitzer, “the conversation often turns to topics such as purpose and meaning, relationships, safety and security, community, and the capacity to live in a healthy environment. Health is an important determinant of wellbeing, but it is not the only, or even the most important, one.”
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
SELF-AWARENESS AT THE ROOT OF WELLBEING
At the core of Kreitzer’s Wellbeing Model is a basic principle: stay connected to yourself. “If we aspire to improve our wellbeing, selfawareness is the first step,” she explains. In order to make any kind of change, you first have to know where you are now. Keeping a food diary can help you become more aware of unhealthy eating habits so you can change them. Paying attention to negative emotions as they arise, rather than pushing them away, can give you a better perspective on your own reactions. Understanding how your social networks influence you can motivate you to make more conscious decisions about exercise. Lifestyle choices are responsible for nearly 90% of health outcomes, so examining your own habits is an important place to start on the path to wellbeing. RECOGNIZING CONNECTIONS TO OTHERS “But wellbeing is bigger than just ‘me,’” says Kreitzer. One of the most important findings from recent research is that strong relationships contribute significantly to wellbeing. “We are identifying that humans have an innate need to be involved with other people, and if those connections are missing, serious health problems can arise. In fact, the research suggests that the health effects of loneliness are comparable to cigarette smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure.” In other words, isolation can be fatal! With this in mind, the Taking Charge site offers tips for cultivating relationships and strengthening existing bonds, including strategies for managing conflicts and practicing good communication skills. 10
ASSESS YOUR Beyond personal relationships, our entire community, including infrastructure, public spaces, and social networks have an impact on personal and societal wellbeing. New research shows that people within broad social networks affect each other, even those not directly in contact — your colleague’s friend’s eating habits may influence yours, whether you realize it or not. Recognizing the powerful impact of these connections is one of the aims of the Wellbeing Model, and the Taking Charge site outlines practical ways to strengthen your existing ties or create additional bonds with others to enhance the wellbeing of your community. We can use our connections—our social capital—to work for social change. And as we become more engaged in our community, we reap great personal benefit. “I encourage people to reflect on the wellbeing of their family, the community in which they are living, and the setting in which they work,” says Kreitzer, who is currently engaged in a national initiative that focuses on the wellbeing of the nation—including economic security, community vitality, and safety. It’s only then, she says, when we focus on wellbeing at all levels—personal, societal, and environmental— that we really begin to enhance our wellbeing. So what is the most important thing you can do to take charge of your wellbeing? Simply “deciding to do it,” says Kreitzer, “and then finding the information, tools, and support to make it happen.” The new website aims to help users do just that. +++ THE CENTER’S WELLBEING MODEL
Wellbeing takingcharge.csh.umn.edu
The site’s dual mission to inform and empower people to advance their own wellbeing is reached through research-based articles and interactive tools, assessments, activities, and videos that help users implement change in their own lives. For example, the Stress Mastery section summarizes the most recent studies that point to the ways chronic stress impacts wellbeing and also offers guided audio meditations, breathing exercises, relaxing videos, and practical tips on how changing your diet, sleeping patterns, and even the amount of time you spend outdoors can help alleviate the impact of stress.
The Taking Charge site offers: A goal-setting activity Personal assessment in overall wellbeing, as well as more specific assessments for 15 aspects of wellbeing Overview of research in various aspects of wellbeing Video interviews with experts Guided audio meditations, video meditations, and body scans Exercises for identifying your purpose in life
As well as: Information on 39 integrative healing practices, including acupuncture, breathwork, and reflexology, to help inform healthcare decisions. A Navigating Healthcare section, which includes information on communicating with your healthcare provider, finding credible health information online, understanding health insurance, and more. Integrative approaches for specific health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAAN University of Minnesota
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WINTER 2013 MANDALA
CREATING
Global Connections: Center Travel Courses HELP Students DISCOVER Integrative Healing
Around the World BY KIT BRESHEARS On Hawaii’s Big Island, students learn about aromatherapy, Reiki, indigenous Hawaiian healing, and acupressure. In the city of Dharamsala, India, they not only meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama, but explore ancient Tibetan and Indian traditions that integrate ethics, spirituality, and healing. In the jungles of Brazil, amongst tropical and rare plants, students discover the role of plants in human affairs and learn about ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology. Iquitos, Peru, surrounded by the Amazon River, provides students the opportunity to meet with shamans and understand how traditional Peruvian healing arts can integrate with modern medicine. Exposure to culturally-based healing practices, the natural environment, and differing worldviews can be important parts of the learning process. Working closely with local communities and teachers, Center for Spirituality & Healing faculty and students explore the globe’s healing traditions in many locations around the world.
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
Hawaii: The Big Island of Hawaii, also called
“the Healing Island,” is one of the Center’s most popular travel opportunities; it also offers students the chance to earn up to four academic credits in a beautiful, tropical location. Students like Meghan Krause, a Master of Public Health student who is pursuing the Center’s minor in integrative health and healing practices, leave January’s blistering cold and snow behind to spend a week in this unique learning environment. “Traveling to Hawaii with the Center for Spirituality & Healing was an exceptional experience,” she says. “We were led by smart, compassionate, and fun instructors who embody and encourage a spirit of inquiry and moral leadership. I was inspired by the content, instruction, and immersive environment. As an aspiring public health professional, I found that this experience provided a foundation for anyone interested in holistic community health as a prevention strategy.” Medical students on rotation also participate in the Hawaii courses and have the special opportunity to meet with Center friend and co-founder of Medtronic, Earl Bakken.
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Peru:
This January, a group of students will explore global healing in the humid, green jungles of the Amazon rainforest in Peru. Led by CSH faculty Connie Grauds and Dr. Karen Lawson, the Peru experience includes coursework about plant medicines, the interdependency of the plant kingdom with animal and human life, global healing, and a trip to the primal jungles to learn about shamanism.
“A shaman’s mysterious healing practices are a blend of medicine and spirit,” says Grauds. “The rainforest shamans are experts on the healing properties of the jungle’s rich plant medicines. They have an intimate relationship with the healing spirits of nature and of the plants, which they summon on behalf of the patient during the healing. Shamans are masters at the transference of these healing energies and have devoted their lives for the sake of others.” At the end of the journey, students will be encouraged to compose a paper about the trip and demonstrate how their experiences can be integrated into their practices.
India:
Brazil: Brazil: The role played by plants in human
“The India course elevates students’ ethical, spiritual, and cultural awareness,” says Dr. Miriam Cameron, India Course Instructor and Lead Faculty for the Center’s Tibetan Healing Initiative. “While experiencing the trip of a lifetime, students learn how to create and maintain a healthy mind and body. Living in a Tibetan refugee community helps students to put their own problems in perspective. They return to the U.S. grateful for their precious human life and committed to working for a more compassionate, just world. This experience transforms their life and work.”
“From the beginning of time, plants have played an important role in human affairs, influencing the evolution of civilizations and cultures, human migration, medicine and health care, wars, art, mythology, and religion,” says Dr. McKenna. “My colleague and coinstructor for this course, Dr. Luis Eduardo Luna, is a widely recognized authority on the ethnography, shamanic traditions, and history of indigenous Amazonian cultures. We have traveled extensively together and have collaborated on numerous research projects for over thirty years; we each bring a unique, yet complementary, perspective to the material we’ll be covering in this course.”
Students travel to Dharamsala in the foothills of the spectacular Himalayan Mountains of northern India. Dharamsala is home to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan refugee community. Students study at Men-Tsee-Khang, the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Medical Institute. Before flying home, they visit the Taj Mahal, India’s monument to love.
affairs is one of great complexity and history, rich with tradition. In May 2014, Dr. Dennis McKenna and a group of students will engage local experts, participate in various field trips, and have other unique cultural experiences as they explore ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, and humanity’s age-old relationship with plants.
Students will also learn about the use of plants as food, how plants can be used as medicine, and how indigenous plant wisdom has impacted medicine.
If the Dalai Lama is in Dharamsala when the students are there, they have the opportunity to see and even meet him. 13
Students are still able to participate in the Brazil trip in 2014. For more information, please contact Erin at fider002@umn.edu
WINTER 2013 MANDALA
MEET
Dr. Cindy Wilcox the Center’s New Director of Education BY MATT DEPOINT
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As a 16-year-old foreign exchange student in France, Dr. Cindy Wilcox, the Center’s new Director of Education, experienced a life-changing moment.
“ In the lavender fields of southern France, for the first time in my young life I saw how rich and diverse the world is,” she recalls. “That experience had a deep and profound impact on who I later became. I believe that travel wakes you up to different ways of living. It can also shake out any complacency that we may have developed along the way.” In this role — a newly created position at the Center — Dr. Wilcox provides leadership for all academic and non-credit education programs. She is focused on developing new initiatives that will reach diverse groups of people, not only at the University, but in larger communities, too. Wilcox is especially drawn to the Center for its focus on integrative healing, diversity of program offerings, and its entrepreneurial spirit.
“ In this position, I have the tremendous opportunity to build on the research related to leadership, healthy cultures, and wisdom traditions that I started years ago and take that research to new and exciting levels. Hopefully, I can use my experiences to help inspire and empower the wonderful faculty and staff at the Center to go beyond what any of us could achieve on our own.” she says. For Wilcox, her personal and professional life has become quite the balancing act, especially recently. With two 18-month-old twins at home, things have gotten a little hectic, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“ Being a mom is good for my soul and wellbeing,” she says with a smile. In addition to her twins, Wilcox also has regular visits from active grandparents and an au pair from China. “In my family, we definitely live by the old
notion that it takes a village to raise a child.”
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She is a life-long learner and truly values what education can do for the mind, body, and spirit. Her excitement for education is another reason she was drawn to the Center. Prior to her new beginning at the Center, Wilcox was a consultant and led a highperformance leadership academy for a Fortune 500 company in the Twin Cities, running programs in 52 countries and 20 languages.
“ Throughout my career I’ve had the opportunity to work in many capacities and organizations where I could really develop and hone my skills,” she says. “But at this point in my career, I am looking for an opportunity to give back.” Her interest in the Center is deeply rooted in her personal sense of wellbeing. She believes that when people understand their own wellbeing, they can better contribute to society and live more joyful lives.
“ I think that it’s really important to build up your own state of awareness and not focus too much on the day-to-day tasks,” she says. “When determining your own wellbeing, I think it’s wise to ask yourself who you are going to be while you do what you do” And for Wilcox, her personal awareness was shaped during her travels and through the interesting and diverse people she met along the way. She fondly recalls one of her early work assignments in the South Pacific Islands.
“ I felt so immersed in nature and the spirit of the islands and its people,” she says. “To this day, I still have a body memory of this trip. There was never a time that I couldn’t hear the rhythms and sounds of the ocean. I had never felt so balanced.” In this role at the Center, Wilcox has reached another life-changing milestone. By building upon previous professional experiences, life lessons and many stamps on her passport, she has the opportunity to not only guide Center changemakers, but be an agent of change herself.
WINTER 2013 MANDALA
DEFINING
Spirituality By Susan O’Conner-Von, PhD, RN
There are numerous definitions of spirituality in the literature representing a variety of worldviews. Yet, there are commonalities across most definitions of spirituality, that is, as a person’s desire for a sense of interconnectedness with others and an attempt to understand the meaning and purpose for life. Consistent in these definitions is the melding of a person’s connectedness with self, others, and his or her environment, illustrating to healthcare professionals the vital importance of acknowledging the connection of mind, body, and spirit. Studies have revealed a critical need for an accepted definition of spirituality in order to advance spiritual care research and practice. To address this lack of a clear definition of spirituality, Dr. Christina Puchalski and colleagues convened the Consensus Conference on Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care in Palliative Care in 2009 with 40 invited international experts in spirituality and spiritual care. Center founder and director Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer, was one of the invited guests. This consensus conference resulted in the development of spiritual care models for inpatient and outpatient healthcare, and guidelines for spiritual assessment, formulate spiritual care plans for patients, interprofessional team training, and quality improvement.
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
Lastly, the following definition of spirituality was created: “ S pirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred.” (Puchalski, et al, 2009) Christina Puchalski, MD, MS is an international leader in the movement to integrate spirituality into healthcare in both the clinical setting and education. In 1996 she created the FICA Spiritual History Tool for healthcare professionals to use in the clinical area. The FICA tool is not meant to be a checklist, but a guide for discussion with the patient and family. This tool is widely used in healthcare settings around the world. The FICA tool has been validated with adult populations in healthcare; however has not been evaluated by adolescents living with lifelimiting conditions. I am an Associate Professor of Nursing and the A. Marilyn Sime Faculty Research Fellow in the Center for Spirituality & Healing. Established in 1998 from a gift by School of Nursing Professor Emeritus, A. Marilyn Sime, PhD, RN, the fellowship was created to identify and support faculty who have high
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I don’t think of myself as someone with cystic fibrosis. I am more than that. What matters to me is being with my friends and family. They’re what’s important to me; they make me happy and help me when I am not feeling good.
— Quote from an adolescent female with cystic fibrosis.
potential for a research career in areas including complementary therapies and healing practices, spirituality, and cross-culture healing practices. Under the guidance of Dr. Puchalski, I am conducting a study to evaluate the FICA Spiritual History Tool with adolescents at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. Using a spiritual history tool that is designed to meet an adolescent’s spiritual needs, the study’s ultimate goal is to help adolescents and their families attain spiritual wellbeing, that is, the ability to experience and integrate meaning and purpose in life through connectedness with self, others, art, music, nature, and/or a power greater than oneself. In addition to the Sime Faculty Research Fellowship, I teach the 2-credit elective CSpH 5000: Spiritual Aspects of Palliative Care Across the Lifespan every fall semester. Students examine spiritual care as an essential component of providing palliative care across the life span and within an interprofessional team. Students will additionally explore spiritual assessment tools, spiritual care models, and formulate spiritual are plans for patients of various ages and health conditions. +++
Dr. Marilyn Sime and Dr. Susan O’Conner-Von
Puchalski, C., Ferrell, B., Virani, R., Otis-Green, S., Baird, P. Bull, J., Chochinov, H., Handzo, G., Nelson-Becker, H., Prince-Paul, M., Pugliese, K., & Sulmasy, D. (2009). Improving the quality of spiritual care as a dimension of palliative care: The report of the consensus conference. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 12 (10), 885 – 904.
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WINTER 2013 MANDALA
Connecting Humans and the Natural World Through a Lens
BY CRAIG BLACKLOCK
I recently returned from teaching “Figure in the Landscape,” a photography workshop on a dammed-up section of the Colorado River in Utah called Lake Powell. On calm mornings and evenings, the sandstone cliffs, rising hundreds of feet from the lake, are perfectly reflected below. While working with art models, the images, for me, always start with the landscape and my feelings about the land. I strive to utilize the figure as a way to connect the viewer in a deeper way to the sense of place. What does it feel like to be immersed by this environment? I want you to vicariously feel the texture of the sandstone, the smoothness to the water, the warmth of morning sun. I invite the viewer to step into the composition, which is fundamentally a different experience than viewing it simply as an object on the wall.
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
For many of the workshop participants, this was a unique approach. Most photographers who photograph people start with the person, not the background. Images shown at critique sessions early in the week were often focused tightly on the model, and missed the grand landscape. While beautiful images, they could just as well have been created in a studio. I quickly realized that my biggest challenge as an instructor was to teach these students to first see, then find a connection to, the landscape. I grew up in the wilds, and for more than 50 years have been making images of the natural landscape as a way to share my experiences. As I move through a landscape, I’m continually watching different elements and how they shift as I move and form artistic compositions. But for my workshop
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participants who grew up in places void of nature, places like Lake Powell can seem overwhelming. Even some of the photographers who had done extensive landscape photography found it difficult at first to find a meaningful link between the figure and the landscape. Fortunately, the photographers progressed fairly quickly as the week went on. The images started to include the iconic elements of the landscape, and the models began to fuse with the landscape, both compositionally and metaphorically. This workshop was a compressed version of my larger career, in which I’ve tried to educate people about the natural world. I seek to introduce them to places and ideas that may seem foreign to them and demonstrate how connected we all are to the natural world. And that we need nature as a part of our lives. My work with the Center for Spirituality
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& Healing in developing the Wellscapes videos has been a particularly rewarding realization of that concept. In Wellscapes, guided imagery and music fill the same role as the figure in some of my still images, expanding upon the image’s literal meaning, drawing metaphors and connections between the viewer and the natural world. Recognizing these connections helps us understand that we don’t stand separate from nature, but are a part of it. LEARN MORE ABOUT WELLSCAPES AT http://z.umn.edu/wellscapes Craig Blacklock’s photos and books, featuring images from Lake Superior, the Apostle Islands, and more, can be seen on his website at www.blacklockgallery.com
WINTER 2013 MANDALA
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF SELF-COMPASSION IS THE RECOGNITION OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY. Compassion is, by definition, relational. Compassion literally means “to suffer with,” which implies a basic mutuality in the experience of suffering. The emotion of compassion springs from the recognition that the human experience is imperfect, that we are all fallible. Why else would we say “it’s only human” to comfort someone who has made a mistake? When we’re in touch with our common humanity, we remember that feelings of inadequacy and disappointment are universal. This is what distinguishes self-compassion from self-pity. While self-pity says “poor me,” selfcompassion recognizes suffering is part of the
a logical thought process, but a type of emotional tunnel vision. Somehow it feels like I am the only one who is being dumped, proven wrong, or humiliated. And even when we’re having a painful experience that is not our fault — perhaps we’ve been laid off from our job because of the economic downturn, for instance — we often irrationally feel that the rest of the world is happily employed while it’s only me sitting at home watching re-runs all day. Or when we become seriously ill, we may feel like sickness is an abnormal state that “shouldn’t” be happening. (Like the dying 84-year-old man whose final words were “Why me?”) Once we fall into the trap of believing that things are “supposed” to go well, we tend to think something has gone terribly amiss when they suddenly don’t. Again, this isn’t a conscious thought process, but a hidden assumption that colors our emotional reactions. If we were to take a completely logical approach to the issue, we’d consider the fact that there are thousands of things that can go wrong in life at any one time, so it’s highly likely — in fact inevitable — that we’ll experience hardships on a regular basis. But we don’t tend to be rational about these matters. Instead, we suffer, and we feel all alone in our suffering.
Our Common Humanity EMBRACING
with
SELF-COMPASSION by Kristin Neff
shared human experience. The pain I feel in difficult times is the same pain that you feel in difficult times. The triggers are different, the circumstances are different, the degree of pain is different, but the basic experience is the same. Sadly, however, most people don’t focus on what they have in common with others, especially when they feel ashamed or inadequate. Rather than framing their imperfection in light of the shared human experience, they’re more likely to feel isolated and disconnected from the world around them when they fail. When we focus on our shortcomings without taking the bigger human picture into account, our perspective tends to narrow. We become absorbed by our own feelings of insufficiency and insecurity. When we’re in the confined space of self-loathing, it’s as if the rest of humanity doesn’t even exist. This isn’t
THE RECOGNITION OF COMMON HUMANITY ENTAILED BY SELF-COMPASSION ALSO ALLOWS US TO BE MORE UNDERSTANDING AND LESS JUDGMENTAL ABOUT OUR INADEQUACIES. Our thoughts, feelings and actions are largely impacted by factors outside of our control: parenting history, culture, genetic and environmental conditions, as well as the demands and expectations of others. After all, if we had full control over our behavior, how many people would consciously choose to have anger problems, addiction issues, debilitating social anxiety, an eating disorder? Many aspects of ourselves and the circumstances of our lives are not of our intentional choosing, but instead stem from innumerable factors that our outside our sphere of influence. When we acknowledge this reality, failings and life difficulties do not have to be taken so personally. +++
TO LEARN MORE about self-compassion you can visit my website at www.self-compassion.org. There are
informational videos, research articles demonstrating its benefits, a way to test your own self-compassion level, and a variety of exercises and guided meditations. You can also read more about self-compassion in my book Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind, William Morrow, 2011. CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
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THE
As Einstein once said: A human being is part of the whole, called by us ‘universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
WELLBEING LECT U R E SER IES
SELF-COMPASSION: MAKING FRIENDS WITH YOURSELF Let’s say you mess up—you flub an important presentation at work, or you get a low grade on a final exam, or you find yourself impatiently yelling at your toddler as she cries in the supermarket. When the drama of the moment subsides, listen: what is your inner voice saying? It’s important to listen, because the way you talk to yourself—especially when you’ve failed in some way—has an impact on your health, mood, and even your relationships with others. Do you admonish yourself for screwing up, or do you gently remind yourself that you’re only human and you’ll try harder next time? If the latter, then you’re practicing selfcompassion, according to researcher Kristin Neff, who spoke as part of the Center’s Wellbeing Lecture Series on Sept. 19. Making mistakes, fumbling, and losing your cool are an inevitable part of the human experience—but most of us turn these slip-ups into an opportunity to beat ourselves up for being less than perfect. But when we see ourselves as a hopeless failure, we close our heart down to ourselves and to others. Self-compassion isn’t self-pity (Poor me, I shouldn’t feel this bad!) or irresponsibility (I messed up? Who cares!) or even self-esteem (As long as I succeed, I feel good). It’s about recognizing that feeling down is part of the shared human experience and mindfully refraining from judging yourself.
This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post in September 2012.
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VISIT OUR TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING WEBSITE FOR A VIDEO WITH MORE GREAT INFORMATION FROM DR. NEFF. Visit http://z.umn.edu/neffmandala WINTER 2013 MANDALA
Philanthropic Activism
BEGINS
WITH YOU
By Dianne Lev One of my favorite ways to explain philanthropy is that it is a love of humanity and an act of generosity that nourishes and enhances what it means to be human. At the Center for Spirituality & Healing, every gift helps to advance wellbeing. In this issue of Mandala, many stories and experiences shared were made possible by generous philanthropic gifts. For example: Katherine Todd’s leadership and expertise, in working with families at the Park Nicollet Family Birth Center, has been deepened and sharpened via a unique fellowship supported by the George Family Foundation. Katherine designed and carried out a set of learning experiences that took place during the final year of her Doctorate of Nursing Practice program at the U of M. Susan O’Conner-Von is exploring uncharted territory as she designs and tests a tool that will help caregivers better understand the spiritual needs of adolescent patients and their families. Susan’s research is possible because she was awarded a two-year research fellowship, established by U of M Professor Emeritus, A. Marilyn Sime, and based at the Center.
CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALING
T he Center’s ‘Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing’ website, which currently is viewed by more than 130,000 unique visitors each month, initially was created in concert with leaders from Charlson Meadows. A nd pioneering works of 2013 Wellbeing Lecturers Tom Rath (Eat, Move, Sleep) and Kristen Neff (Self-Compassion) were introduced to Twin Cities’ audiences because of sponsoring partnerships with many forward-thinking U of M collegiate units and community-based organizations. This is great philanthropy in action. Katherine and Susan are able to transform the ways in which children and families experience the healthcare system because their benefactors took action with strategic gifts of time, resources, and commitment. With highly engaged funders and sponsors, our Taking Charge site and Wellbeing Lecture Series now bring evidence-based information about wellbeing to thousands of people who are eager to make lifestyle changes. While the scope of each gift varies, by donating, these individuals, families, nonprofits and corporations become philanthropic activists. These activists recognize that for true innovation to take hold in healthcare and beyond, the Center depends on their action to launch new ventures, research possibilities and translate results into practice for the greater good of all humanity. Looking toward to 2014, just one year away from the Center’s 20th anniversary, I am putting out a bold call for philanthropic activists who can help us advance wellbeing in the following areas:
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INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION: Did you know that our academic courses attract more than 600 students per semester from all corners of the U, and community-based offerings reach thousands more over the span of a year? To broaden the Center’s reach to students, many courses and workshops are poised to migrate into online environments. Educational leadership and instructional design are essential elements for success. This is the right time to invest in our groundbreaking educational programs. HEALTH COACHING: Health coaching has emerged as a pivotal profession strongly rooted in integrative healing and wellbeing. Philanthropic action is needed to pilot health coaching projects, specifically with underserved populations in economically-challenged communities that are managing chronic conditions. MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR) AND MINDFULNESS-BASED CANCER RECOVERY (MBCR): The Center is one of the nation’s hubs of MBSR. In fact, we have just launched a new companion program, MBCR. Your gift permits us to develop talented faculty and provide scholarships for students who seek benefits from mindfulness training. NATURE-BASED THERAPEUTICS: Therapeutic methods of connecting people with nature and animals are in great demand. As a philanthropic NBT activist, your gift will help advance this groundbreaking new initiative, which includes animal-assisted interactions, therapeutic horticulture, and more.
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2014 WELLBEING LECTURE SERIES: The Center’s third year of the Wellbeing Lecture series will feature celebrated thought-leaders and other unique collaborative events. The Center provides sponsors with an array of learning opportunities so that leaders can bring wellbeing information and practices back to their organizations and communities. Finally, after many years of thriving within an entrepreneurial financial model, the Center is ready for bold, long-term partnerships with extraordinary philanthropists whose major gifts will catapult the Center’s work and its leadership into a future filled with promise. Your sustaining, pivotal gift can establish the Center’s first leadership chair so that our Director’s voice for integrative health and wellbeing can be heard across the globe. The Center for Spirituality & Healing is a place where people can follow their own paths to deeper understanding about what it means—to them—to be human in today’s complex society. For the Center to be there for students and communities in the decades ahead, we need an infusion of fresh philanthropic support. I invite you to become engaged through one of our upcoming learning opportunities. Or contact me, and describe a strategy that would be meaningful and purposeful for you or your organization. I can be reached by email (dlev@umn.edu) or phone (612-624-1121). Together let’s explore our shared love of humanity and all the ways in which giving to the Center can strengthen our common wellbeing.
WINTER 2013 MANDALA
www.csh.umn.edu Mayo Memorial Building MMC #505 420 Delaware St. S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455
Featured Upcoming Center Events WELLBEING LECTURE SERIES
Dan Siegel: April 24 Mike Roizen: Sept. 25
THE PURPOSE PROJECT HEALTHY EATING, HEALTHY LIVING WITH Living on Purpose, SPOONRIVER CHEF Working on Purpose, BRENDA LANGTON
Healing on Purpose March 2014
March 25, April 1, and April 8
HOLISTIC HEALTH AND HEALING SUMMER INSTITUTE
July 21 - 25, 2014 Academic and continuing education credit will be available.
Learn more about upcoming Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction opportunities, workshops, and other Center events at http://z.umn.edu/cshevents
Registration is open for the Spring 2014 Academic Semester. Center courses are open to students and the general public. Center courses span many areas of integrative healing and wellbeing, including:
To learn more, see a list of all Center Spring courses, or register, visit http://z.umn.edu/cshs
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