Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD RN

Position: Founder and Director
Organization: Center for Spirituality & Healing

Office Address:
C510 Mayo Memorial Bldg, MMC 505
420 Delaware Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Office Phone: 612-625-3977
Office Fax: 612-626-5280
Email Address: kreit003@umn.edu

Educational Background
Dr. Kreitzer earned her doctoral degree in health services research and her masters and bachelor's degrees in nursing.

Brief Biography
As founder and director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing, Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer brings more than 20 years of leadership and expertise to the field of integrative health and medicine.  She was the principal investigator of a $1.6 million National Institutes of Health  (NCCAM) education grant and a Fetzer Institute funded evaluation of the Inner Life of Healers Program and the co-PI of a five year $2.1 million NIH (NINR) clinical trial of mindfulness meditation with solid organ transplant patients. She is currently the co-PI of a clinical trial funded by BlueCross/Blue Shield Minnesota on the impact of an integrated residential treatment program on women with eating disorders, the co-PI of an NIH NCCAM R21 grant on mind/body interventions for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients and is the co-investigator of a clinical trial comparing mindfulness meditation with pharmacotherapy for people with chronic insomnia.  She is also the co-PI of a newly funded NCCAM R25 grant focused on integrating research in a CAM educational institution. In addition to her administrative responsibilities in the Center for Spirituality and Healing, Mary Jo teaches a course on optimal healing environments in the graduate minor in complementary therapies and healing practices and is a tenured professor in the School of Nursing where she is co-director of the doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) program in integrative health and healing. From 2004-2007, she served as the vice-chair of the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine. In 2008, she was named by Minnesota Physician as one of the 100 most influential health care leaders in the state.  In 2009, she testified at a US Senate hearing titled "Integrative Health: Pathway to Health Reform" as well as the Institute of Medicine Summit titled "Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public". Dr. Kreitzer earned her doctoral degree in health services research and her masters and bachelor’s degrees in nursing.


Teaching Areas
Optimal Healing Environments

Research Interests
Optimal Healing Environments
Complementary therapies and healing practices
Mindfulness-based stress reduction

Selected Publications
Kreitzer MJ, Jensen D (2000). Healing Practices: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Nurses in Acute and Critical Care. AACN Clinical Issues: Advanced Practice and Acute and Critical Care; Issues on Complementary/Alternative Therapies. (Kirksey and Lindquist co-editors) Vol 11(1):7-16.
Halcon L, Leonard B, Snyder M, Garwick A, Kreitzer MJ: Incorporating alternative and complementary health practices within University-based nursing education. Complementary Health Practice Review, 2001 Vol 6(2):127-135.
Halcon L; Leonard B; Snyder M; Garwick A; Kreitzer MJ (2001). Incorporating Alternative and Complementary Health Practices within University-based Nursing Education. Alternative Health Practitioner: the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Health Care. Springer Publishing Company. Pages 1279-137
Kreitzer, Mary Jo (2001). Chapter 10, Meditation. For Mariah Snyder and Ruth Lindquist in Alternative/Complementary Therapies: A Guide for Nurses. 4th Edition. New York:NY, Springer Publishing Co, pages 101-113.
Kreitzer, Mary Jo (2001). Visioning and Planning. Integrating Complementary Medicine In Health Systems. Nancy Faass editor. Aspen Publishers, pages 49-55.
Matthees BJ, Anatachoti P, Kreitzer MJ, Savik K, Hertz M, Gross C (2001). Use of complementary therapies, adherence and quality of life in lung transplant recipients. Heart Lung Journal Vol 30(4):258-268.
Hageness S, Kreitzer MJ, Kinney ME (2002). Complementary, integrative, and holistic care in emergency nursing. Nursing Clinics of North America Vol 37(1):123-133.
Kreitzer MJ, Mitten D, Harris I, Shanedling J (2002). Attitudes Towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Medical, Nursing and Pharmacy Faculty and Students: A comparative analysis. Attitudes of Faculty and Students toward CAM. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine Vol 8(6):44-53.
Kreitzer MJ, Snyder, M (2002). Healing the Heart: Integrating Complementary Therapies and Healing Practices into the Care of Cardiovascular Patients. Progress in Cardiovascular Nursing Vol XVII (2):73-80.
Disch J, Kreitzer MJ (2003). Shaping the Future of complementary and alternative therapies for critical care nursing. The Clinics of North America, Critical Care Nursing Clinics series September issue Vol 15(3):387-92.
Halcon L, Chlan L, Kreitzer MJ, Leonard B (2003). Complementary therapies and healing practices: faculty/student beliefs and attitudes and the implications for nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing Vol 19(6)387-397.
Gross CR, Kreitzer MJ, Russas V, Treesak C, Frazier P, Hertz M (2004). Mindfulness meditation to reduce symptoms after organ transplant: A pilot study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine May/June Vol 10(3): 58-66
McDonough-Means S, Kreitzer MJ, Bell I (2004). Fostering a Healing Presence and Investigating its Mediators. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Vol 10(S1):S25-S41.
Kreitzer MJ, Gross C, Ye X, Russas V, Treesak C (2005) Longitudinal Impact of Mindfulness Meditation on Illness Burden in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: Results of a Pilot Study. Progress in Transplantation June Vol 15(2):166-172.
Sierpina VS, Kreitzer MJ (2005). Innovations in Integrative Health Care Education. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing May (2005) Vol 1(3): 220-221.
Kreitzer MJ (2005). The Practice of Nursing: The Challenge of Making the Invisible, Visible. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing May (2005) Vol 1(3)224-225.
Sierpina VS, Kreitzer MJ (2005). Innovations in Integrative Health Care Education. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing March 2005 Vol 1(2): 140-141.
1Chlan L, Halcon L, Kreitzer MJ, Leonard B (2005). Influence of an Experiential Education Session on Nursing Students? Confidence Levels in Performing Selected Complementary Therapy Skills. Complementary Health Practice Review October 2005 Vol 10(3)189-201.
Kreitzer MJ, Sierpina VS (2005). Innovations in Integrative Health Care Education. EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing July 2005 Vol 1(4):308-309.
Tracy MF, Lindquist R, Savik K, Watanuki S, Sendelbach S, Kreitzer MJ, Berman B (2005): Use of complementary and alternative therapies: A national survey of critical care nurses. American Journal of Critical Care Vol 14(5):404-414.
Lee MY, Allweiss P, Haramati A, Hedgecock J, Kreitzer MJ, Wimsatt L, Zeller J (2006). CAM Educational Implementation Strategies Academic Medicine (submitted).
Kreitzer MJ, Gross C, Waleekhachonloet O, Reilly-Spong M, Byrd M (2006). The Serenity Scale: A Factor Analysis of a Dimension of Spirituality and Well-Being Research in Nursing and Health (submitted).
Kreitzer MJ, Mann D, Lumpkin M (2006). CAM Competencies for the Health Professions Academic Medicine (submitted).
Sierpina VS, Kreitzer MJ, Brodsky M, Fung C, Hui KK, Stuber M, Fleishman S (2006). Innovations in Integrative Healthcare Education: Mind-Body Faculty Development at UCLA and the Symposium for Portland Area Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing, Volume 2, Issue 6, November 2006, Pages 547-549.
Kreitzer MJ, Sierpina V, Rakel D, Bauer B.(2006). Innovations in Integrative Healthcare Education: Consortium Expands with the Addition of the University of Wisconsin and the Mayo Medical Center. EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing, Volume 2, Issue 5, September 2006, Pages 457-458.
Kreitzer MJ, Sierpina V, Rakel D, Bauer B (2006). Innovations in Integrative Healthcare Education: Consortium Expands with the Addition of the University of Wisconsin and the Mayo Medical Center. EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing September/October 2006 Vol 2(5):457-458.
Winbush N, Gross C, Kreitzer MJ (2006). A systemic review of the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on sleep disturbance in patients with chronic illness. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (submitted).
Torkelson CJ, Harris I, Kreitzer MJ (2006). Evaluation of a complementary and alternative medicine rotation in medical school. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine July/August Vol 12(4):30-34.
Kreitzer MJ, Zhang L, Trotter M (2006). Transformative Professional Development:Outcomes of the Inner Life Renewal Program. Complementary Health Practice Review January 2006 Vol 11(1):1-6.
Sierpina VS, Kreitzer MJ, Stanley J (2006). CAM Selective at St. George?s Medical School. EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing May 2006 Vol 2(3):269-270.
Kreitzer MJ (2006). Abstract: Advances in Mind/Body Medicine: Expanded Care Options for Women. Journal of Women?s Health Vol 15(4):456.
Vincent A, Barton D, Mandrekar J, Zias T, Wahner-Roedler D, Keppler M, Kreitzer MJ, Loprinzi C 2007). Acupuncture for hot flashes: A randomized sham-controlled clinical study. Menopause?The Journal of The North American Menopause Society 14(1)45-52.
Sierpina VS, Kreitzer MJ, Leskowitz E (2007). Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital?The Integrative Medicine Project. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing January/February Vol 3(1):70-71.