Spark
Perspectives, news, and announcements from the Center that will ignite your passion for wellbeing.
Tags: Care-Model Innovation, Wellbeing
June 12, 2018
Low back pain affects almost a third of Americans. While there is a long-standing belief that low back pain is limited to adults, research has shown it develops with increasing frequency during adolescence. With the increasing concern about opioid prescription rates, including among U.S. youth—up to 40 percent with low back pain receive opioids as part of their treatment—there is heightened urgency to identify safe and effective non-drug treatment options. Spinal manipulation and exercise are two such approaches which are recommended for adults with low back pain. Little is known, however, regarding the effectiveness of these treatments for adolescent low back pain sufferers.
June 5, 2018
Have you ever been lost? I know I have, more than once, sometimes even in my own back yard. The reason I ask this question is that some of the times I have been lost, I haven’t been clear about where I was going. And since I have zero natural sense of direction, it’s a recipe for disaster when it comes to me. How that random thought applies to the topic of wellbeing is interesting. Most people spend more time planning their next road trip than they do planning how they want to experience wellbeing in their life. Without a roadmap or vision for wellbeing, you are likely to keep getting the same results in your life while feeling lost in the process.
Tags: Community Stories, Courses, Student Stories
May 31, 2018
CSPH 5318 faculty and students just had an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India!
Tags: Animal-Assisted Interactions, Courses, Health Professionals, Mental Health, Nature-Based Therapeutics, Wellbeing
May 30, 2018
What is the science behind equine assisted activities and therapy (EAAT)? That is the question we try to answer in the CSpH 5643 "Horse as Teacher" course. This blended (six weeks online with one week face-to-face) class highlights the science behind EAAT and how partnering with the horse can help the brain and body work together to bring about measurable positive outcomes.
Tags: Health Coaching, Student Stories
May 9, 2018
Three University of Minnesota integrative health and wellbeing coaching students presented their final capstone projects on May 6, 2018. The health coaching program, which is offered by the University’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, requires that students complete a professional case report as a capstone project to earn a master of arts degree in integrative health and wellbeing coaching.
May 7, 2018
Ricka Robb Kohnstamm combines more than 25 years of professional service industry and strategic consulting expertise with a M.A. in Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching from the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing at the University of Minnesota, one of the United States' premiere research universities. She offers individual and group coaching at her private practice, Align Whole Health, and enjoys speaking to groups about self-care as primary care.
April 16, 2018
After 4 years of speaking to hundreds of women in networking events, individual coaching sessions, and speaking engagements, I have come to realize how vital creativity is to a woman’s wellbeing. In my own life, I reached a point where having my creativity on the shelf became unbearable. I didn’t realize it was the missing link until I reconnected with it and discovered it was actually a form of fuel for my wellbeing. Now, I consciously nurture my relationship with my creativity every single day and enjoy the boost of energy it gives me for whatever life sends my way.
Tags: Health Coaching
April 2, 2018
I often get asked the question, “Why would someone work with a health coach?” It’s a great question and one that has different answers. Let me start with the stories of a couple of my recent clients to illustrate. One had just finished acute treatment for cancer and found herself in the strange transition time between actively receiving treatment and finding the new normal in her life after a major health crisis. For her, coaching allowed her a place to stop and figure out what kind of a support team she needed to navigate this new phase of the ongoing maintenance of her condition. She also took some time to define the new normal in her life and figure out what she most needed to feel like she was in charge of her life and thriving again.
March 27, 2018
The gonging of a Tibetan singing bowl signifies the start and end of staff meetings at The Waters in Oakdale. Before every shift, the health and wellbeing team comes together for huddles to talk about their intentions for the day and what they will focus on, starting perhaps with a guided imagery exercise or aromatherapy. Grounded and primed with information needed to provide excellent care, these nurse leaders head out to engage with residents.
Tags: Care-Model Innovation, Community Stories, Faculty Stories, Mandala, Mindfulness, Mindfulness in Education
March 13, 2018
Just 3 years ago, I had never practiced mindfulness, and the word “mindfulness” had likely never even passed my lips. Now, being mindful is an intention I have for all of the moments of my day. Mindfulness practices find their way into all parts of my life, all locations of my life, and they support me in being the person that I mean to be. - Jamie Edwards, School Social Worker in a local public school
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Mandala is a biannual magazine produced by Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. It captures the core aspects of the Center: reflection, transformation, spirituality, creation, and the ongoing journey that continues to shape what we are to become.
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The Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing blog covers a range of integrative health and wellbeing topics. For more information about our blog, contact us at csh@umn.edu