What is the "Mind-Body Connection"?

The mind-body connection is the understanding that our brain can directly influence your body and its health through thoughts, habits, beliefs, and emotions. The nervous, endocrine and immune system all share a common chemical "language" that allows communication in your body through messengers like hormones and neurotransmitters. There is bidirectional communication between brain and body. What you may not know is that far more messaging happens from the body to the brain than brain to body!

When you are stressed, for example, your mind can directly impact your bodily health. If you've ever felt your hands shake from excitement or nerves or butterflies in your stomach waiting to see someone you care about, you've experienced the mind-body connection. Maybe you've noticed that when you take some slow, deep breaths you feel less stressed but don't really know why. Dr. Janine can teach you the psychology and neuroscience behind how using your body to slow breathing and heartrate can directly influence the state of brain structures, associated neurochemical signals, and thus emotional reactivity. Working with Dr. Janine can provide you an opportunity to create balance between body and mind health so that the body as a whole can function more efficiently, giving you a better overall quality of life.

(Image from Bodily maps of emotions, Lauri Nummenmaa, Enrico Glerean, Riitta Hari, and Jari K. Hietanen. PNAS January 14, 2014. 111 (2) 646-651; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1321664111)

What are the benefits of understanding and using a mind-body approach in my life?

Mind-Body approaches are taught and encouraged by Dr. Janine because of the scientifically researched and proven positive impact on overall mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness. Dr. Janine encourages clients to add a variety of wellness services into their lives alongside counselling or psychotherapy to promote overall wellness in all areas of their life.