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Summary description: The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM) Small Group Model is an approach designed to heal psychological trauma, relieve stress, reduce symptoms of chronic illness, and increase resilience. Working in small groups of 8-10 people, facilitators teach a variety of self-care techniques drawn from the world’s healing traditions as well as modern medicine to help participants learn to move through emotions and experience their own capacity for self-healing. Trained facilitators guide the experience, helping participants discover their own answers.

**Access to the intervention manual: ** Access after training. Find more information here.

Access to training: Access after training. Find more information here..

Intended users/ Implementers: Trained and supervised non-specialist provider

Therapeutic strategies: The individual mind-body skills taught consist of different types of meditation including an expressive (active, physical) meditation, biofeedback and autogenic training, guided imagery, genograms, mindful eating, and self-expression through written words and drawings.

Intervention format: The mind-body skills are taught in groups of 8-10 people for 2 hours once a week for 6-8 weeks. Longer programs may be run for 10-12 weeks. Each group consists of the following: 1. A slow deep breathing meditation; 2. Check-in; 3. Explanation of the mind-body technique and practice of the technique; 4. Sharing the experience of the technique, 5. Closing with a slow deep breathing meditation.

Target population: Traumatized and chronically stressed individuals.

Significant effects found on symptoms of: Statistically significant improvements were seen following the mind-body skills groups for: 1. Posttraumatic stress disorder, anger, and sleep disturbance in adults; and 2. posttraumatic stress disorder in adolescents.

Key innovative or differentiating features of this intervention: This is an innovative comprehensive model of self-care and mutual support. The techniques are taught in a specific order to help achieve physiological and psychological balance by using simple techniques before practicing those that require more focus. The small group setting is very important because it provides safety and social support.

Summary of Evidence: Two RCTs have been published on this model: with military Veterans (doi: 10.1037/tra0000559) and Kosovar adolescents (doi: 10.4088/jcp.v69n0915). Pilot studies have been published on Palestinian adults (doi:/10.1037/trm0000081), Palestinian youth (doi:/10.1037/trm0000081), depressed adolescents (doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.05.003), and Kosovar adolescents (doi:10.1023/B:JOTS.0000022620.13209.a0)

Different populations where the intervention has been used: War traumatized populations, Displaced persons, Military veterans, Survivors of mass violence, Survivors of natural disaster, First responders, Incarcerated individuals, Indigenous communities, Healthcare workers, Caregivers, and Community leaders.

Restrictions or requirements for its use: Anyone can participate in the mind-body skills groups as long as they are able to tolerate being in a group setting and do not have any issues that would lead to them being disruptive. In order to access or use the manual, completion of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine's Professional Training Program in Mind-Body Medicine and the Advanced Training Program in Mind-Body Medicine is required. The manual is provided following completion of the Advanced Training program.

Requirements / qualifications for trainers and supervisors: No professional degrees or specific levels of education are required for the training. Trainers are required to complete The Center for Mind-Body Medicine's (CMBM) Professional Training Program in Mind-Body Medicine and the Advanced Training Program in Mind-Body Medicine. Supervisors are required to complete the professional and advanced training programs above and in addition must complete the CMBM Certification Program in Mind-Body Medicine, have a recommendation by CMBM faculty, and complete the CMBM Training of Supervisors program, and receive ongoing supervision.

Examples of adaptations and different formats: Adaptations of this program include: 1. the use of the mind-body skills by individuals as presented in Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing by James S. Gordon (ISBN-13‏: ‎978-0062870728); 2. A mind-body medicine curriculum as part of an elective peer counseling course for high school peer counselors as described in a qualitative study (doi:10.1002/pits.22871); 3. A Mind-Body Ambassador Club where high school students participate in a 6-8 week Mind-Body Skills Group and then meet regularly to practice the skills and think creatively how to share them with others in their school; and 4. An Introduction to Mind-Body Skills course offered at Allegany College of Maryland as part of their Integrative Health Department courses.

Examples of implementation outside of RCT contexts: This program has been implemented in a wide variety of populations in several countries including the following:

  1. Since 1999, 600 health and education professionals were trained in Kosovo including a leadership team of 15 people who implemented the program into the 7 community mental health centers. It is estimated that 2 million children and adults have been served.
  2. Since 2005, more than 1500 clinicians, educators, and community leaders have been trainined in Gaza. The program has been implemented into the public schools and gender-based violence programs. Trainings and mind-body skills groups continue being conducted during the current war (2024). The program has served more than 410,000 children and adults. Current funding will allow the outreach to serve about 300,000 more.
  3. CMBM-Israel was established in 2009 and offers ongoing training and certifcation to Israeli clinicians and educators. Five hundred health and education professionals have been trained. Over 50,000 children and adults have been served.
  4. In 2010 after the earthquake in Haiti, CMBM-Haiti was established. Since then the CMBM model has been shared with over 120 local and national organizations. Three hundred clinicians, educators, community leaders, and clergy have been trained and over 250,000 children and adults have been served.
  5. In 2017, CMBM held trainings for Syrian refugees in Jordan.
  6. In 2018, CMBM expanded its work in Haiti to address population-wide stress as a result of hurricanes Maria and Irma. Three hundred service providers and community leaders have been trained. Forty thousand have participated in Mind-Body Skills Groups and 250,000 children and adults have been served.
  7. In 2023, 137 participants were trained in Ukraine and began facilitating mind-body skills groups in their communities. Forty-four of those have been further trained to supervise others in their community and to lead their own trainings. Nearly 3,000 children and adults have been served.
  8. In addition to the international programs described above CMBM has also trained and worked with a wide variety of groups in the United States including incarcerated individuals and staff at the Indiana Department of Corrections; Veterans and staff at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System in New Orleans, LA; employees of the Eskenazi Health Care System in Indianapolis, IN; teachers, staff and students in the Broward County Public Schools in Florida; community organizations in Baton Rouge, LA; educators in Las Vegas, NV; the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota; the community leaders in the Sonoma Community Resilience Collaborative in California; Whole Health Coaches and clinical leaders in VISN 8, the largest hospital and clinic system in the Veterans Health Administration, serving 1.5 million U.S. veterans across the southeastern U.S. and the Caribbean; and faculty members, administrators, and students at Allegany College of Maryland.

Information provided by Julie Staples on 18 November 2024.