Spring 2020: Mindfulness in Health and Human Development — EDIS 3012

Mindfulness in Health and Human Development is designed to integrate cutting edge science with practical applications for students preparing to work in caring professions, or other work environments. Evidence has shown that mindfulness can give us an edge in supporting our own well-being and our ability to provide support for others. As a student in Mindfulness in Health and Human Development, you will gain a solid foundation in the interdisciplinary field of interpersonal neurobiology and the scientific study of mindful awareness and compassion practices. For the purposes of this course, mindfulness is defined as a trait, a state, and a practice. Research has found that some people are naturally more mindful that others (trait), anyone can be more or less mindful at any given moment (state) and you can cultivate mindfulness with practice. Mindful awareness practices can be formal (such as forms of meditation) or informal (bringing mindful awareness to everyday activities). They can also be practiced in a variety of ways besides formal meditation, including movement (walking, yoga and martial arts), and engaging with nature and the arts. You will become familiar with a variety of these practices and will be asked to integrate them into your own life by regularly engaging with them for the duration of the course. You will then apply this theoretical and practical knowledge to a series of case studies highlighting common intrapersonal and interpersonal challenges. You will also learn how to present and lead these practices to others and gain experience practicing this in class. In this way, Mindfulness in Health and Human Development will prepare you to use the skills learned in this course to care for yourself and build capacity to help others.

3 Credits

Instructors: Helen Min, Tish Jennings