Dr. Cooke accepted to Faculty Mind-Body Medicine Program

Brian Cooke, MD Assistant Professor
Brian Cooke, MD
Assistant Professor and Course Director for Introduction to Clinical Medicine I and II

UF Department of Psychiatry Faculty member Brian Cooke, MD has been accepted into the Faculty Training in Mind-Body Medicine program at the Institute for Integrative Health in Baltimore, Maryland. The April 7th conference will be held in Queenstown, Maryland.

The Faculty Training in Mind-Body Medicine program is designed to foster self-awareness in future health professionals. According to the Institute, “Students of medicine, nursing, and other health professions often experience stress and anxiety that can interfere with learning to be effective, compassionate caregivers. However, when these students are able to develop self-awareness, gaining perspective on stressful situations and integrating self-care into their lives, they become more resilient and empathetic. The Institute helps make this possible by equipping faculty from health professional schools with skills and knowledge to lead mind-body medicine groups for students.”

The four-day retreat will teach participants about the variety of mind-body approaches to help students relieve stress. Some of the approaches that will be covered include: meditation, journaling, and biofeedback. Participants will also take part in these techniques to experience firsthand the benefits of these approaches.

This training will be especially beneficial for Dr. Cooke as his role as Course Director for Introduction to Clinical Medicine I and II at the UF College of Medicine. Dr. Cooke teaches over 135 medical students. He also lectures to the Department’s psychiatry residents and forensic fellows. The program aims to provide the participants with the knowledge and experience of these approaches to incorporate into their curriculum or to create groups upon returning to their institutions. Dr. Cooke will work with other College of Medicine physicians who have received the training to bring mindfulness to UF.

To learn more about the program or to apply please visit the Institute for Integrative Health’s website at http://tiih.org/