Meditation and Psychotherapy: Learning from Nature

Research shows that connection to nature can have a wide range of benefits, such as improved attention, memory, mood, social interactions, happiness and wellbeing, and reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic disease. Although human beings have evolved with nature, benefit from nature, and are part of nature, modern society is increasingly alienated from the natural world and our environment is in crisis. Eco-anxiety and climate distress are having a significant impact on mental health, especially among young people. 

Meditation and psychotherapy can be harnessed to improve our relationship to nature, and nature can have a positive influence on how we meditate and do clinical work. This webinar series explores the importance of nature from a variety of perspectives—scientific, therapeutic, mindfulness, and indigenous. Attendees will learn useful tools and strategies to help their patients realign with, benefit from, and support the natural world. Therapists will also have a chance to explore their own relationship to nature and environmental disruption.

Who Should Attend

• Primary Care Physicians
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Counselors
• Family Therapists
• Others

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Summarize the research supporting the mental and physical health benefits of exposure to nature.
• Teach their patients mindfulness practices to enhance their sense of connection with nature in urban and rural settings.
• Guide patients with trauma to alleviate their distress by engaging safely and effectively with the natural world.
• Engage therapeutically with adults and youth who are experiencing eco-anxiety.
• Integrate elements of indigenous wisdom into mindfulness practice.
• Understand and manage the clinician’s own emotional distress associated with climate change.

ABMS/ACGME Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) / Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educational (ACGME) competencies:

• Patient Care and Procedural Skills
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Medical Knowledge 

IOM Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following Institute of Medicine Core Competencies:

• Employ Evidence-Based Practice
• Provide Patient-Centered Care

Questions?

Please contact the Continuing Education Programs with any questions by email at learn@hms.harvard.edu.

Dekila Chungyalpa

Founder and Director, Loka Initiative, Center for Healthy Minds and Healthy Minds Innovations, University of Wisconsin Madison

Mark Coleman

Founder, Awake in the Wild, The Mindfulness Institute, and the Mindfulness Training Institute
Author
Mindfulness Teacher
Consultant

Bonnie Duran, DrPH

Professor, School of Social Work
Adjunct Professor, Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health
Director, Center for Indigenous Health Research, the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, University of Washington

Barbara Hamm, PsyD

Teaching Associate in Psychiatry, Part-time, Harvard Medical School
Affiliate, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance 
Psychotherapist in Private Practice

Kaira Jewel Lingo, MA

Buddhist and Mindfulness Teacher
Author

Christopher Willard, PsyD

Psychologist and Educational Consultant
Teaching Associate in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Course Directors

Harvard Medical School Continuing Education attracts the best and brightest faculty from all around the world. As a student in this course, you’ll have access to outstanding course directors and faculty.

Christopher K. Germer, PhD

Faculty and Co-Founder, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion and Supervisor
Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance
Lecturer on Psychiatry, part-time, Harvard Medical School
Faculty, Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy
Co-Developer, Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Training Program Private Practice and Supervision, Arlington, MA

Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD

Faculty, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance
Assistant Professor of Psychology (part-time), Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Faculty, Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy

Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Center Director, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance
Director, Mindful Mental Health Service, Cambridge Health Alliance
Director of Addiction Research, Cambridge Health Alliance
Faculty Affiliate, Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth

Karen Kuc, MPH

Director, Continuing Education in Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance​​​
Associate in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

In support of improving patient care, Harvard Medical School is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physicians

The Harvard Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Psychologists

Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 7.50 continuing education credits.

Counselors

Cambridge Health Alliance is an Affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5444.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This course meets the requirements for 7.50 continuing education hours, and is also applicable for Commonwealth of Massachusetts Counseling/Allied Mental Health accreditation for 7.50 credits.

Social Workers

This program has been approved for a total of 7.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for re-licensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approval Program Authorization Number D 93035. NY Social Workers: Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an Approved Provider #0038 of continuing education for licensed social workers. This course offers 7.5 contact hours.

Physician Assistants

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) states that AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are acceptable for continuing medical education requirements for recertification. We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity withAMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for re-licensure.

Canadian Accreditation

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes conferences and workshops held outside of Canada that are developed by a university, academy, hospital, specialty society or college as accredited group learning activities.

European Accreditation

The American Medical Association (AMA) has an agreement of mutual recognition of continuing medical education (CME) credit with the European Union of Medical Specialties (UEMS). Additional information regarding this agreement may be found on the American Medical Association (AMA) website.

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, and counselors, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. In addition, this course has been approved as a live virtual series and we cannot issue certificates for only watching the recordings; participants must be present for all of the live sessions. For any questions regarding CE credit, please email cme@challiance.org. 

Disclosure Policy

In accord with the disclosure policy of the Medical School as well as standards set forth by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), course planners, speakers, and content reviewers have been asked to disclose any relationships they have to companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. In addition, faculty have been asked to list any off-label uses of pharmaceuticals and/or devices for investigational or non-FDA approved purposes that they plan to discuss.

Disclaimer

CME activities accredited by Harvard Medical School are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of certification of competency. Practitioners should always consult additional sources of information and exercise their best professional judgement before making clinical decisions of any kind.

Note: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ is calculated based on submission of a preliminary agenda and may be subject to change.