The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM) will be relocating to Storrs Center at the address of 40 Wilbur Cross Way, Suite 102. NICABM “is a pioneer and leader in the field of mind-body-spirit medicine,” according to the institute’s website.
The institute is an accredited provider of continuing education in the area of mind-body medicine for physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers and counselors. It also has online programs in the areas of brain science and the treatment of trauma and mindfulness meditation, which align with the company’s goal of complimenting traditional Western medicine with more holistic methods.
The idea behind mind-body medicine involves using one’s own thoughts and emotions to effect a physiological change and improve health, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. There has long been a dichotomy between treatments of the mind versus the body with alternative methods focusing on the former and Western medicine concentrating on the latter. However, over the years there has been mounting evidence in support of the unity of mind and body.
Psychiatrist George Solomon investigated the connection between emotions and the body’s immune response in the context of rheumatoid arthritis, spawning the field of psychoneuroimmunology. This was the start of a shared approach to health, where the mind was given ample consideration in the quality of overall health. Since then, considerable advancements have been made in the field and mind-body medicine has become a legitimate area of research at medical institutions both nationally and internationally.
The arrival of NICABM at Storrs Center places the University of Connecticut at the precipice of potentially exciting new endeavors and breakthroughs in the field. With its strong stance on and commitment to STEM research and development in the coming years, the NICABM could provide the perfect compliment as new biomedical approaches to medicine can be offered alongside mind-body and behavioral techniques. By offering the two methodologies together, there is the potential for greater healing through a more holistic approach to medicine.
NICABM was founded by UConn’s former director of the center for personal growth, Dr. Ruth Buczynski, a licensed psychologist. After 17 years spent at UConn, she founded NICABM in 1988 along with the late Christine Huda. NICABM has been recognized as a leader in the field of mind-body medicine and education for over 25 years. It’s fitting that the institute will return to UConn, where Dr. Buczynski spent much of her professional career.