The programs below are designed to be offered in a physician's waiting room or conference room after business hours. Typically, the cost is primarily covered by the physician with a $10 co-pay from each patient. Class size is limited to 10 participants. Health care providers often group patients with a similar diagnosis together for the same program (e.g. diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease) , and have one of their staff nurses or dietitian co-facillitate the program with Dr. Koenig.

       Behavioral Medicine programs help patients develop an understanding of how their specific symptoms are exacerbated by stress, examine factors such as diet, physical tension and thought patterns, and teach skills that allow people to regain a sense of self-control and well-being. Each patient learns how to manage her/his specific stressors within the group setting.

       These programs are conducted by a preventive medicine specialist, thereby avoiding the stigma of being a "mental health" treatment. The cornerstones of Dr. Joy's programs are principles and techniques taught at Harvard's Mind-Body and Behavioral Medicine Program and UPenn's Learned Optimism/Resiliency Center.

       How do Health Care Providers benefit when their patients participate in these programs?

(1) There is substantial literature which documents the significance of controlling stress in successfully treating many diseases such as addiction relapse, arthritis, asthma, chronic pain syndromes, diabetes, headaches, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, cardiac arrhythimias, insomnia, weight control, PMS, infertility and the side effects of chemotherapy.

(2) Research has shown that 60 - 90% of patients seek treatment for physical symptoms that are related to psychosocial factors rather than symptoms directly related to the organic cause. Participation in mind-body behavioral programs have been shown to reduce the number of repeated office visits, length of hospital stay, use of post-operative pain medications, and visits for minor symptoms and illnesses. This frees up office appointment time for medical complaints that truly require a physician's expertise to manage and solve.

(3) In addition, the risk of unfounded lawsuits may be reduced. The normal reaction to lviing with chronic somatic illness is anger, sadness, and anxiety -- not only will poor resolution of these emotions contribute to the illness if only approached informally, patients with these attributes often do not make good medical decisions, and may be more likley to bring unfounded medical malpractice lawsuits for perceived inadequate care.

       Dr. Koenig is also available to teach your patients how to safely use selected holistic health approaches through her Safely Sailing Uncharted Waters Programs.

•   Relax & Unwind ™  learn more
  
         An eight week general stress management program, consisting of Myers Briggs personality type, explanatory style assessment, cognitive restructuring, an introduction to secular meditation / relaxation activities, and tips and techniques for general wellness, including healthy eating, gentle exercise, and the importance of adequate sleep as a stress management tool. The general concepts of the stress response, relaxation response, mental focus, and self-esteem are covered from a science point-of-view.
  
  
•   Everyday Joy™  learn more
  
         Do you have patients that always see the negative side? Pessimistic explanatory style (or realists as they often call themselves!) is associated with an increased risk of heart diesase. Joy is an everyday choice, and this program will teach you techniques to become more optimistic, and more easily see and focus on the joy that is present in each and every day.
  
         In the words of the M. Scott Peck, "Life is difficult." Living with chronic or life-threatening disease, or growing up in a dysfunctional home, can sometimes create unconscious automatic thoughts that result in our going through life chronically tired and sad, as if we have blinders on to the good things that happen each and every day. Some of us our natural optimists, and others of us have to learn how to be optimistic. This program centers on Dr. Martin Seligman's "learned optimism" and resiliency training concepts, and is augmented by guided imagery, playful meditation exercises, journaling, and cognitive restructuring. Your patents will learn how to turn "I can't" first into "I can't yet" then, into "I can!
  
  
•   The Write Way to Health^™  learn more
  
         Journaling can be used to improve health. This two hour program introduces the learner to several different methods of health journaling.
  
         Dr. James Pennebaker pioneered the medical research on journaling's physical health benefits. His research explored the biological and health effects of anonymously disclosing secrets and traumatic events. He found that those who wrote about their traumatic experiences reported fewer minor illnesses, fewer visits to the doctor, a decrease in the number of days off work, and had a more optimistic outlook on life than those who only wrote about ordinary events. In addition, working with researchers at Ohio State University College of Medicine, he has also been able to document that journaling improves immune system function.
  
         Recently, other researchers at North Dakota State University documented journaling as a potential adjunct treatment for medical conditions with stress-related components. They noted improvements in the lung function of people with asthma, and improvement in pain management and range of motion for people with rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  
  
•   Type-ing Your Way to Health ™  learn more
  
  • Type-ing Your Way to a Healthier Lifestyle ^™
    Learn how to apply Myers Briggs personality type to maintaining or improving your health. This program teaches you how to create a healthier lifestyle based on the needs of your specific Myers Briggs personality type.
    
    
  • Type-ing Your Way to a Healthier Weight ^™
    This program focuses on type-specific solutions for fitness, diet and stress management to enhance weight reduction efforts.
    
    
  • Type-ing Your Way to Fitness ^™  learn more
    Most health educators and personal trainers are "SJ", and take an "SJ" approach to teaching people fitness strategies. This program introduces flexible, creative ways to become more physically fit, in addition to the tried and true "SJ" approaches.
    
    
  • Type-ing Your Way Through Stress ^™  learn more
    Each Myers Briggs personality type responds uniquely and predictably to life's stressors. Learn how your type typically responds to stress, and design type-specific solutions to manage your stress.
    

FACILITATOR NOTES

Dr. Koenig is located in Denver, Colorado, and travels within the Denver area to deliver these waiting room based programs. Please contact her for fees and availability. Depending on your location and her schedule, she may be able to offer additional classes, such as an ongoing Saturday morning "Ice Cream for the Soul" Playshop or weekly guided imagery sessions based on secular rather than religious concepts.

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