This session will feature talks on how contemplative and mindfulness-based training can help to enhance social connectivity and aid in the development of individual and societal flourishing in vulnerable and marginalized populations, including older adults, African Americans and people living with chronic medical conditions.
David Creswell
Mindfulness training to decrease loneliness and enhance social connectivity in older adults | Loneliness is a major risk factor for morbidities and accelerated mortality among older adults, and there are few evidence-based interventions for helping lonely older adults. This talk will describe new findings from a recently completed randomized controlled trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (vs Health Education Program) in N=191 lonely older adults.
Cheryl Woods Giscombe
Reducing physical and mental health disparities in African Americans through the use of mindfulness-based interventions and contemplative practices | African Americans experience disproportionately high rates of chronic health conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and inadequately treated mental health conditions, which are influenced and exacerbated by multi-level psychosocial and historical determinants and chronic psychological stressors. Dr. Giscombe will share evidence supporting the potential benefits of culturally-congruent, mindfulness-based and contemplative practice interventions designed to reduce health disparities and promote well-being at individual, community, healthcare system, and policy levels.
Linda Carlson
Mindfulness-based interventions for people living with medical conditions: Focus on coping with uncertainty and fostering connection and meaning | Coping with chronic illness such as cancer or cardiovascular disease comes with a host of psychosocial challenges including living with uncertainty, loss of control and an unpredictable future. Mindfulness training has shown improvements in terms of symptom reduction and improved coping, but also helps people find benefits in traumatic experience, enhance a sense of meaning and purpose in life, and develop a connection with larger humanity. This talk will summarize research in this area with a focus on fostering connection and meaning through mindfulness-based interventions.
Doris F. Chang, PhD
New York University
Convening Faculty, Grantee, Mentor, Reviewer
Dr. Chang is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the NYU Silver School of Social Work. Her research seeks to advance the well-being of BIPOC communities by understanding … MORE
Linda Carlson, PhD
University of Calgary
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Dr. Linda Carlson holds the Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology, is Full Professor in Psychosocial Oncology in the Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of … MORE
David J. Creswell, PhD
Carnegie Mellon University
Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
David’s research focuses broadly on understanding what makes people resilient under stress. Specifically, he conducts community intervention studies, laboratory studies of stress and coping, and neuroimaging studies to understand how … MORE
Cheryl Woods Giscombe, PhD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Mentor
Dr. Cheryl Giscombe is the Melissa and Harry LeVine Family Distinguished Term Professor in the School of Nursing. She is a social and health psychologist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, certified holistic … MORE
