Results for WELLNESS

Investigate evidence-based models of compassion meditation and cultivation based on Stanford's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) program and following the Stanford Compassion Training protocol. Examine strategies to develop self-compassion, experience genuine happiness, reduce stress and negative thoughts, resolve differences with difficult others, and take compassionate action that makes a difference in the world. Courses mixes direct instruction, meditation, and group discussion on current research and its real world application.

TBA

TBA

Overview of identity development theory related to religious/spiritual identity development, gender, and sexuality identity development, racial and cultural identity development, ethical and moral development, and the development of meaning and purpose. The ways in which athletic participation affects and contributes to each of these developmental areas. This course also examines each of these topics in a larger context by discussing relevant current issues and events in sport.

Intuitive Eating entails the scientific study and the application of mindfulness applied to nutrition, health, and eating through contemplative and applied practices. ¿Mindfulness¿ is a way of being engaged in our lives with greater emotional and mental balance. This course involves: 1) Participating in dialogue that cultivates shared mindfulness 2) Develop inner and outer wisdom applied to your health and eating. 3) Apply mindfulness skills to your emotional and physical health and greater well-being. These practices aim to develop greater insight, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and skillful responding. 4) Use mindfulness as way to create collaborative learning. Collaborative learning at its best is when we can listen deeply, suspend judgment, and speak authentically. When we do these, we create the conditions for meaningful dialogue and learning.

The class will explore the basics in healthy nutrition and the essentials for a healthy balanced plate. Classes will focus on recipes in East Asia &India, the benefits of foods for certain ailments, super-foods, plant based diets and phyto-nutrients, cleansing foods, the use of foods for skin care and aromatherapy, understanding the link between the foods we eat and the soil they grow in, and lastly healthy comfort foods. This interactive and experiential class will help one to develop a healthy relationship with food and develop some practical cooking skills.

This course helps students better manage their stress and sleep more soundly. It does so by presenting the latest findings in the science of stress and sleep. Functional definitions of stress and perceived stress are given, student stress levels are assessed, and tools are given to manage stress more effectively. Students learn about the sleep cycle and its effect on the brain, understand the causes of insomnia, track their sleep behaviors, and practice getting a better night¿s sleep by using cognitive-behavioral interventions rooted in the latest findings of sleep research. By the end of the course students will be more empowered to work effectively with stress and sleep so they have more clarity, focus, and energy in their day-to-day lives.

An introduction to wellness focusing on emotional health and the cultivation of happiness. Managing stress and enhancing productivity while remaining centered are the primary learning objectives. Class will be lecture and discussion with time for guided practice in skill development.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back in the face of life¿s challenges, whether these challenges are getting a poor test grade, breaking-up with a significant other, battling illness, or taking on any number of other tough events. In this course students study insights from the emerging field of resilience to learn about and practice the skills that allow them to bounce back more quickly and effectively from life¿s setbacks. Models of resilience will be presented and students will learn about the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects that allow them to enhance their capacity to rise above life adversity and thrive, even in the midst of tough times.

Finding work that is meaningful and a career that actualizes one's potential while maximizing success and well-being deepens insights present in research on motivation, meaning, and purpose creation. Philosophical traditions and psychological science converge on the conclusion that meaningful work leads to professional success, positive relationships, and improved health. Develop the theoretical understanding and skills that lead to both reframing current endeavors for enhanced purpose and choose new endeavors with higher meaning, optimizes both future achievement and lasting happiness.

Examines factors that give rise to and sustain motivation. Cultivates the psycho-physiological factors that increase motivation, while reducing those aspects that depress it. Presents the meaning, mastery, and autonomy model of motivation in tasks engagement, plus research from the fields of psychology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience, then discusses tools to enhance motivation and achievement while maintaining balance and health.

Explores how research-based happiness theory and principles are applied to enhance daily and life satisfaction. Positions happiness as a cornerstone construct of personal wellness, purpose, and fulfillment. Investigates the science of happiness through lecture, guided practice, dialogue, and course material in order to enhance understanding and implementation.

How the psychological skills that athletes and other performers apply in training, preparation, and competition influence optimal performance in multiple life domains. Surveys concepts of motivation, arousal regulation, self-confidence, team dynamics, mental skills training. Applies psychological techniques to enhance balanced performance, enjoyment, and self-satisfaction in sports and life.

Examine, understand, and develop emotional and social intelligence (ESI). Presents leading models (Bar-on, Mayer, Salovey, Caruso) of and skills (Goleman) for enhancing emotional and social intelligence. Blends course lecture, discussion, peer coaching, and guided practice to develop theoretical and practical knowledge of ESI. Assess, understand and utilize ESI strengths and mitigate weaknesses in order to enhance stress management and resilience, increase self-other awareness, and increase balanced productivity.

Being wise makes us happier and more successful. Our relationships, bodies, health, school, and work can be either stressful or fulfilling. Wisdom skills are practical and effective in these areas, and you can learn how to apply them sooner rather than later. This course will help you develop wisdom through guided practice in skills such as mindfulness, emotional intelligence, cognitive reframing, humility, empathy, gratitude, and courage. Entertaining video clips, quotes, and jokes will supplement our discussions.

Change behaviors using evidence-based techniques. Addresses habit cycles, procrastination mitigation, productivity enhancement, motivational factors, and addiction and addictive processes (both substances and non-substance related) in changing behavior from maladaptive to adaptive patterns. Draws from neuroscience (Davidson, Siegel) and psychology (Beck, Miller, Rollnick) and employs motivational interviewing, cognitive reframing, peer coaching, and mindfulness meditation models and intervention strategies.

Explore the factors that support healthy romantic relationships from psychological, sociological, historical, and cultural perspectives. Investigates the questions What is a healthy romantic relationship? and How do I know if my relationship is healthy?Through learning about attraction, attachment, attunement, individuation, cultural scripts, gender roles, and considerations for non-monogamous and non-heteronormative relationships, the structures of healthy romantic relationships will be studied.

Introduces diverse forms of meditation practice in both theory (contemplative neuroscience, phenomenological traditions) and practice. Practices in guided imagery, compassion, loving kindness, positive emotion, mindfulness, and mantra meditation will be offered to enhance well-being. While meditation practices emerge from religious traditions, all practice and instruction will be secular.

Introduces Diverse forms of meditation practice in both theory (contemplative neuroscience, phenomenological traditions) and practice. Practices in focused attention, mindfulness, guided imagery, compassion, loving kindness, positive emotion, and/or mantra meditation will be offered to enhance stress management and well-being. Takes place in a weekend immersion format (on campus), which allows more focused exploration of the topic space. While meditation practices emerge from religious traditions, all practice and instruction will be secular.

Examines forgiveness from a variety of perspectives with an emphasis on its value for physical and mental wellbeing. Presents forgiveness both as a useful response to interpersonal hurt and a teachable skill, backed by scientific research from preventative medicine and psychology. Explores the idea that forgiveness and grievance are both narrative responses to painful experience, but differing in their adaptability and utility. Spiritual and contemplative approaches are considered, but the methods are secular and research-tested.

Investigate how harsh self-criticism adversely impacts well-being, strength, and performance. In contrast, explore how mindful self-comapssion (MSC) enhances emotional wellbeing, resilience in coping with life challenges, lower levels of anxiety and depression, healthy habits such as diet and exercise, and more satisfying personal relationships. Using the scientifically validated MSC method (Neff & Germer), learn how to better pursue goals and commitments (academic, personal/social development, community service, and/or activism) with greater inner peace, confidence, and courage.

Optimize nutrition for health and performance based on established research. Topics include evidence-based analysis of macronutrients, fad diets, sugar addiction, low-calorie sweeteners, caloric restriction, disease prevention, and general nutrition. Discern between popular trends and scientific understanding in nutrition and nutritional habits.

Covers the basic principles governing human movement with an emphasis on sports and performance applications. Examines anatomy and biology (large- and small-scale structure and function); applied anatomy, both anatomy (body structure) and mechanics (force, torque), which together describe macroscopic movement; applied biology, specifically the molecular and cellular basis of movement mechanics (force, torque, etc) together describe macroscopic movement; applied biology, specifically the molecular and cellular basis of movement including muscles contraction, nerves signals, and related topics such as exercise damage, cramping, muscle memory, DOMS and fatigue.

Investigate the basic principles governing human movement with an emphasis on sports applications and lifelong wellness. Conceptually and experientially examine the latest research and theories on basic anatomy and biology as pertaining to injury prevention, principles of optimal human performance, and the mind-body connection. Topics include periodization, modes of exercises, types of injuries, the healing process, and physiological and psychological factors influencing body movement.

Explore the present and future relationship between technology, humanity, and the search for happiness & flourishing. Investigate and develop the core questions, concerns, ethical considerations, and broad implications of technologies that shape human culture and consciousness. Course draws from science and technology studies, contemplative science, neurophenomenology, positive psychology, biomedical engineering, and brain stimulation & neurofeedback. Explore and evaluate the latest tech, interact with luminaries in the field, and rapid-design a consumer tech concept.

Explore the present and future relationship between technology, humanity, and the search for happiness & flourishing. Investigate and develop the core questions, concerns, ethical considerations, and broad implications of technologies that shape human culture and consciousness. Course draws from science and technology studies, contemplative science, neurophenomenology, positive psychology, biomedical engineering, and brain stimulation & neurofeedback. Explore and evaluate the latest tech, interact with luminaries in the field, and rapid-design a consumer tech concept.

Challenges the traditional definition of meditation by incorporating the latest technologies for psychological, emotional, and contemplative wellbeing into meditation theory and practice. Learn how to integrate technology into a beginning or existing practice. Explore the range of technology based meditation tools, including brain, heart, and breath sensing/feedback, and experiment with new ways that wearables, apps, and other tech can support awareness and presence in contemplative practice and in daily life.

Design new technologies that support wellbeing and human connection. Learn about and apply scientifically validated models of human flourishing, explore existing technologies, and interact with innovators and thought leaders. Highly collaborative, interdisciplinary course emphasizes personal and interpersonal development as critical to the design process. Topics include design methodologies, science and technology studies, contemplative science, applied positive psychology, and recent technological innovations. Class culminates in presentations to relevant experts in academia and industry, including investors, entrepreneurs, and scientists.

Explore the variety of ways social activism is expressed in the world and how flourishing enhances mastery, acceptance of all parts of ourselves, a sense of growing, and personal agency. Investigate the topic of flourishing while engaging in activism within the context of challenges inherent to activism, namely, the confrontation with violence, trauma, and related mental struggles. Use self-reflection, embodied practice, and creative expression for contemplating how personal identity struggles have meaning beyond the self, how self healing can lead to community healing, and how the personal is the political.

Connect leadership and team performance models to models of human flourishing in order to broaden definitions of success. Develop and practice leadership skill-sets that enhance human performance and flourishing of individuals and small groups. Integrate theory and practice through facilitated leadership simulations.

Explore the foundations of contemplation, mindfulness, and yoga as they are taught and experienced in educational and leadership settings. As a future educator or leader, learn to instruct basic contemplative, mindfulness, and yoga practices as resources that increase self-awareness, emotional regulation, and self-care, as well as practices that promote personal, professional, and contemplative development. Topics include the physiological, neurobiological, psychological, social, and philosophical bases of contemplation, mindfulness, and yoga in educational and leadership contexts.

Investigate how psychological, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual factors promote optimal wellness and flourishing. Presents models of integrated wellbeing (PERMA, Seligman), meditation, deep meaning making, and social dynamics of integration from interpersonal neurobiology (Siegel, Schore), contemplative neuroscience (Davidson), and secular meditation practices. Lecture and practice format surveys the theory and skills promoting wellness throughout the lifetime, including deep meaning cultivation, emotional regulation, social connection, and mind-brain-body integration.

Explores how physical factors (proper nutrition, adequate exercise, stress management, and effective sleep practices) serve as the foundation for wellness. Examines current controversies and research in the field of mind-body wellness and holistic health, with specific emphasis on the relationship between physical factors and psychological states. Provides guided-practices on using established wellness principles to live a healthy and happy life.

Translating theoretical knowledge and acquired skills into actionable wellness projects that enhances an aspect of wellness within the Stanford community. Students work in collaborative groups, or individually under the mentorship of the course instructor(s), to design, deliver, and evaluate a wellness initiative at Stanford.

Exploration of a topic (to be determined) not covered by the standard curriculum but of interest to faculty and students in a particular quarter. May be repeated with change of content. For more information regarding specific course titles, please refer to the notes of each course section.

Effectively manage stress through mindfulness strategies that positively impact the brain-body system to enhance clarity, focus, and energy. Presents tools for assessing perceived stress (Shelden Cohen, Perceived Stress Scale), findings in the science of stress management, and cognitive-behavioral theories and interventions demonstrated to reduce stress and enhance wellbeing.