Our Mission
The mission of Mindful HEART, LLC is to fully integrate mind body medicine into the primary care setting to enhance the current prevention, healing and recovery plans and protocols to meet the specific needs of each individual patient/client.
History
Mindful HEART, LLC was established in October of 2020 after owner and founder, Michelle Friedberg, NP , completed the necessary certification to teach the evidence based Benson Henry Institute (BHI) for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital SMART (Stress Management and Resiliency Training) program. She discovered this valuable program while attending the Harvard Medical Mind Body Medicine continuing medical education (CME) course. This course not only introduced her to this program but confirmed what she was observing in her current medical practice, that 60% to 90% of medical visits are for conditions related to stress. It also acknowledged that stress is a massive public health issue, and that addressing it or, better yet, preventing it is essential to effective health care.
Michelle began teaching the course to individuals in the community who were looking for ways to improve their overall health and well-being. As her knowledge on the benefits continued to broaden, she began to slowly implement mind body medicine into her primary care practice, and she was able to see almost immediately the benefits these tools and strategies had with her patients. Due to time constraints, she was not always able to implement these teachings into her practice. This led to her decision to open her own concierge medicine practice where mind body medicine is an integral part of each patients care plan that coincides with the current prevention, healing, recovery plans and protocols already in place in the current health system.
Evidence Based Practice
Mindful HEART’s company is based on the tools and techniques taught through the Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital SMART (Stress Management and Resiliency Training) program.
​
This evidence based program has evolved from the clinical practice of the Mind, Body, Medicine pioneer, Dr. Herbert Benson. This program combines his landmark work on the relaxation response with the growing scientific research of meditative practices, studies of the influence of thought on behavior, and studies of positive emotions.
​
This program offers a uniquely effective model to help participants regain control and build resiliency through a variety of mind body principles and self-care interventions, leading to reduced medical symptoms and enhanced quality of life.
​
The SMART program includes 8 consecutive weeks of 90 minute group sessions. Each participant will receive a copy of the Benson-Henry Institute SMART program manual and other necessary program materials.
​
This program helps participants:
-
Understand the connection between stress and physical or emotional problems
-
Learn a variety of techniques to elicit the relaxation response, the body’s innate stress buffer
-
Recognize negative automatic thoughts and create more adaptive perspectives
-
Appreciate the role of positive thoughts and beliefs
-
Understand how a sense of connectedness through social support, empathy, and prosocial behaviors (acts of helping others, such as volunteering and sharing) can improve resiliency
-
Learn the importance of healthy eating, restorative sleep and physical activity
Michelle’s knowledge, warmth and caring approach to teaching the SMART program is what made my experience so wonderful. I learned important skills to help better manage my own stress, which I am now incorporating into my days. Michelle’s commitment to helping her clients is unparalleled. I am truly feeling more calm, peaceful and grateful.I highly recommend Michelle and hope you take this course with her.