The Use of Touch in Mindful Body Awareness Training

What Clinical Research Tells Us

Course Description
This Workshop Comes with 2 CEU opportunities

This workshop will focus on the use of touch in Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT), a mind-body approach designed to teach interoceptive skills for self- care and emotion regulation. Multiple research studies, including large NIH-funded randomized controlled trials, have examined MABT feasibility, acceptability, efficacy and therapeutic processes. We will discuss how touch is used to promote body/interoceptive awareness; the acceptability and safety of touch; research findings based on experience working with underserved populations, and people living with serious and co-occurring conditions such as PTSD, chronic pain, and chemical dependency. This workshop will also touch on the education and therapeutic skills important for therapists interested in learning this work.


Main Points of the Course

  • The therapeutic processes involved in Mindful Body Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT) will be explained
  • Interoceptive Awareness will be defined
  • The role of touch, both by therapist and by client, for learning body/interoceptive awareness skills will be described
  • Research findings related to MABT studies, particularly related to the training of interoceptive awareness skills, will be reviewed.
  • An overview of the training offered by the Center for Mindful Body Awareness to support therapist skills in teaching these skills will be addressed.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe key process of MABT approach
  • Define Interoceptive Awareness
  • Describe key research findings associated with MABT research
  • Explain how interoceptive awareness training may facilitate well-being
  • Participants will learn:
  • About the MABT approach
  • About research involving the use of touch for mental health
  • About the safety, acceptability and effectiveness of touch based on research findings
  • About the Center professional training opportunities


Bibliography

Khalsa, S., et al. (2018). Interoception and Mental Health: A roadmap. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging, 3 (6): 501-513.

Farb, N., et al., (2015). Interoception, Contemplation, and Health. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:763.

Mahler, Kelly (2015). Interoception: The Eight Sensory System. AAPC Publishing, Lenexa, Kansas

Craig, A.D. (Bud). (2014). How do you feel? An interoceptive moment with your neurobiological self. Princeton University Press.

Mehling, W., et al. (2012). The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA). PLoS One, 7(11): e48230.

Cameron, O. (2001). Interoception: the inside story – a model for psychosomatic processes. Psychosomatic Medicine, 63: 697-710.


Course and CEU Fees:

This Course is available for $45. For an additional $15 processing fee you can receive 2 CE credits for this course. USABP Members do not have pay the $45 dollar course fee. Use your member discount code during the check out process. Contact [email protected] for your member discount code. Members do have to pay the CE processing fee. NOT A MEMBER and WANT THE DISCOUNT? Join us.

Your Instructor


Cynthia Price, PhD MA LMT
Cynthia Price, PhD MA LMT

Research Professor, University of Washington, Department of Biobehavioral Nursing; Director, Center for Mindful Body Awareness

Presenter Bio

Cynthia Price, PhD MA LMT is a Research Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, USA. Her other professional roles include: Research Director of the UW Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, and Director of the Center for Mindful Body Awareness. Cynthia studies a mind-body therapy she developed called Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT). The MABT approach includes psychoeducation, mindfulness and touch to teach interoceptive awareness skills for self-care and emotion regulation. Her clinical and research expertise is primarily focused on community-based research to improve health and well-being among people who are typically disconnected from their bodies due to trauma, chemical dependency, chronic pain, or other life stressors. She trains clinicians in MABT through the Center for Mindful Body Awareness.

She is a Licensed Massage Therapist in WA State (expires 8-31-20)


Course Curriculum


  Webinar Presentation and Quiz
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


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