Behavioral Medicine
Behavioural Medicine Unit
The Behavioural Medicine unit is a specialty unit under the Department Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS. The Behavioural Medicine Unit was initiated in the early 1970’s with the three fold aim of providing behaviour therapy services, training post graduates and conducting research in the field. The unit is the only one of its kind in the country to offer integrated cognitive and behaviour therapies (CBT), training and research. At present, the unit offers CBT for a wide range of psychological and medical problems.
ACTIVITIES OF THE UNIT
Clinical Services
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an evidence based psychological intervention for a variety of psychological and medical problems, including mood, anxiety disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, panic, personality disorders, substance abuse, medically unexplained symptoms,psychotic symptoms and lifestyle disorders. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) includes a set of therapeutic strategies aimed at identifying and changing faulty thought patterns that are believed to maintain these disorders.
The unit receives referrals for therapy from various disciplines such as psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery from within the hospital as well and from other hospitals withinthe city and outside. The unit also receives walk-in requests for CBT from clients.
In addition to cognitive therapies, training in relaxation, exposure and response prevention, anger management, assertiveness, social skills training, biofeedback, stress management are also provided by the team.
In keeping with the international trends, the unit offers mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapies (MBCT). The unit has expertise in training clients in the practice of Mindfulness based meditation, with an emphasis on its applications to emotional disorders. This has been integrated into the services as well as research and training in the unit. Similarly, third wave therapies such as Acceptance and commitment therapy, metacognitive therapy, emotion regulation therapy are integrated into routine clinical practice.
Services at NIMHANS Center for well -being (NCWB) by the Behavioural Medicine Unit
The team from the Behavioural Medicine Unit also extends it services at the stress and lifestyle clinic at the NIMHANS centre for well-being (NWCB).
The clinic which started in October 2011, is operational on Friday afternoons. Stress management skills and coping strategies are offered to people from different walks of life as well as for those who require help in maintaining or achieving healthier lifestyles. Workshops for corporate houses, industries and members of the general public in areas of managing academic stress, work stress, interpersonal relationships and social anxiety are conducted.
Training
The unit is committed to providing training in CBT to various mental health professionals such as clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric social workers and nursing professionals. Postgraduates enrolled in the Department of Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS receive an intensive 3-month training as part of their clinical postings.
Postgraduates in psychiatry, psychiatric social work and nursing from the Institute undergo a one month posting at the unit.
The unit receives requests for training from various institutes across the country. One to three months’ clinical observation is offered to the external candidates who are in- service and employed in the field of mental health.
Workshops
The unit has been extending its training to professionals in the field through annual workshops on basic skills in CBT as well as advanced CBT skills for specific disorders and on mindfulness based cognitive behaviour therapy.
Research
Research is an integral part of the unit’s activities. The research carried out at the unit spans nearly 3 decades covering a wide variety of psychiatric and medical disorders. The unit specializes in intervention-based research and is currently involved in research on emotion regulation therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy, metacognitive therapy, studies on bipolar affective disorder as well as, integrated psychological therapy in schizophrenia. The research includes both adult population as well as adolescents, at risk populations and interventions that enhance resilience.
The faculty from the unit have carried out extensive work in the field of health psychology, through research activities. Doctoral work in this area include clinical studies on medical conditions such as coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, infertility, oncology as well as in professional caregivers working in hospice care.
Contact us:
The unit operates from Monday to Saturday (excepting general holidays and second Saturdays) between 9 am to 4.30pm.
Phone number: 080-2699-5177
Consultants
Dr. Paulomi M. Sudhir
Professor of Clinical Psychology
paulomi@nimhans.ac.in/ paulomisudhir@yahoo.com
Dr. Manjula M.
Professor of Clinical Psychology
manjula@nimhans.ac.in/ drmanjula71@gmail.com
Dr. Ajay Kumar
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology
Department of Clinical Psychology