New approach to stress, pain management topic of Bluffton professor
Dr. Will Slater, professor of psychology and chair of the social and behavioral sciences department at Bluffton University, will discuss "Mindfulness: A Promising Approach to Stress and Chronic Pain Management" at a Bluffton colloquium Friday, April 16.

The event, at 4 p.m. in Stutzman Lecture Hall in Centennial Hall, is free and open to the public.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction was developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Now taught at more than 240 hospitals, medical centers and clinics worldwide, the program uses psychoeducational presentations, mindfulness meditations and Hatha yoga to alleviate suffering and promote well-being.

Scientific journal reports have suggested substantial benefits for individuals suffering from chronic pain, fibromyalgia, cancer, anxiety disorders, depression and the stresses of contexts as diverse as medical school and prison life.

Slater holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology and research from the University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa, as well as a master of divinity degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton.