The brain is an important and incredibly complex organ - and only in recent decades have we begun to understand many of its intricacies. It's no surprising that the behaviors and actions of others have been confounding us for most of our lives! The brain plays a critical role in nearly every major body system, and some of its main functions include processing sensory information, regulating blood pressure and breathing and releasing hormones. But beyond regulating physical tasks, our brains also have a role in how we perceive people and our environment, how we remember (and forget), how we may act and think differently than someone else - and how were interact with others in our daily lives.

Mindfulness is the practice of being self-aware and truly present. While everyone has the ability to be “mindful,” it takes time and persistence to unlock the positive impact that mindfulness can have on mental health.

PCC’s Institute for Health Professionals has mental and behavioral health classes that include mindfulness as a tool, which can be extremely valuable and empowering when treating patients with anxiety and depression.

The relationships we create throughout our lives contribute a great deal to our personality and behavior. Most psychologists and psychiatrists agree that developing healthy relationships leads to a healthier mind. Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), an approach to care created by Dr. Dan Siegel, focuses on how the brain can be healed through powerful and positive persuasion. This approach combines many areas of science including biology, cognitive science, developmental psychopathology, sociology and mental health. IPNB focuses on integrating all the different aspects that make us unique so we can better understand why we are the way we are and try to correct negative behavior where possible. While an understanding of IPNB can be useful to just about anyone, therapists and counselors can find it especially effective in treating patients.

As the population of the United States grows older, our country is facing an increase in the number of patients with dementia. As of 2017, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. By 2050, this number could reach 16 million.

It takes a special person to be a social worker. One who truly wants to make a positive difference in people’s lives. However, a social worker often faces challenging situations and personalities. Luckily, there are several ways to enhance your skills and make you a better social worker. Here are three behavioral and mental health courses offered through PCC and the Institute for Health Professionals that provide essential information and education for social workers:

In the United States, demand for mental health care is higher than ever. To best serve the millions of Americans who benefit from this care, each patient should receive individualized treatment that takes into account their specific conditions and needs. One new patient-centered approach, called trauma-informed care, is becoming more common in healthcare facilities, schools, and agencies across the nation.

For a vast majority of professions, managing interpersonal relationships is crucial to success. From doctors to lawyers to law enforcement, interpersonal communication is important and necessary. And that’s where Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) comes in.

Updated Nov. 9, 2021

In recent years, the medical community has discovered more about the previously poorly understood connection between the digestive system and mental health. This concept is broadly known as the gut-brain axis, and as a healthcare professional, understanding it is key for helping your patients recover and thrive.

Here, we go in-depth on what the gut-brain axis is, its effects on mental health, and how you can use your knowledge of that connection to help your patients in almost any healthcare position.

As a healthcare professional, you will work with a variety of cultural groups, patient populations, and varying psychological diagnoses. The intersectionality of these issues and how they affect different people groups is coming further into popular understanding with time, so being aware of these different factors is more important than ever.

Therefore, taking advantage of mental and behavioral health courses to improve your knowledge and skills will increase your success when working with different groups of people. The PCC Institute for Health Professionals offers five mental and behavioral health courses that can improve your competency as a healthcare professional.

Updated Dec. 17, 2021

In today's world, it's becoming more common for healthcare workers in all levels of the field to encounter patients from cultures beyond their own, from obstetrics to palliative care. Now more than ever, it's also critical for medical professionals to connect with those in cultures different from their own in order to provide the best care possible in their position.

Cultural competence in the healthcare field enables medical professionals to bridge the gap in cross-cultural situations which ensures each and every patient receives adequate attention and gets their needs met. Without cultural competency training, the risk of failed care is high. This is why every healthcare professional needs cultural competency training.