State of Mind
Mindfulness-based psychotherapy guides families through a difficult journey
By Lauren Comander
A
diagnosis of progressive cognitive impairment is one of the most devastating out there. Enter the interdisciplinary team at the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at the Miller School of Medicine, where patients battling cognitive decline — and the family members who care for them — receive research-based, cutting-edge mental health treatments that rewire the brain and improve their quality of life.
Leading the clinical charge is social worker and community outreach coordinator Iris Cohen, M.S.W., LCSW, whose psychotherapy helps some 18 patients weekly and is so popular that the center is looking to hire another social worker to join the ranks. After all, according to Cohen, it is the only program of its kind in Florida.
Cohen’s mindfulness-based stress-reduction techniques and healthy-lifestyle modifications support and guide families through the difficult journey of a family member’s progressive cognitive decline. The center is one of only 20 Lewy Body Dementia Research Centers of Excellence, so many of its patients and families are contending with that particularly challenging disease.In fact, a study by center researchers found that higher mindfulness, in both patients and caregivers, was associated with greater cognitive abilities and mood in patients, as well as boosting their abilities to perform routine daily activities.
When a patient first comes in, Cohen meets with them and their family and creates an advanced care plan for them. Those who would benefit schedule weekly sessions. “I see a lot of anxiety and stress,” Cohen said. “Our caregivers spend their lives caring for their loved ones, and as the disease progresses, it’s a 24/7 job. I support them so they don’t get overwhelmed and can prevent that emotional reaction to stress as the disease progresses.” 
Iris Cohen’s mindfulness-based stress-reduction techniques and healthy-lifestyle modifications support families through the difficult journey of a family member’s progressive cognitive decline.
