Joan Borysenko, Ph.D.

This distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine is a world-renowned expert in the mind/body connection. Her work has been foundational in an international healthcare revolution that recognizes the role of meaning and the spiritual dimensions of life as an integral part of health and healing. Eloquent and inspiring in settings that range from hospitals to hospices, from theaters to conference venues, and from boardrooms to houses of worship, Dr. Borysenko is a credible bridge between faith and reason. Her brilliance, humor, and authenticity—combined with the latest research—make her a compelling and inspiring speaker and writer.

After graduating magna cum laude from Bryn Mawr College in 1967, Dr. Borysenko earned her doctorate in Medical Sciences from the Harvard Medical School, where she completed post-doctoral training in cancer cell biology. Her first faculty position was at the Tufts University College of Medicine in Boston. But after the death of her father from cancer, she became more interested in the person with the illness than in the disease itself, and returned to Harvard Medical School to complete a second postdoctoral fellowship, this time in the new field of behavioral medicine. Under the tutelage of Herbert Benson, M.D., who first identified the relaxation response and brought meditation into medicine, she was awarded a Medical Foundation Fellowship and completed her third post-doctoral fellowship in psychoneuroimmunology.

In the early 1980s Dr. Borysenko cofounded a mind/body clinic with Dr. Benson and Dr. Ilan Kutz, became licensed as a psychologist, and was appointed instructor in medicine at the Harvard Medical School. Her years of clinical experience and research culminated in the 1987 publication of The New York Times bestseller, Minding the Body, Mending the Mind, which sold over 400,000 copies. The revised 20th anniversary edition was published in 2007. Author or co-author of 13 other books and numerous audio and video programs, including the television special Inner Peace for Busy People, Dr. Borysenko is Founding Partner of Mind/Body Health Sciences, LLC, and the Director of The Claritas Institute Interspiritual Mentor Training Program.

Dr. Borysenko's warmth and credibility—plus her lively sense of humor—create a compelling presence. Her inspirational “reflections” are featured frequently on Hallmark Channel’s New Morning program, and she also hosts a weekly Internet radio show, Your Soul's Compass, for Hay House. One of the most popular and sought after speakers in the field of health, healing, and spirituality, her engaging and well researched presentations are perfect both for professionals and the general public.