Papers by Michelle Fauver
Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, Jun 17, 2024
This paper proposes a new model of stress that integrates earlier models and adds insights from d... more This paper proposes a new model of stress that integrates earlier models and adds insights from developmental psychology. Previous models describe the behavioral and physical effects of stress events, but have not explained the translation of experiences into stress itself. The Developmental Model of Stress shows how psychosocial developmental challenges in childhood create persistent negative beliefs and behaviors that increase threat perception and maladaptive stress responses. These developmental challenges produce early psychological and physiological predispositions for increased stress responses over time. Ongoing stress leads to dysregulation of physical stress-response systems (allostatic load), which is associated with multiple diseases. High allostatic load provides the necessary preconditions for the diathesis-stress model, which says the addition of an acute stressor to a weakened or predisposed system can lead to disease development. The paper also documents the evolving measurement of stress to better understand the stress-disease relationship, helping to resolve conflicting results between studies. The Developmental Model of Stress was combined with clinician insight and patient reports to build an integrative framework for understanding the role of stress in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). It includes the first mapping of maladaptive beliefs and behaviors arising from developmental challenges that are common to people with MS. An initial comparison shows these may be distinct from those of people with other chronic diseases. These beliefs and behaviors form the predisposing factors and contribute to the triggering factors, which are the acute stressors triggering disease onset. These often took two forms, a prolonged incident experienced as feeling trapped or stuck, and threat of a breach in a relationship. The reinforcing factors add the stress of a chronic disease with a poor prognosis and seemingly random symptom fluctuation, still managed with the same beliefs and behaviors developed in childhood, increasing physiological dysregulation and symptom severity. A pilot study is described in which these three categories of stress factors in MS were explicitly addressed. This study noted clinically important improvements in physical and mental well-being, providing preliminary support for the Developmental Model. Future research might expand on the pilot using a more robust sample and design.
Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 2024
This paper proposes a new model of stress that integrates earlier models and adds insights from d... more This paper proposes a new model of stress that integrates earlier models and adds insights from developmental psychology. Previous models describe the behavioral and physical effects of stress events, but have not explained the translation of experiences into stress itself. The Developmental Model of Stress shows how psychosocial developmental challenges in childhood create persistent negative beliefs and behaviors that increase threat perception and maladaptive stress responses. These developmental challenges produce early psychological and physiological predispositions for increased stress responses over time. Ongoing stress leads to dysregulation of physical stress-response systems (allostatic load), which is associated with multiple diseases. High allostatic load provides the necessary preconditions for the diathesis-stress model, which says the addition of an acute stressor to a weakened or predisposed system can lead to disease development. The paper also documents the evolving measurement of stress to better understand the stress-disease relationship, helping to resolve conflicting results between studies. The Developmental Model of Stress was combined with clinician insight and patient reports to build an integrative framework for understanding the role of stress in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). It includes the first mapping of maladaptive beliefs and behaviors arising from developmental challenges that are common to people with MS. An initial comparison shows these may be distinct from those of people with other chronic diseases. These beliefs and behaviors form the predisposing factors and contribute to the triggering factors, which are the acute stressors triggering disease onset. These often took two forms, a prolonged incident experienced as feeling trapped or stuck, and threat of a breach in a relationship. The reinforcing factors add the stress of a chronic disease with a poor prognosis and seemingly random symptom fluctuation, still managed with the same beliefs and behaviors developed in childhood, increasing physiological dysregulation and symptom severity. A pilot study is described in which these three categories of stress factors in MS were explicitly addressed. This study noted clinically important improvements in physical and mental well-being, providing preliminary support for the Developmental Model. Future research might expand on the pilot using a more robust sample and design.
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 2014
Transpersonal psychology arose from
recognizing the limitations of humanistic psychology,
which h... more Transpersonal psychology arose from
recognizing the limitations of humanistic psychology,
which had in turn developed in response to human
needs left unaddressed by previous psychoanalytic
and behavioral models. Similarly, people have turned
to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
for wellness needs left unaddressed by conventional
medical care. Transpersonal medicine moves beyond
the limitations found in both conventional Western
medicine and many CAM alternatives to catalyze a
complete and total reformulation of medicine into a
system designed to achieve whole person wellness at
all levels, including body, mind, and spirit. It seeks to
integrate the knowledge gained through exceptional
human experiences of healing into the everyday practice
of medicine and to make extraordinary healings ordinary.
Just as transpersonal psychology includes
and expands upon conventional psychology to
encompass spiritual and transformative processes, so
too does transpersonal medicine include and expand
upon conventional medicine to bring these further
dimensions of human experience into the healing
endeavor. The human body contains powerful, innate
healing capabilities. From a transpersonal perspective,
the question becomes one of how best to activate and
support them.
Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (dissertation), 2011
Converging research suggests that spirituality and meaning in life may influence physical health.... more Converging research suggests that spirituality and meaning in life may influence physical health. This experimental clinical trial tested whether Psycho-Spiritual Integrative Therapy (PSIT), which combines spiritual and psychological practices, positively influences physical health among people with cancer. Secondary considerations included PSIT effects on mood distress and spiritual wellbeing. Forty-one people diagnosed with cancer in the previous 10 years were randomized into treatment (n = 22) or waitlist control (n = 19) study arms. Eight weekly PSIT small-group sessions were given to treatment arm participants during the parallel-groups design section of the study and then given to the waitlist participants during the crossover design section. Both arms completed the Medical Outcome Survey’s (SF-36v2), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the Profile of Mood States (POMS), and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy, Spiritual Wellbeing, Expanded (FACIT-Sp-Ex) self-report instruments at baseline and/or preintervention, postintervention, and 2-month follow-up. Statistical analysis using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) in the parallel-groups study section showed marginally significant (p = .059) improvement in physical health (SF-36v2) of medium effect size (d = 0.48). HLM analysis of pooled preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up data from the crossover study section showed significant (p < .05) improvements in overall Spiritual Wellbeing (FACIT-Sp-Ex), and the Meaning, Peace, and Faith subscales at postintervention and marginally significant (p < .07) improvements in overall Spiritual Wellbeing and the Peace subscale at follow-up. Total Mood Disturbance (POMS) was reduced at postintervention and follow-up at the p < .07 level. Preliminary experimental evidence suggests that PSIT may be a promising approach for helping to improve physical health and spiritual wellbeing among people who have been diagnosed with cancer. Further research with larger groups is warranted.
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 2014
The lack of an identified mechanism of action for the placebo response contributes to its percept... more The lack of an identified mechanism of action for the placebo response contributes to its perception as clinically unimportant in Western medicine and minimizes its value as a contributing factor to the effectiveness of both conventional and alternative medical treatments. The therapeutic ritual is one of the principle contributors to the placebo response. Two key elements predicting salutogenic outcomes in both the placebo response and therapeutic ritual are patient meaning making and the patient/healer relationship. A detailed examination of human biofield dynamics shows its role in storing, communicating, and regulating the flow of information associated with healing in Western and non-Western medical models. The human biofield is particularly responsive to psychospiritual inputs, which may provide a model explaining the mechanism of action for these otherwise anomalous healing responses. Transpersonal studies provide methodological tools suitable to addressing the multiple paradigms found to be effective within the placebo response and therapeutic rituals, leading to the possible development of a transpersonal medicine.
Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2014
Physician-delivered tobacco treatment using the 5As is clinically recommended, yet its use has be... more Physician-delivered tobacco treatment using the 5As is clinically recommended, yet its use has been limited. Lack of adequate training and confidence to provide tobacco treatment is cited as leading reasons for limited 5A use. Tobacco dependence treatment training while in medical school is recommended, but is minimally provided. The MSQuit trial (Medical Students helping patients Quit tobacco) aims to determine if a multi-modal and theoretically-guided tobacco educational intervention will improve tobacco dependence treatment skills (i.e. 5As) among medical students. Methods/design: 10 U.S. medical schools were pair-matched and randomized in a group-randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether a multi-modal educational (MME) intervention compared to traditional education (TE) will improve observed tobacco treatment skills. MME is primarily composed of TE approaches (i.e. didactics) plus a 1st year web-based course and preceptorfacilitated training during a 3rd year clerkship rotation. The primary outcome measure is an
Books by Michelle Fauver
The Inner Tree (by Maura Torkildson), 2018
We humans are magnificent beyond our understanding. It is our birthright, our gift, and our respo... more We humans are magnificent beyond our understanding. It is our birthright, our gift, and our responsibility to grow and blossom into ever-fuller expression of our magnificence. Intuition loves to help us along the way. Einstein famously said the most important question we have to answer for ourselves is whether or not we live in a friendly universe. When we open our hearts to the voice of intuition, we come to the realization that the universe supports our growth and courageous expression in every moment. We begin to welcome the creative connection between all things, inner and outer, and learn to trust ourselves and the healing wisdom that comes from within.
It is my great honor to write this Foreword to Maura Torkildson’s book. She has created a masterful guide to developing our intuitive abilities. Building a relationship with our inner source of knowing is one of the most important and rewarding tasks we can undertake. By connecting with our intuition, we can experience a sense of safety and comfort in everyday life, we can discover an immediately responsive source of useful information that helps us make better decisions, and we can uncover a profound source of connection with the divine, the all-that-is which underlies and gives meaning to our lives.
In this Foreword we will first consider some of the defining characteristics of
intuition, and show some of the ways I’ve experienced these characteristics by sharing stories of how intuition has played a pivotal role in my life. Then we will look at some of the scientific evidence supporting Maura Torkildson’s groundbreaking new model for how to develop your own intuitive abilities.
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Papers by Michelle Fauver
recognizing the limitations of humanistic psychology,
which had in turn developed in response to human
needs left unaddressed by previous psychoanalytic
and behavioral models. Similarly, people have turned
to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
for wellness needs left unaddressed by conventional
medical care. Transpersonal medicine moves beyond
the limitations found in both conventional Western
medicine and many CAM alternatives to catalyze a
complete and total reformulation of medicine into a
system designed to achieve whole person wellness at
all levels, including body, mind, and spirit. It seeks to
integrate the knowledge gained through exceptional
human experiences of healing into the everyday practice
of medicine and to make extraordinary healings ordinary.
Just as transpersonal psychology includes
and expands upon conventional psychology to
encompass spiritual and transformative processes, so
too does transpersonal medicine include and expand
upon conventional medicine to bring these further
dimensions of human experience into the healing
endeavor. The human body contains powerful, innate
healing capabilities. From a transpersonal perspective,
the question becomes one of how best to activate and
support them.
Books by Michelle Fauver
It is my great honor to write this Foreword to Maura Torkildson’s book. She has created a masterful guide to developing our intuitive abilities. Building a relationship with our inner source of knowing is one of the most important and rewarding tasks we can undertake. By connecting with our intuition, we can experience a sense of safety and comfort in everyday life, we can discover an immediately responsive source of useful information that helps us make better decisions, and we can uncover a profound source of connection with the divine, the all-that-is which underlies and gives meaning to our lives.
In this Foreword we will first consider some of the defining characteristics of
intuition, and show some of the ways I’ve experienced these characteristics by sharing stories of how intuition has played a pivotal role in my life. Then we will look at some of the scientific evidence supporting Maura Torkildson’s groundbreaking new model for how to develop your own intuitive abilities.
recognizing the limitations of humanistic psychology,
which had in turn developed in response to human
needs left unaddressed by previous psychoanalytic
and behavioral models. Similarly, people have turned
to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
for wellness needs left unaddressed by conventional
medical care. Transpersonal medicine moves beyond
the limitations found in both conventional Western
medicine and many CAM alternatives to catalyze a
complete and total reformulation of medicine into a
system designed to achieve whole person wellness at
all levels, including body, mind, and spirit. It seeks to
integrate the knowledge gained through exceptional
human experiences of healing into the everyday practice
of medicine and to make extraordinary healings ordinary.
Just as transpersonal psychology includes
and expands upon conventional psychology to
encompass spiritual and transformative processes, so
too does transpersonal medicine include and expand
upon conventional medicine to bring these further
dimensions of human experience into the healing
endeavor. The human body contains powerful, innate
healing capabilities. From a transpersonal perspective,
the question becomes one of how best to activate and
support them.
It is my great honor to write this Foreword to Maura Torkildson’s book. She has created a masterful guide to developing our intuitive abilities. Building a relationship with our inner source of knowing is one of the most important and rewarding tasks we can undertake. By connecting with our intuition, we can experience a sense of safety and comfort in everyday life, we can discover an immediately responsive source of useful information that helps us make better decisions, and we can uncover a profound source of connection with the divine, the all-that-is which underlies and gives meaning to our lives.
In this Foreword we will first consider some of the defining characteristics of
intuition, and show some of the ways I’ve experienced these characteristics by sharing stories of how intuition has played a pivotal role in my life. Then we will look at some of the scientific evidence supporting Maura Torkildson’s groundbreaking new model for how to develop your own intuitive abilities.