Mayo Clinic's approach

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If you receive care at Mayo Clinic, consider registering for this online class: Introduction to tai chi

Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine and Health combines the most well-researched conventional medicine with the most well-researched, evidence-based complementary therapies to achieve the appropriate care for each person. If you're facing illness, your Mayo Clinic specialists can help integrate stress management into your overall treatment plan.

Having all of this specialized expertise in a single place, focused on you, means that you're not getting only one opinion. Instead, your care is discussed among the team. Your appointments are scheduled in coordination to decide what's best for you.

Variety of treatments

Massage therapist massages shoulder and neck Massage therapy

A certified massage therapist manipulates the soft tissues of the body, such as the muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and skin.

Experts at Mayo Clinic provide many stress management approaches, including:

  • Acupuncture. A specialist inserts very thin needles through the skin at strategic points in the body. This therapy might help boost the body's natural painkillers and increase blood flow.
  • Counseling. Talking about life and health-related stresses with a therapist can help you improve coping skills for difficult situations.
  • Deep breathing. Breathing from a muscle under the rib cage, called the diaphragm, can build a pattern of slower, deeper and more efficient breathing.
  • Guided imagery, also called visualization. Picturing calming mental images of relaxing places and settings can help you cope with negative emotions, feelings or events.
  • Massage therapy. A certified massage therapist manipulates the soft tissues of the body. These tissues include muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and skin. The massage therapist uses varying degrees of pressure and movement.
  • Meditation. Learning how to focus with purpose — and focusing less on thoughts about the past or future — can help you to relax and lower stress.
  • Mindfulness exercises. This form of meditation teaches you to be deeply aware of what you're sensing and feeling at every moment, without interpretation or judgment.
  • Progressive muscle relaxation. Tensing and relaxing the muscle groups throughout the body in turn can help calm anxious feelings.
  • Resilience training. Learning to be more purposeful about perceptions can lessen negative thoughts and help build resilience. Resilience is a skill that helps speed recovery after stress.
  • Yoga. Yoga includes many types of mind-body practices that bring together a series of precise poses (postures) with controlled breathing. These practices can help relax the mind and increase strength and flexibility.

Not all approaches are offered at each Mayo Clinic campus.

Two people have their hands clasped together in front of them to practice meditation Meditation

In meditation, you learn to focus with purpose and focus less on thoughts about the past or future. This can help with relaxation.

Expertise and rankings

Expertise and individualized care

Mayo Clinic specialists have created structured approaches to stress management and to complementary and integrative medicine. Your Mayo Clinic treatment team can help you find stress management approaches that work for you. Mayo Clinic is committed to meeting your needs with respect to mind, body and spirit.

Research

Mayo Clinic doctors are committed to giving evidence-based care. They use stress management approaches that have been tested for effectiveness and safety. Mayo Clinic researchers do studies to improve stress management approaches in the Integrative Medicine and Health Research Program.

These Mayo Clinic researchers developed a Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program for improving resiliency and quality of life, and lowering stress and anxiety. Studies have found the training to have positive results.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:

Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.

More information about billing and insurance:

Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota

Mayo Clinic Health System

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions.

Oct. 26, 2023
  1. 11 healthy ways to handle life's stressors. American Psychological Association. https:// www.apa.org/topics/stress/tips. Accessed March 13, 2023.
  2. I'm so stressed out! Fact sheet. National Institute of Mental Health. https:// www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet. Accessed March 13, 2023.
  3. Relaxation techniques for health. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https:// www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed March 13, 2023.
  4. Rakel D, et al., eds. Relaxation techniques. In: Integrative Medicine. 5th ed. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 15, 2023.
  5. Bystritsky A. Complementary and alternative treatments for anxiety symptoms and disorders: Physical, cognitive, and spiritual interventions. https://www.uptodate.com/index.html. Accessed March 15, 2023.
  6. Pizzorono JE, et al., eds. Stress management. In: Textbook of Natural Medicine. 5th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 15, 2023.
  7. Libby P, et al., eds. Integrative approaches to the management of patients with heart disease. In: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 15, 2023.
  8. Bauer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. March 23, 2023.
  9. Massage therapy: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/massage-therapy-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed March 20, 2023.

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