Patricia Gerbarg, M.D.

Patricia L. Gerbarg, M.D., assistant clinical professor in psychiatry at New York Medical College, graduated from Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Hospital (Boston) psychiatric residency, and Boston Psychoanalytic Institute. She and her husband, Dr. Richard P. Brown, developed a neurophysiological theory about breathing practices that can influence the autonomic nervous system, critical brain structures, and neuronal networks to quickly reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, insomnia, trauma, pain, and inflammation.

Based on their clinical experience and research, Dr. Gerbarg and Dr. Brown created and taught Breath-Body-Mind programs, starting with First Responders and others affected by the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, followed by other disaster survivors including the Gulf Horizon oil spill; Haiti earthquake; war, genocide, and trafficking in Africa; and Rohingya child refugees. By providing live online programs, BBM helps healthcare workers, social service agencies, schoolteachers, non-profit organizations, and individuals cope with the stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the Office of Mental Health of New York State, through Community Crisis Services, Inc. and the Trauma-Informed Network and Resource Center, the not-for-profit Breath-Body-Mind-Foundation 501(c)3 provides free live online practice sessions and courses open to all residents of NY State.

Pro bono programs with translations, supported by the Breath-Body-Mind-Foundation, are being given online for people affected by the Ukraine conflict. BBMF has trained hundreds of Ukrainian BBM teachers, primarily psychologists and other psychotherapists. Turkish speaking BBM teachers are providing stress and trauma relief programs for earthquake survivors. See: www.breathbodymindfoundation.org.

Dr. Gerbarg trains BBM teachers and healthcare providers, develops methods to integrate BBM into psychotherapy, and conducts programs for children and adults. She has co-authored more than 50 scientific articles and book chapters on mind-body medicine with Dr. Brown. Their award-winning books include: The Healing Power of the Breath, Non-Drug Treatments for ADHD, and (with Dr. Phillip Muskin) How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health and Complementary and Integrative Treatments in Psychiatric Practice (American Psychiatric Association Publishing).