Mark Robert Waldman

Mark's and Dr. Newberg's research documents how the religious climate in America has shifted toward a more optimistic and less theologically-oriented spirituality that simultaneously embraces science. Their research also documents how negative thinking and speech can actually damage important parts of the brain. But if you focus on your deepest positive values, such as compassion, lov,e or peace, this will have  beneficial effects on those parts of the brain that regulate emotions and enhance social awareness and empathy.

Mark and Andy have developed and researched a new form of interpersonal dialogue, called Compassionate Communication, that integrates mindfulness exercises and relaxation.  This strategy rapidly facilitates social intimacy and cooperation between individuals and with groups in less than fifteen minutes. It can be learned in a single afternoon or one-day intensive workshop, which Mark and Andy now offer schools, hospitals, mental health associations, and religious/spiritual organizations around the country.  Along with a growing network of psychologists, social workers, research scientists, and religious leaders from various spiritual communities, Mark and Andy are continuing to document how these simple techniques can help resolve conflicts with couples and families. In fact, they can even be used in corporate meetings to improve sales and organizational cooperation. 

Compassionate Commuincation was created from various aspects of well-tested stress-reduction, relaxation, and mindfulness strategies, and is the cornerstone of Mark's and Andy's vision to help people find a little more inner peace, and to bring that peacefulness into dialogues with others, especially those who hold opposing systems of belief.  Thus we believe that a combination of neuroscience and spirituality can be used to bring a little more peace into the world.  It begins with a postive  idea, and if you consciously hold that vision in your frontal lobe (which is the most recently evolved part of your brain), it will change the structure of an ancient limbic brain that was originally designed to protect us from impending disasters and fears. This is why we say that anyone can use meditation, in either a religious or secular form, to actually change his or her brain.

Mark and Andy are currently co-developing a series of television documentaries on meditation, addictions, and the neuroscience of communication, and their programs are being integrated into university and hospital programs throughout the country. For a list of topics and upcoming programs, click on the "Lectures and Workshops" tab on the menu bar above. 

Mark and Andy's previous book,  Born to Believe: God, Science, and the Origin of Ordinary and Extraordinary Beliefs, (and the hardback version, Why We Believe What We Believe), focuses on how our brain generates every type of belief: personal, relational, political, and spiritual.  We document how and why each human brain constructs a unique vision of reality, and why that reality colored and biased by a vast network of perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social beliefs. Thus, our brains can only grasp  a limited view of the reality that actually exists "out there."  This book explains why the placebo effect neurologically stimulates the brain to heal itself of virtually 25-95% of most of the physical and psychological symptoms we experience. But please don't try it to cure yourself of a bacterial infection; instead, use your doctor as a guide who can help you to exceed that placebo effect to enhance your health and your life. We look at the placebo effect as the power of optimism to heal. Religion has a word for that form of optimism: Faith.  And in our newest book (How God Changes Your Brain), we share with you the hundreds of studies that have led us to say that faith, hope and optimism --i.e., the irrational belief in a positive future outcome - is the Number One best thing you can do to maintain a healthy brain. But don't take our word for it; check out the 1500 references that are included in these books, and judge for yourself if our interpretration of the research is correct.  We have confidence that both skeptics and believers will come to the same conclusion we have reached:  Life is good. Religion is good. Science is good. Peace is good. Compassion is good. And spiritual practices are particularly good because they strengthen the best parts of our brain that generate logic, reason, positive emotions, consciousness, and hope. As Tavis Smiley, on PBS television likes to say at the end of his show, "Keep the Faith."  And faith is what we need the most: to maintain a healthy brain, a healthy relationship with others, and an optimistic vision of a conflicted world that will someday be filled with acceptance, kindness, compassion, and peace. At least, that is what Mark and Andy believe.

Counseling

Mark has an innovative counseling, coaching, and mentoring practice for individuals and couples, with offices in Camarillo and Woodland Hills, California. He utilizes mindfulness-based communication and stress-reduction strategies to deal with anxiety, depression, and anger, In conjunction with a network of attorneys, he co-mediates marital problems and dissolutions in a conflict-free environment. Mark also specializes in family business counseling. For appointments, please call  805-907-1181.  Telephone and Skype consultations are also available for those who live outside of the area.  

Mark and his wife, Susan VanVonderen, RN, have created a peaceful and loving environment - filled with fountains, antiques, and relaxing music -to offer you a variety of counseling and medical services. Susan provides state-of-the-art gynecological services and laser skin care treatments to treat a wide variety of medical and cosmetic problems. To see our office, and to meet Susan and Lauren, my step daughter and office manager, go to www.SusanVanVonderen.net.  

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