Lynn C. Waelde, PhD
Position:
Professor Emeritus
Contact Information:
lwaelde@paloaltou.eduOther Positions:
Professor Emeritus, Palo Alto University
Programs:
Ph.D.
Education:
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder
M.A., Anthropology, Louisiana State University
B.A., Psychology, Louisiana State University
Biography:
Dr. Waelde’s clinical and research interests focus on therapeutic applications of meditation and on predictors and manifestations of stress disorders. Her research has addressed the effectiveness of meditation for people facing diverse health and mental health issues. The Inner Resources (IR) protocol (Waelde, 2005) has been successfully tested for its effects on stress symptoms, substance use disorders, and quality of life in a series of collaborative clinical trials involving Hurricane Katrina survivors in New Orleans, women dementia family caregivers, persons with chronic depression, and veteran and active duty military personnel.
Dr. Waelde’s trauma research interests focus on relationships of stressor characteristics and individual differences to manifestations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her collaborative research has addressed issues such as subtypes of combat-related PTSD, the assessment and impact of race-related stress on different ethnic groups, and the impact of personal and cultural trauma on peacebuilding efforts.
Dr. Waelde is the founder and director of the Inner Resources Center of the Kurt and Barbara Gronowski Psychology Clinic of Palo Alto University. Center staff conduct psychoeducational programs, clinical interventions, professional training, and research concerning the applications of mind-body therapies, especially meditation, for mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. She developed the Inner Resources meditation program so that the powerful techniques of meditation and mindfulness could be adapted to meet the specialized needs of people with health and mental health issues. More than 2,000 people have received training in IR meditation and clinicians are using it nationally and internationally for self- and client care. Dr Waelde also founded and directs the Meditation and Psychology Emphasis for students in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at Palo Alto University. The Emphasis provides clinical and research training concerning mind-body approaches to health and well-being.
Dr. Waelde is a New Orleans native who received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master's degree in anthropology from Louisiana State University. She received a doctorate in Developmental Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She completed predoctoral internship at the VA Medical Center in New Orleans, where she completed training as a PTSD specialist. Dr. Waelde has been a lifelong student of hatha yoga and meditation.
Areas of Interest:
Meditation and Psychotherapy, Trauma, Dissociation and PTSD.
Selected Publications:
Jiang, H., White, M., Greicius, M. D., Waelde, L. C., Spiegel, D. (in submission). Brain activity and connectivity during hypnosis.
Carlson, E. B., Waelde, L. C., Palmieri, P. A., Smith, S., Mcdade-Montez, E., Macia, K. (in submission). Development and validation of the Dissociative Symptoms Scale.
Thompson, J. M., Waelde, L. C., & Spiegel, D. (in press). Hypnosis and mindfulness: Experiential and neurophysiological relationships. In A. Raz & M. Lifshitz (Eds.), Hypnosis and meditation: Towards an integrative science of conscious planes. New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press.
Waelde, L. C. (in press). Mindfulness and meditation for trauma-related dissociation. In V. Follette, J. Briere, J. Hopper, D. Rozelle, & D. Rome (Eds.). Contemplative methods in trauma treatment: Integrating mindfulness and other approaches. New York, N.Y.: Guilford Press.
Bekke-Hansen, S., Pedersen, C. G., Thygesen, K., Christensen, S., Waelde, L. C., Zacharia, R. (2014). The role of religious faith, spirituality and existential considerations among heart patients in a secular society: Relation to depressive symptoms six months post acute coronary syndrome. Journal of Health Psychology, 19,740-753.doi: 10.1177/1359105313479625
Bekke-Hansen, S., Pedersen, C., Thygesen, K., Christensen, S., Waelde, L. C., & Zachariae, R. (2012). Faith and use of complementary and alternative medicine among heart attack patients in a secular society.Complementary Therapies In Medicine, 20, 306-315. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2012.03.003
Waelde, L. C. (2012). Role of trauma in ethnic and cultural identity. In C. R. Figley, (Ed.), Encyclopedia of trauma: An interdisciplinary guide (pp. 576-578). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Waelde, L. C. (2012). Trauma triggers. In C. R. Figley, (Ed.), Encyclopedia of trauma: An interdisciplinary guide(pp. 738-741). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Spiegel, D., White, M., & Waelde, L. (2010). Hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, and brain imaging. In D. Barrett, (Ed.), Hypnosis and hypnotherapy Vol. 1: Neuroscience, personality, and cultural factors (pp. 37-52). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
Waelde, L. C., Pennington, D., Mahan, C., Mahan, R., Kabour, M., & Marquett, R. (2010). Psychometric properties of the Race-Related Events Scale. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2, 4-11. doi:10.1037/a0019018
Websites and Other Relevant Links:
Meditation and Psychology Area of Emphasis
Meditation and Psychotherapy Research Group