Director of UAMS Student and Resident Wellness Program
Professor of Psychiatry, UAMS
Director of UAMS Mindfulness Program, Certified Koru Mindfulness Teacher
Formal training in MBSR
Dr. Puru Thapa can be reached at ThapaPurushottamB@uams.edu
Dr. Thapa, a Professor of Psychiatry and the Director of the UAMS Student and Resident Wellness Program, was first introduced to Mindfulness seven years ago in a workshop on Dialectical Behavior Therapy, an evidence-based program to help individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder. He was impressed with the scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of Mindfulness as not only as an adjunct treatment for numerous medical and psychiatric conditions but also for the management of stress and burnout in non-clinical populations. Recognizing how this practice has profoundly affected his personal life and growth, he has been a strong advocate for promoting Mindfulness to the students at UAMS since he took over the Student Wellness Program. He has given lectures on the science and practice Mindfulness in various forums, taught Mindfulness-based courses to students, supported training for his staff with whom he offers regular drop-in guided Mindfulness sessions. With a grant he received from the UAMS Chancellor’s Circle of Excellence Fund, he has established a UAMS Mindfulness program through which he has supported Koru Mindfulness Teacher Certificate training for seven faculty/staff from UAMS who have been offering classes to students with plans to expand to residents, and eventually faculty. Dr. Thapa is a certified Koru Mindfulness Teacher and has also received training in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR).