ABSTRACT
What is psychosomatic or behavioral medicine, and why should the mental health professional keep current with advances in research and clinical applications? In recent years, mental health professionals have begun to integrate an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the mind-body problem; pathways of action between mind and body are complex, bidirectional, and heavily traveled. This has been a hot topic in both medical and psychological literature. This chapter will outline a number of those pathways. Familiarity with recent research in psychosomatic medicine is a useful tool in communicating with patients presenting with complex health problems. Mental health specialists should have at their fingertips an evidence-based understanding of the rationale for a referral for psychotherapeutic treatment of patients with conditions affecting both psyche and soma.
