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For Him, The Mind Matters

Sonia Chopra

He's a psychiatrist in private practice for twenty-two years, and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

He is also the president, CEO and medical director of INTEGRIS Mental Health, Inc., one of the state's largest providers of mental health services, and co-founder of the James L. Hall, Jr. Center for Mind, Body and Spirit, a non-profit committed to improving public health.

But whether Dr. R. Murali Krishna is teaching, counseling or writing, he never loses sight of his main goals: to remove the stigma around mental illnesses and help people discover their inner healing power.

The mind is a powerful tool but the human race has not realized or utilized it's full potential, Krishna says.

"We underestimate the ability of the mind," he observes. "It has tremendous healing power. Every human being can influence his immune system from breaking down by calming his mind, relaxing his muscles and removing his inner tension. Once you start mediating, you will feel yourself getting stronger."

He gives an example of the Lamas of Tibet: In freezing temperatures, they sit with wet towels draped around their shoulders and practise a guided imagery technique to heat their bodies rapidly. Within moments, the towels are dry.

Krishna believes the same technique can be used in modern day medicine to combat chronic pain.

His own way of achieving peace and tranquility is to be one with nature.

Krishna takes long walks, prays and watches the stars.

"Flowers, sunsets, plants and lakes are instant soothers. Their beauty is healing," Krishna says. "So are emotions like hope and love. If you love someone or are in love, several areas of the brain light up. Time passes quickly when you are in the company of people you love and people who have hope live the longest."

These are ideas Krishna explores in the newsletter, Harmony, which is sent out to about 11,000 readers through the Hall Foundation.

In his column, Mind Matters, he works to enhance the public's health and sense of well being through sharing of current scientific knowledge about emotional health and the ways in which the mind can influence the body.

Topics discussed in the column include spirituality and healing, relaxation techniques, stress management, depression, anxiety and the power of guided imagery

His impressive credentials, prestigious appointments and experience makes him one of the experts in his field.

He has held positions such as president at the Oklahoma Psychiatric Association and both as chief of staff and chairman at St. Anthony's Hospital. And he has affiliations to half a dozen medical organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association.

But a large part of Krishna's focus lies in healing the "healers"-the most neglected population-physicians themselves.

His research shows that 20 percent of all physicians say they are dissatisfied with the profession, almost a third of physicians 50 and older plan to retire early and half of all female physicians will experience a mental disorder in their lifetime. The reason is burnout.

The ones who do stay in the profession sometimes are prone to depression, dependency on chemicals and suicides.

"The numbers point to a problem in one of civilization's most important endeavors," Krishna notes. "It's a dilemma that will challenge our entire society over the next decade. Just as we witness exponential advances in the technology and science of medicine, the human side seems to be waning. And managed care increasingly places a strain on the relationship between healer and those who need to be healed."

"Overwhelmingly, most doctors and nurses experienced some profound event in their youth that made them see the potential for healing," he continues. "They wanted to make a difference in other people's lives. Doctors and nurses feeling burned out should reach out once again to this altruistic purpose."

Last year, Krishna received the Outstanding Physician International Award from the Delhi Telugu Academy in New Delhi in recognition of his national and international work in removing the stigma of mental illness, promoting compassionate care of the mentally ill and emphasizing the healing power of the mind, body and sprit.

A decade ago, he also received the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Washington D.C.

In 1999, he received A Heart and Soul Appreciation Award from the American Heart Association for his work in the mind, body and spirit connection and how it can change the heart's destiny from unhealthy to healthy.

He graduated from Andhra Medical College and practiced family medicine briefly before specializing in internal medicine. Drawn to the mysteries of the mind, Krishna also spent some time in England analyzing behavioral sciences.

In 1975, he immigrated to the United States and took some more courses at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Three years later, he went into private practice with the Professional Corporation of Psychiatry and has been there since.

He lives in Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City with his family. His son Raja, 29, has just finished his residency in internal medicine at Kansas University Medical Center and his daughter Hema Bindu, 22, finished undergraduate child psychology at Oklahoma State University and will study law in the fall.

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