Professor and researcher
Dr. Gary Elkins
Current position
Dr. Gary Elkins is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University and the Director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory where he conducts research into mind-body interventions including hypnosis, mindfulness, and music for sleep, pain, and hot flashes. Dr. Elkins is the leading researcher and expert on hypnosis for hot flashes and sleep disturbances as well as other clinical applications. He is an Adjunct Professor, Texas A&M University College of Medicine and a Medical Associate with Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest Medical Center. Dr. Elkins is the co-developer of the Evia app that provides hypnosis intervention for hot flashes and sleep provided by Mindset Health. Dr. Elkins serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.
Research
Dr. Elkins has an extensive background in clinical and experimental mind-body medicine research. He has been PI on two NCI grants (R21-CA100594, R21-CA13175), an NCCIH grant in which involved a large randomized clinical trial (U01-AT004634, $2.6 million in funding) of hypnosis for hot flashes versus a structured attention control; and PI on an NCCIH funded study of an innovative use of hypnosis to improve sleep disturbances (R34-AT008246, Hypnosis to Improve Sleep in Menopause: Determination of Optimal Dose and Method) and currently PI on a multi-site R01 randomized clinical trial (Grant Number: 5R01AT009384 – 03 PI Name: Elkins, Gary R) Self-Administered Hypnosis for Management of Hot Flashes in Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial (exceeding $3.5 million in funding). In addition, he was awarded a grant from the National Endowments for the Arts (NEA) to conduct a randomized clinical trial of music and suggestion for pain management among aging adults with chronic low back pain. His research has been continually funded by the National Institutes of Health for over 20 years with funding exceeding $8 million. Due to his expertise regarding complementary and alternative medicine, mindfulness, and hypnosis, he has served on 18 NIH scientific review groups.
Publications
Dr. Elkins has over 100 publications and presentations, which include five books: Handbook of Medical and Psychological Hypnosis: Foundations, Applications, and Professional Issues; Hypnotic Relaxation Therapy: Principles and Applications; and Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Psychologists: An Essential Resource; Relief from Hot Flashes; Mindful HDr. Elkins has over 100 publications which include five books: Handbook of Medical and Psychological Hypnosis: Foundations, Applications, and Professional Issues; Hypnotic Relaxation Therapy: Principles and Applications; and Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Psychologists: An Essential Resource; Relief from Hot Flashes; Mindful Hypnotherapy: The Basics for Clinical Practice. He is the author of the Psychological Distress Profile which is available through Mind Garden at https://www.mindgarden.com/. He has developed an empirically validated and highly reliable scale to measure hypnotizability, the Elkins Hypnotizability Scale (EHS), arguably the new gold standard for measurement of hypnotizabilbility in clinical practice and research.
Awards
In recognition of his research, he has received major awards: the Society of Behavioral Medicine (2012, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Investigator Research Award), and the American BIn recognition of his research, he has received major awards: the Society of Behavioral Medicine (2012, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Investigator Research Award), and the American Board of Psychological Hypnosis (2008 Morton Prince Award for Professional Achievement to Psychological Hypnosis, and the Distinguished Contribution to Science Award from Division 30 of the American Psychological Association.
Other Work
Dr. Elkins serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Boulder Crest Foundation and is an expert in the area of Posttraumatic Growth research.
Personal Interests
Dr. Gary Elkins and his wife, Guillerma Elkins live in Waco, Texas and have a large family in the Austin, Texas area. He enjoys fly fishing, horseback riding, hiking, exercise, and research and teaching. He is enthusiastic about teaching and mentoring students, and improving health care through mind-body medicine.