On this episode of GradLife 601, host Dr. Nancy Caronia speaks to Dr. Peter Giacobbi, a professor within the Faculty of Utilized Human Sciences who holds a joint appointment with the College of Public Well being at WVU. Dr. Giacobbi talks about his analysis into guided imagery and the way he is utilizing audio to combat smoking and different power ailments.
Transcription:
Welcome to GradLife 601: Analysis & Past, podcast supported by West Virginia College’s Provost Workplace of Graduate Training and Life. I am your host, Dr. Nancy Coronia, a instructing affiliate professor with the Division of English at WVU. At present I will be talking with Dr. Peter Giacobbi, a professor within the Faculty of Utilized Human Sciences who holds a joint appointment with the College of Public Well being at WVU.
Dr. Giacobbi has 82 peer reviewed publications and has acquired quite a few grants from private and non-private sources, together with Fb Meta by way of International. He additionally serves as the location principal investigator for an N NIH funded R01 to check an intervention for smoking cessation in New York, West Virginia, and Arizona.
Giacobbi can be a part of a group of investigators within the West Virginia Prevention Analysis Heart evaluating applications funded by the West Virginia Bureau for Public Well being. Welcome, Dr. Jacobi. It is a pleasure to have you ever right here on this context at the moment. Thanks for spending time with me. You are welcome. I am comfortable to be.
So I wanna dive proper in and I might such as you to speak somewhat bit about your present analysis and the way you got here to it, since you do numerous various things. So are you able to simply speak about your present analysis?
Certain. I give attention to principle and evidence-based interventions to forestall dangers or cut back dangers of power illness.
Illness is fee associated to cardiometabolic well being, most cancers, and SMO smoking cessation. The behaviors I give attention to are smoking cessation and bodily exercise, and in addition psychological stress. I have been targeted on this for fairly a while. My experience is in the usage of guided psychological imagery or visualization or well being habits change.
And if you happen to do not thoughts, I can simply give somewhat background about how I, about what that’s and the way I discovered that was gonna be my comply with up query. Please try this. Yeah. So guided imagery is the managed visualization in your thoughts’s eye of previous, current, or future experiences. It is carefully associated to reminiscence course of.
And it additionally includes your senses and your feelings. So athletes as an example, use guided imagery for ability improvement to organize for competitors. And, and, and, and so they use it in a wide range of locations. And, you understand, imagery might be, you should utilize your creativeness and visualize occasions virtually wherever. Spontaneously That’s, yeah.
However then the best way I’ve used it in my analysis is that I create guided imagery scripts which are sometimes delivered utilizing audio information in final, about three to 5 minutes. Wow. And so we ship these and on apps, however extra just lately via Fb and utilizing Fb to ship guided imagery and mixing it with video and music.
Within the background. So I happened finding out this trigger I used to be a golfer rising up. And simply to be fairly trustworthy, my, my background is in golf and sport and train psychology and I used to be just about a head case on the golf course. I had numerous success. I used to be I, I used to be very profitable as a junior golfer, however I additionally had some down occasions and a few slumps, and I knew I wanted extra.
Than my instructors may present. And so I fell in love with guided imagery as a result of again once I was rising up, Jack Nicholas was the golfer of the day, and he used to put in writing about his use of images as if he was watching a film script of himself is how he described it. And he would play it forwards and backwards to think about the hitting the ball the place it land.
The way it bounced after which backwards in time that the ball was coming again to him. And actually these descriptions had been engulfed digest. They had been fairly well-known and well-liked on the time. In order that influenced me lots. And athletes, it is probably the most generally used psychological ability utilized by coaches and athletes as psychological imagery, guided imagery.
And I’ve determined in my, I’ve studied it with athletes. I am at the moment ending a examine with athlete. However most of my work is definitely guided imagery to extend train habits. And proper now for smoking cessation, and I’ve studied lots with train habits and with success, we have proven via randomized managed trials that it could improve motivation and confidence to take care of train and improve train habits as.
Wow. So I’ve a query for you as a result of once I consider guided imagery, I consider meditation is, does it have a meditative part to it? Sure. And so it does have imagery, does have origins and Buddhist thought Yeah. And Buddhist writings, and the place largely we may give credit score to Japanese Asians for bringing mindfulness thoughts meditation into public life.
Proper? And so, meditation although, in, as, as I perceive it, is practising to remain within the current second. Sure facets of Buddhism use imagery greater than others, proper? So it shares some similarities, however as I’ve conceptualized and examined imagery, it is way more aim directed, proper? There is a aim to stop smoking or to extend your train habits.
And in order that’s completely different than mindfulness or aware meditation, the place you are actually attempting to calm your thoughts, sluggish your thoughts down, and be within the second and develop compassion and understanding in the direction of your self and others. Thanks. Thanks for that clarification. I believe that that is actually fascinating and essential.
And I really like the way you got here to or not it’s to your personal sense of your {golfing}. , as a golfer, you noticed that there have been gaps and also you wished to fill the gaps. Now you and I’ve. . Now, I wanna be trustworthy right here. Pete and I do know one another as a result of we’ve canines that we stroll collectively, . And so he and I typically discuss, and we have talked previously about how essential not solely analysis expertise are, but additionally writing expertise to the graduate pupil.
And I seen that a few of your articles have pupil collaborators. May you speak about the way you select to work with graduate college students and what qualities you are on the lookout for in graduate pupil researchers? Sure, I’d simply add that numerous ’em additionally embody undergraduate college students. I thanks.
That is nice. I train each ranges. And so typically with the undergraduate college students I’ve had, I had them at school, and I carry my analysis very often into the classroom. I, I am going to current findings from my analysis and speak about my analysis focus and funding. So at the latest college students that I can consider, each had been undergraduates in a category of mine in 2019.
Wow. They helped with testing a an app referred to as Pral, which used guided imagery for general well being and wellness for girls who had been pregnant. They usually, they had been fairly energetic within the mission. They did numerous information assortment. They interviewed ladies in regards to the mission. They helped manage the databases and so they participated within the writing of the manuscript.
And so after they graduated, they went to graduate college. One is in counseling psychology at Florida State College. Now the opposite one simply accomplished his grasp’s in Epi epidemiology at Pitt. Good. They usually had been co-authors on this mission. So usually, you understand, with graduates, that is a technique I determine my, my graduate college students.
Having them in courses, an undergraduate, however usually, I believe commonest is college students who apply to this system, come right here to work with me on this, in, in the usage of psychological imagery, guided imagery or praise, different complimentary different approaches to well being like yoga. Okay. So once you’re, once you’re fascinated with taking up a, a mentee, what are you on the lookout for?
What makes a very good mentee? Effectively the very first thing that I see once I reviewing college students potential to get into our doctoral program right here is, yeah, the factor that I pay probably the most consideration to is the writing pattern. Often it is, it, I should not name it a pattern. It is their private assertion. Yeah. And I pay very shut consideration to how effectively they specific themselves, how effectively they write the construction of their writing.
Grammar and punctuation. Continuity and coherence are all issues I look very carefully at. That may be a central a part of my instructing philosophy is whereas studying, writing, and oral communication. However I’m very astute about how effectively a pupil can specific themselves in, in a brief private assertion, often three to 5 pages.
So I wanna additionally hear them. I wanna meet with them. And like just lately it has been totally on Zoom, however that, that is useful to get to know a pupil. I wanna know what their pursuits are, what their targets are, and what their, why they assume W B U is an efficient match for them and their, and the targets. So I, I ask these questions.
Effectively, we ask these questions. My colleagues and I in sport and train psychology, ask these questions. Nearly each applicant in a roundabout way. Yeah. As a, as an individual who’s in English, it, you understand, I might love to listen to that. You need to perceive that they will are available in already with some written communication expertise.
Why do you assume it is essential for college students as they enter a graduate program to have already got some expertise underneath their belt? I do know you are gonna train them extra, however why would you like, you understand, why would you like sure expertise earlier than they arrive? Effectively Our program’s very aggressive. They, many of the candidates are available in right here with a grasp’s diploma, after which they’ve to finish a second grasp’s diploma in counseling and their PhD.
Wow. So I, I’ve excessive expectations proper off the bat, however let’s simply speak about probably the most primary types of writing, what I take into account probably the most primary, and positively I have never mastered it. And that is e mail communication. , if the scholar is absolutely enthusiastic about working with a selected college member, I’d count on that they’d attain out to that particular person and say, you understand, introduce themselves, inform them what they’re enthusiastic about and why they need to come right here.
And so that is one thing I’ve to educate undergraduates lots, simply writing clear emails and. I by no means gave it a lot thought, cuz I, I have been discovered, as an example I’ve discovered classes, writing emails, not all of them. Good classes. . Amen. . Yeah. And so I, I learn a e book, I, I discussed this to you by Fried Zakaria CNN host on Saturday mornings.
His e book, he is prolific author and simply a captivating particular person to hearken to and examine. His work. I believe he writes for the Washington Put up additionally, however he wrote a e book referred to as The Defensive of Liberal Training and he talked in regards to the significance of writing clear emails and the way sure tech firms actually take a look at that rigorously with their candidates.
And so I’ve to educate undergrads lots about writing clear. Emails and after, it was humorous, after I had one lecture, I gave a gaggle of scholars somewhat lecture about writing emails. They stopped emailing. I believe they had been intimidated by, you understand, what I used to be anticipating. So a number of years in the past. However, however anyhow I believe it helps and it reveals when somebody has given numerous thought and clear thought to an e mail or not.
It is fascinating you say that. I train, I typically train English 3 0 4, which is our skilled in enterprise writing, and the primary project is absolutely about if you are going to apply for a job, how do you try this? And I embody within the train that they must e mail those that they need letters of reference from.
They must e mail thanks notes. After they ship out the appliance and so they must e mail with the quilt letter hooked up. And I do know typically jobs now you simply add the resume and that is it. They usually at all times take a look at me surprisingly at first as a result of why do you must do, why do we’ve to know this?
And, however all of us dwell in a world with texting the place we’re, the place we’re not writing full sentences, we’re not being clear. We ship emojis. And I believe it is actually good follow. I actually admire you saying that, that a few of our. Actually do not perceive that they want these expertise it doesn’t matter what area they’re in or what area they are going into, that they do want that sort of readability and focus and respect for his or her viewers, you understand, the individual that they’re reaching out to.
So I actually admire that. Thanks. Yeah, and I, I am glad It is fascinating. That is a part of your course. I virtually assume that that must be a part of each undergraduate course. I am fascinated with, like my undergrads proper now, I have never had a dialog with them about e mail but. that is in, that is fascinating to me, and I am glad that course is obtainable, but it surely looks like that ought to virtually be a basic ed requirement in a course like that.
Effectively, any of your college students may take English 3 0 4. It is open to anyone. So if they’ve an elective, they might take it. Yeah. Effectively, it is good to know. Yeah. So now you are speaking somewhat bit about being a very good mentor, proper? trainer and a very good mentor proper now. So what would you need to inform graduate college students to search for after they’re really on the lookout for a mentor?
As a result of on the similar time that you simply’re interviewing them, they could not understand they should be interviewing you on the similar time. So are you able to discuss somewhat bit about what you assume makes a very good mentor? Yeah, I believe, I imply, very first thing I’d say is select your mentor rigorously. Actually give it some thought, as a result of that particular person will probably be a stamp on you virtually.
And once you begin getting out, particularly if you happen to’re going into academia, the repute of your mentors is absolutely essential. And so, I imply, there are numerous, I, I believe numerous college students these days are interested in youthful mentors with much less expertise for. Any variety of causes, however that might not be one of the best particular person for you.
, like we, we simply had two college members go away final semester and so they left their doctoral college students right here, so these doctoral college students had been scrambling and we put plans in place and none of ’em have left WVU fortunately. So it has been a tough. A number of months with that. However I believe what they, they actually simply have to replicate on their targets.
And so the a part of the interview is you understand, it is a two-way interview, however college students who come to a possible college member to work with in grad college ought to have a extremely good concept about their targets, what they need to accomplish, and the way that individual program is gonna assist them meet, meet their targets.
And so I’d have a, simply an open dialog with throughout an interview course of with a possible college member about, you understand, this is what I wanna accomplish. I need to be a college member, or I need to work in public colleges, or I wanna work in non the non-profit world, wherever it is likely to be. And simply be very clear about that.
However I believe additionally simply speaking to them about their. , you understand, inform me about, inform me about your analysis. Inform me about your, the courses you train. Inform me about your hobbies additionally. I believe numerous occasions recreation and hobbies inform you a large number about an individual. So these are only a few issues offhand.
I imply, I, once I went to go to the colleges that I obtained accepted to my grasp’s diploma at Miami, Ohio and PhD. College of Tennessee, Knoxville. Once I obtained accepted into these applications, very first thing I did was booked a, a flight to go down there to satisfy with college members. The second factor I did was printed out a bunch of their publications.
I wished to know what they have been doing, what their focus is, and the place they see it going. Yeah. So in my area that I believe that went a good distance. That is nice recommendation. I additionally like that concept of understanding that you must know who the entire particular person is and never simply their area of examine, which is absolutely essential, however you must perceive how personalities may or may not mesh, and you’ll inform that once you discover out, such as you stated, the issues that they do after they’re not within the workplace.
I believe that is actually essential. Thanks. Yeah, like do you stroll a canine? Do you personal a canine? , somebody goes up in our estimation extremely if they’ve a canine, . They do. They do. Though considered one of my, one of the best doctoral pupil I’ve ever had eclipsed my profession, he did not like canines. I am shocked. . Yeah. I requested him, do you wanna maintain my canine Mia someday?
He is like, no, that is okay. Are you certain I am going to pay you? No, that is okay. You actually, you most likely don’t need me taking good care of your canine. And so it seems that was proper. However he has gone on to be a celebrity. Good. Plenty of, lot of how. Okay, let’s take a break for a second to listen to from WVU’s Provost Workplace of Graduate Training and Life.
Welcome again to GradLife 601: Analysis & Past. I am your host, Dr. Nancy Caronia, and I am talking with Dr. Peter Giacobbi, professor within the Faculty of Utilized Human Sciences. I am so glad that we’re getting to speak and I, I might prefer to shift the dialog now. You’ve got acquired quite a few grants that embody groups from across the nation, so are you able to discuss somewhat bit in regards to the course of for making use of to massive collaborative grants?
It is a course of. It begins with numerous your early analysis, your foundational initiatives. So, I talked somewhat bit about guided imagery. I have been finding out guided imagery most of my profession. I’ve revealed a examine in. 2000, or possibly 98, I can not keep in mind now. Using train imagery by aerobics contributors, one other one with athletes.
And so we obtained to a degree the place a number of the descriptive work that I used to be conducting in cross-sectional analysis, technical analysis phrases weren’t, weren’t sufficient. And I turned enthusiastic about interventions and carried out some randomized and non-randomized managed trials. And it occurred to be that one of many folks within the viewers on the, was on the most cancers heart on the College of Arizona was Judith Cordon, and I introduced a few of my work there and she or he was impressed sufficient to method me and speak about smoking cessation.
Wow. In order that, what’s that? I stated, wow. Yeah. So that is how collaboration occurs, proper? ? Sure. Sure. Once you least count on it . Yeah. Sure, precisely. I used to be speaking about multi well being habits change interventions and talked about how guided imagery can be utilized for nearly any well being habits. It is easy. It is easy to show folks find out how to use, do.
And in order that started what’s been now I believe an eight or 9 12 months collaboration funded by our, we’re now on our third NIH grant. Wow. Coping with smoking cessation utilizing guided imagery. And I believe that is the place I’ve most likely made the largest impression in my work is guided imagery and smoking cessation.
If not now, quickly, numerous that work will probably be revealed. We revealed quite a few different research from the earlier two grants. In order that was an enormous collaboration. And I am right here and she or he’s on the College of Arizona and she or he has different connections in New York and across the nation. So we ended up submitting the latest one, massive r o one R zero one to Nationwide Institutes of Well being.
And we had been clearly profitable with it. And in order that includes numerous Interinstitutional agreements and efforts. So, you understand, WVU has to log off on it earlier than the proposal goes out. They must agree on my, all my wage estimates, my scope of labor, et cetera, and we just about it. WVU is fairly well-tuned to this and so is the College of Arizona.
Proper. After which so it has been it is, it is a course of. , these are extremely targeted and I might say exact analysis proposals that spell out what you are going to do over the course of 5 years with numerous readability. So having a number of eyes on a mission, a proposal like that’s completely important.
It is only a, you understand, she initiates the drafts often begins with the primary web page of the particular video games, after which we work from there on the remainder of the proposal and shuttle and provides one another suggestions. So it’s a lengthy course of. And this, this was and the proposal was a couple of 12 months and a half within the making.
That I believe that typically graduate college students do not perceive after they, after they come to work and so they’re in a lab or they’re working with testing the best way that you simply’re doing, they do not perceive that they could be becoming a member of the method within the center. And that, such as you stated, it might be a 12 months and a half lengthy proposal.
And you then nonetheless do not know if it will be funded. You hope it is going to be funded, however you can spend a 12 months and a half on a proposal after which wait one other six months to search out out if it is fund. What suggestions do you’ve for grad college students as they apply to smaller grants and fellowships? As a result of I at all times see these smaller grants and fellowships as gateways to the bigger grants after which the collaborative grants.
And I believe it is actually essential that you do not, that you do not not do them since you really feel like, oh, I am not prepared. It is good follow. I make my freshman. Apply for Fulbright Summer time Fellowships. Hmm. As a result of I would like them, I stated they’re actually aggressive. I do not know that you simply’re gonna get it, but it surely’s a very good follow so that you can get comfy with grant writing and fellowship writing early on.
Yeah, I, I believe it is nice to begin small. I, I additionally would suggest grant writing courses in graduate college when you have an opportunity to do. I by no means had a grant writing class. I discovered the laborious method, however I really was profitable in my first three, first three submissions. Wow. , however I even mentor college on beginning small.
Effectively, I give them a alternative. You can begin massive, which has its personal worth, or you can begin small. It is like a backside up or high down method. And even your massive grants, that offers you a chance to piece them out or reduce out sure components of it to, to go for a smaller grant. , the primary bit of recommendation I’d inform a graduate pupil is take a grant writing class.
I train public well being grant writing proper now. You do? Yeah. Okay. And all of my courses, no matter whether or not they’re undergrad or graduate, I’ve an project in every class that they’ve to enter the muse listing on-line, which WVU fortunately subscribes to and do a. Based mostly on key phrases, inhabitants, age group and it is invaluable expertise.
Typically they’re kicking and streaming somewhat bit, however on the finish of it, I inform them, okay, you possibly can go to a possible employer now and inform them you’ve expertise with the muse listing on-line. , which in the event that they go into the nonprofit world, they’re gonna be or any company, even colleges Yeah.
Municipalities. They, they apply for grants and yeah. I believe that is a fully essential ability for college students going out into the working world, understanding find out how to elevate cash. Sure. And so I might say go on to the muse listing on-line and fast plug right here to WVU Library. Melissa Wright, she is an skilled in the usage of this.
She’s lectured in my courses previously and she or he, about two years in the past we had a Zoom session the place we talked in regards to the basis listing, and I take advantage of it myself two or 3 times every week simply to go in there and scan. However then the laborious half is you possibly can determine these grants and you’ll find them who’s gotten funded off of those grants.
You are able to do the identical factor on federal database. , the laborious half is to dig somewhat additional within the foundations and what they fund. Hmm. so you possibly can determine the grantees, the grantors. I ponder if that is a phrase. And, however then you must dig somewhat additional. You must do some bit extra detective work.
However once you’re searching for cash, you are searching for a present, a grant that is value it. . So I agree. Individuals do not simply give. Yeah. Yeah. Individuals do not simply provide you with if for simply being who you might be. Proper. It could be good in the event that they did, however they do not And you must show, you must show that you’ve a mission that is value funding too.
Yeah. And within the basis world, it is not about your concepts, it is about their mission, what their mission is, and so they’re seeking to grant folks cash which are gonna assist them obtain their mission. And that is essential. That is a extremely good level. Yeah. Yeah. What had been you gonna say? You had, you had been, effectively, you understand, it is, it might be the identical in fed many federal businesses too, however just like the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, every heart or institute has a particular mission and it is, it is just about the identical factor with federal businesses.
They’ve priorities that they determine as essential gaps or wants in the precise, on this planet. So The one distinction is that you would be able to have an open name. You possibly can submit. As a researcher, I can have my very own concept and submit one thing to N NIH. That is not from a program announcement. Nevertheless it, it does want to suit into their mission on the similar time.
I believe you have introduced up a extremely good level about understanding the organizations that you simply’re making use of to, that it is a very particular sort of viewers, and so they have a really particular function, and so typically you must write to their function, not your individual function, however to their function. You must make what you are doing enticing to their function.
Yeah, that is, and that is a, that is an enormous distinction once you’re sitting down to put in writing, you understand since you’re at all times, writers are at all times informed, what’s your function? What’s your function? However typically your function is another person’s function, and to indicate what feeds that function. That is nice. Yeah. Let’s shift once more.
So what do you do for enjoyable once you’re not within the workplace and you are not engaged on grants and you are not instructing and, and mentoring , what do you do? . Effectively, I, I do like to put in writing lots. I attempt to. Each single day even, even after hours even once I’m in a espresso store or one other tremendous institution right here in Morgantown I do, I can work in underneath all types of noise situations.
That is nice. So I, I, I might love to put in writing and however for enjoyable, I imply, that is enjoyable, but it surely’s additionally work. However I, strolling my doggy Gucci, I, I actually take pleasure in Luo. Luo is a good looking, stunning child. He is a pit bull, however he has, is such a good looking child , he a handful, however I, I do take pleasure in, you understand, the beauty of proudly owning canines is one, it helps you be extra, extra energetic.
Nevertheless it’s additionally like I stroll him locations. I’d not stroll alone, you understand, or not cuz of security or something. I simply would not go to White Park as a lot as I do if Yeah. It wasn’t for him. , and so, and it has been proven canine, canine homeowners usually tend to meet the really useful quantities of bodily exercise as in comparison with non canine waters actually?
And it actually makes good sense. Yeah. Non canine homeowners. Yeah. As a result of they’re strolling often. Hopefully. Yeah. However I am additionally fairly energetic within the martial arts right here on the town. I have been a golfer all my life. I play somewhat little bit of golf now, however I like recreation. I keep energetic. What, what kinda martial arts are you doing now?
Oh, boy. Now we’re moving into, you understand, I informed you recreation reels reveals lots about folks. Effectively, you understand, I am a Tai Chi practitioner, so . Yeah, Tai Chi is tame. I, I do, it is multi martial arts. I believe you understand, I, proper now I am, I am, I’ve accomplished Kraft Maga, I’ve accomplished karate. I’ve had some Aikido and judo previously, however you understand, proper now Brazilian jiujitsu, which I might say is probably the most troublesome I’ve ever, it is probably the most troublesome model.
Oh. But additionally sort of a mix of kudo, which was Bruce Lee’s model that he invented and. Filipino Kali, which is fascinating. It is a fully fascinating system. It is the, the saying I, my teacher stated final Saturday, Kali is for good folks. . I, I, I believe all martial arts are for, are for individuals who wanna assume that you simply, you possibly can’t simply be a brute.
I imply, you can simply be a brute. However martial arts actually do ask you to carry your thoughts into the equation of it doesn’t matter what you are doing. Yeah, it must be. Particularly, I imply, you understand, the Japanese kinds have numerous self-reflection, meditation concerned in lots of them. It depends upon your teacher although.
Does your teacher worth these issues? , respiration I believe is an actual essential lesson you study within the martial yoga too. Sure. , actually essential lesson for stress aid sleeping, after which once you’re energetic mod modulating your respiration is, I. Helps with blood strain and go on and on about respiration.
However yeah, martial arts are enjoyable. They do tax your reminiscence and coordination expertise. , and there is good and unhealthy on the market, similar to something. Completely. I believe there’s actually good instructors. After which not so good in sure locations. However right here in Morgantown we’re fortunate we’ve some alternatives round city.
Yeah. Yeah. So that you’re, so I wanna thanks at the moment for speaking with me, for spending time with me. It is very nice to get to speak to you on this method. And also you’re welcome. Oh, you are, thanks. So thanks to Dr. Peter Giacobbi and thanks to GradLife 601’s podcast viewers. I hope you loved this episode.
Be a part of me subsequent time once I’ll be talking with Benjamin Sussman, a PhD pupil with WVU’s. Division of Historical past. Till subsequent time, I am Dr. Nancy Caronia for GradLife 601: Analysis & Past.
