Caitlyn Ecock used to feel like just another cog in the machine.<\/p>\n
Inside the cardiac procedures unit at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn<\/a>, the 28-year-old had grown accustomed to darting between patients, checking vitals, prepping them for surgery and keeping the department moving amid a constant flow of activity.<\/p>\n But somewhere in the middle of the chaos, something subtle was slipping away. She could see the pain on patients\u2019 faces and hear the anxiety in their voices, yet slowing down long enough to be present with them often felt out of reach.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are real people with real stories,\u201d Ecock told The Post. \u201cI felt like I wasn\u2019t able to connect with that in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n Pain medication isn\u2019t the only thing that can make patients recovering in a hospital feel better, according to NYU Langone nurse Caitlyn Ecock. Tamara Beckwith\/NY Post<\/p>\n That started to shift when she joined NYU Langone\u2019s Lerner Holistic Integrative Health Nursing Fellowship<\/a>, a nine-month professional development program helping nurses rethink what \u201ccare\u201d looks like \u2014 blending clinical practice with evidence-based wellness tools that support both patients and providers alike.<\/p>\n For Ecock, it wasn\u2019t just another credential. It\u2019s reshaped the way she shows up on the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s only been six months, but my entire practice has definitely changed,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve learned so many hands-on skills, like, I do guided imagery<\/a> with my patients now.\u201d<\/p>\n The technique has providers encouraging patients to picture themselves in a vivid, immersive scene \u2014 like strolling on a beach or walking through a forest \u2014 drawing on all five senses to trigger the body\u2019s natural relaxation response.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of times, people are just sitting there waiting, only thinking of their pain and distress, so if we can engage with them and distract them, it can provide some relief,\u201d Ecock said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt helps me too. I leave that shift feeling better because I connected with someone,\u201d she explained. \u201cI sat down and looked someone in their eye and did these exercises with them and they got relief from it. And maybe they won\u2019t need as much medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n The approach may sound simple, but it can be surprisingly powerful.<\/p>\n Studies suggest that guided imagery before surgery can reduce preoperative anxiety<\/a>. After their procedure, patients who do it have been shown to require less medication<\/a>, with improved wound healing<\/a> and faster discharge times.<\/p>\n The practice has also been linked to reduced pain and fatigue<\/a>, improved quality of life<\/a> in cancer patients and even lower rates of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting<\/a>.<\/p>\n Spending time in green spaces, or even simply gazing out at them, has been shown to support relaxation and healing. whyframeshot \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Ecock has seen the impact firsthand.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had one patient who was complaining about back pain \u2026 so we led her through a guided imagery and she ended up falling asleep during it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe moment she closed her eyes and went \u2018ahh,\u2019 that, to me, was the best part of the day. To give that to someone is a different level than [giving] them 700 different types of antibiotics,\u201d Ecock continued.<\/p>\n Katrina Vigo, Jocelyn Gan and beekeeper Will Duncan. Tamara Beckwith\/NY Post<\/p>\n \u201cThose are important too, but I feel like integrating both really takes your care to a different level.\u201d<\/p>\n While powerful on its own, experts say meditation techniques like guided imagery become even more effective when paired with real-world sensory input from nature \u2014 like the sound of rustling leaves or the feeling of natural sunlight \u2014 which can help anchor visualizations and deepen relaxation.<\/p>\n It\u2019s part of why NYU Langone has invested heavily in green space across its campuses.<\/p>\n