About the Bakken Center

University of Minnesota Mission Statement

In all of its activities, the University strives to sustain an open exchange of ideas in an environment that embodies the values of academic freedom, responsibility, integrity, and cooperation; that provides an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and intolerance; that assists individuals, institutions, and communities in responding to a continuously changing work; that is conscious of and responsive to the needs of the many communities it is committed to serving; that creates and supports partnerships within the university, with other educational systems, and with communities to achieve common goals; and that inspires, sets high expectations for, and empowers the individuals within its community.

Bakken Center Mission & Vision 

Mission

Advance whole health and wellbeing by providing interprofessional education, conducting research, advancing integrative models of care, and delivering innovative community engagement programs. 

Vision

Advance the health and wellbeing of people and the planet. 

Bakken Center Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing affirms that the values and lived experiences of our students, faculty, staff, and community members are critical to health and wellbeing.

We explicitly reject bias, discrimination, and exclusion on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

We:

• Embrace the definition of diversity offered by the University’s Office for Equity and Diversity.

• Recognize that it is our responsibility to ensure that diverse opinions and unique ways of knowing inform our curriculum, operations, research, and community relations

• Are committed to engaging students, staff, and faculty from diverse backgrounds

• Know that racism, oppression, and societal disregard for the experiences of marginalized people are significant barriers to wellbeing.

• Believe that having access to wellbeing resources is critical for human flourishing

The Center acknowledges that there is a great deal of work to be done to create a welcoming climate that is equitable and inclusive. We commit to collaborating with University and community partners to expand our programming, resources, and websites to feature more information about equity, diversity, and inclusion, and why all are critical components of wellbeing.  

We believe that access to wellbeing resources are critical for human flourishing. Because of this, we work to prioritize free resources for students, faculty, staff, and the community, such as our Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing website, Mindful Monddays, our wellbeing webinar series, and our new Wellbeing Guides.

We would like to hear from you. Do you have ideas that the Center should explore? Please fill out the brief form so that we may grow together, and optimize community wellbeing by ensuring that the Center is a welcoming place to learn, and by creating a world free of structural systems of oppression.

CSH Academic Programs

The University of Minnesota's Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing (CSH) enriches health and wellbeing by providing exemplary interprofessional education, conducting rigorous research, delivering innovative engagement programs and advancing integrative models of care. The Center’s vision is to advance the health and wellbeing of individuals, organizations and communities through integrative health and healing.

Approximately 800 students enroll in the Center’s courses each Fall and Spring term. Interprofessional educational programs offered by the Center include:

• Master of Arts in Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching

• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Integrative Therapies and Healing Practices

-  Health Coaching track within the Certificate program

• Graduate Minor in Integrative Therapies and Healing Practices

• Study Abroad Courses to explore culturally-based healing practices

• Free online learning opportunities