The Depressor: Why Your Mind Turns Stress Into Self- Criticism
Have you ever noticed how quickly your mind can turn a difficult moment into a story about who you are?
I-System Institute For Transdisciplinary Studies, Home of Mind-Body Bridging
Recognize What's Holding You Back
The I-System Institute at Utah State University is the home of Mind-Body Bridging®, an evidence-based approach that helps people reduce stress, restore calm, and reconnect with their natural resilience.
What Is Mind-Body Bridging®?
ReLaCS
Recognize, Label, and Come to Your Senses
Mind-Body Bridging® (MBB) helps people notice patterns of stress, reduce reactivity, and rediscover their natural clarity.
Developed and researched at Utah State University, MBB is used by clinicians, educators, and individuals to strengthen awareness and well-being.
Who We Serve
Virtual Workshop
Free online sessions that teach resilience skills for everyday life.
2024 Mind-Body Bridging® by the Numbers
3279 people trained in MBB
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107
Coaching
Sessions
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463
Individual Therapy Sessions
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121
Trainings, Workshops, Groups
USU MBB Courses
13 MBB Courses Taught
85 Total Students
14 Certified Clinicians
News & Stories
Stay up to date on the latest from the I-System Institute community.
Stop Stressing, Start Living: How the RELACS Method Can Help
If you’re new to Mind-Body Bridging, here’s the basic idea: it’s a research-backed approach that helps you manage stress by teaching you to notice what’s happening in your mind and body, right in the moment.
Mapping Your Mind (and Body): A Guide to Self-Awareness
If you’ve ever found yourself caught in a loop of stressful thoughts and body tension, you’re not alone. Mind-Body Mapping offers a simple way to make sense of these experiences.
MBB Events
Who We Are
The I-System Institute’s faculty, based at Utah State University, combine clinical expertise and research to advance the science of mind-body awareness.
Meet Our Team
Derrik Tollefson
Professor
Director, I-System Institute for Transdisciplinary Studies
Department of Social Work
Utah State University
Phone: (435) 797-9296
Email: derrik.tollefson@usu.edu
Office Location: Logan Campus, OLD MAIN 303A
Tanya Comer
Clinical Assistant Professor
Associate Director, I-System Institute for Transdisciplinary Studies
Department of Social Work
Utah State University
Email: tanya.comer@usu.edu
Research and Publications
Advancing the Science of Awareness
Explore how Mind-Body Bridging® and the I-System Model are transforming research, practice, and lives across communities.
Research Highlights
Impact Report 2024
Books & Workbooks
Journal Publications
What People Are Saying
I am getting better at recognizing my I-system and defusing my depressor and fixer thoughts, but I am still struggling to make myself map it out. I plan to get a small notebook that I can carry with me so when moments hit I can use it to map and address my I-system in real time. I feel much more relaxed and less stressed about things I cannot change. I also feel like I am viewing things more logically after addressing my I-system when it become overactive. I believe this is going to help me to be logical and think things through, which will help me become a better social worker in the future.
My moment to moment MBB practice has actually improved over the last few weeks. It seemed to get a little redundant with all of the mapping assignments but now I find myself mapping in my head when I come across a stressful issue. I now can easily start to finish complete a MBB map and it is so useful in my daily life. I already use these practices to ease my work day with the job I have now and I don’t see that stopping here at this job. I am easily able to map out why I have hard times with some of my clients and then I always come back to the fact that they have disabilities and it should not trigger my I system or maybe I am not in the right field. I am so happy to have learned these practices.
I think that these practices are super vital as a social worker because they promote resilience and also are a way of practicing self-care by being in tune with your own emotions and needs. I think that not only can these MBB practices help you in the long run to deal with problems in your life, but some of the skills can also be used in the moment when working with clients, like bridging awareness so that you can stay in the present moment. Besides using these techniques for yourself, they are also useful to potentially use when working with clients.