Background
Dr. Erica Sibinga is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is an expert in pediatric clinical research with a focus on developing evidence for the sensible integration of complementary and alternative approaches. Dr. Sibinga also serves as the director of ambulatory pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Dr. Sibinga received her undergraduate degree in biopsychology from Wesleyan University. She earned her M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She completed her residency and fellowship in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins. She also earned an M.H.S in Clinical Investigation from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Her research relates to the use of complementary and alternative approaches for pediatric patients. She has adapted and rigorously evaluated the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program for urban youth in clinic and school-based studies, showing that MBSR leads to benefits in psychological functioning, reductions in post-stress trauma symptoms, improved behavior, and increased self-care behaviors.
Dr. Sibinga's current research extends this body of research to examine the neural mechanisms of the MBSR program in youth (a collaborative project at the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in Florida), as well as the potential role of mindfulness practices for teachers and mothers of infants in the NICU.