We develop, research, and disseminate the next generation of resiliency solutions.
Four key insights drive our work.
A focus on the upstream neural networks instead of the downstream behaviors offers easier access to a transformative change.
Understanding human challenges in neuroscientific and evolutionary language offers unique opportunities for validation, inspiration, and empowerment.
We empower trainers to offer customized solutions based on their clients’ unique strengths, constraints, and goals.
We pride in our scalability, simplicity, and innovative spirit that fosters high engagement among our participants.
Certified Resilience Trainer (CeRT) Program
CeRT is a 6-month guided long-distance training that has two parts -
Part 1: Transform
Part 2: Trainer Skills Intensive (TSI)
A two-day immersive experience that shares the core insights in neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy of stress and resilience. Offered both in-person and by online video.
KNOW MORE
A six-month guided learning to develop a personal discipline in resilient living, and learn skills to teach the science, art, and skills of resilience. You will directly work with Dr. Sood throughout the six months.
As a certified trainer, you will teach our flagship Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program.
The SMART program is applicable to a wide range of audiences.
The program is customizable to meet the unique constraints and resources of each group.
Our trainers are members of the medical staff at every level (nurses, physicians, wellness coaches, therapists, HR professionals, and others) in several hospitals and health systems.
SMART trainers are helping a number of patient groups (heart disease, mental health, addiction, chronic pain, executives, chronic GI conditions, others) and caregivers.
Several schools have SMART trainers helping bring the program to teachers, staff, and other members.
We have trained coaches and HR team members in several companies. In addition, several of our trainers are working independently with different companies to teach SMART and related programs.
We have served a number of groups including city workers, the US Air force, NASA, chiefs of police, among others.
We are working with trainers in several nonprofits bringing SMART to their members.
Our approach to resilience has been tested in over 30 clinical trials. We believe ours is the most extensively researched resilience and wellbeing platform globally and has the strongest, most promising effectiveness data.
Mindfulness
(Assessed
by MAAS)
Resilience
(Assessed
by CDRS)
Happiness
(Assessed
by SHS)
Health Behaviors
(Assessed
by CHBQ)
Anxiety
(Assessed
by GAD-7)
Burnout
(Assessed
by MBI)
Depressive
symptoms
(Assessed by PHQ9)
Stress
(Assessed
by PSS)
anxiety
(Assessed by GAD-7)
burnout
(Assessed by MBI)
stress
(Assessed by PSS)
depressive
symptoms
(Assessed by PHQ9)
mindfulness
(Assessed
by MAAS)
resilience
(Assessed
by CDRS)
happiness
(Assessed
by SHS)
health behaviors
(Assessed
by CHBQ)
We have completed over 30 clinical trials -
we believe the most for any resilience program.
"This is such a gift.
I have so much more joy."
"It brought peace to my life."
“Transformative:
when you practice these skills,
you can’t help but experience
positive change.”
“The program
changed my life,
my outlook, and love for
self and others.”
S.S.
D.G.
K.S.
S.G.
"This is such a gift.
I have so much more joy."
S.S.
"It brought peace to my life."
D.G.
“Transformative:
when you practice these skills,
you can’t help but experience
positive change.”
K.S.
“The program
changed my life,
my outlook, and love for
self and others.”
S.G.
"Dr. Sood’s teachings changed my life. He helped me start a journey of kindness, gratitude and compassion towards myself and others. I had struggled with forgiveness before taking his course and I now have been able to forgive a few people who hurt me in the past, and now I can let go."
"A few years ago I went through the most difficult time in my life when we lost our baby. This is “ugly” stress as Amit describes it. At the right time I started Amit’s course and through the daily practices and exercises I solidified my resilience and continue to do so."
“Dr. Sood’s resilient option program is the antidote to the increasing stress in our world.
The program is elegant, practical and the practices taught require only 5-7 minutes a day”
Dr. Sood’s program has been like an anchor in these challenging times. I feel calmer, more focused and able to handle the stressors of life. The awareness of these simple concepts and principles has changed my life forever.
"Dr. Sood’s program has been life-changing for me. While I already knew that I have little to no control over what happens to me in life, after this program I am more in control of how I react to what happens to me than ever before in my life."
“This may sound like a cliche but taking Dr. Sood’s course was life altering for me. It also had a profound positive effect on my family and the staff of my dental practice as they could well attest.”
"As a result of participating in Dr. Sood’s course, I live each day focused on striving to make a positive impact on others, especially during times when others are in distress or feeling overwhelmed. In my effort to live life more for others and less for myself, I discover my life to be more enriched."
"Resilient mindset practices essentially enable us to adapt to life challenges alone and together. What a gift optimism is to believe we can handle whatever comes our way, even in this era of Covid-19. For that we are deeply, deeply grateful."
"As an HR leader, I come across a lot of learning programs and offerings. Dr. Amit Sood and his team offer something different: an ongoing exploration that combines practical knowledge and unique experience."
“I am so grateful to have had my team trained in the SMART program. We are using Dr. Sood’s principles within the structure of our wellness programs we offer to healthcare workers. Our programs are extremely well received by our organization’s employees.”
"I have found Dr. Sood’s programs tremendously informative. Every time I meet or listen to Dr. Sood, I learn new skills to help me deal with life's novel challenges, manage stress, and improve my resilience. I am grateful of Dr. Sood’s precious knowledge and his passion to share it."
“Taking the Transform Class with Dr. Sood and his staff changed my life. They helped give me the tools that I never had in my toolbox for anxiety and stress.”
"Dr. Amit Sood is a masterful teacher in the field of resilience and well-being. Witnessing the way he carries out his teaching in all aspects of his life is transformative."
"I give this course my highest recommendation, and not only will you transform, but others around you will as well."
"This program not only gave me practical ways to grow by creating a wellspring of insight to draw from, but it put me on a new path by giving me the ability to turn my suffering into transformation. For that I will always be deeply grateful."
"Amit is an innovator and visionary leader in the field, integrating spirituality and human values into healthcare; providing practical tools for building individual and workforce resilience and wellbeing."
"Amit taught me not to chase happiness, but rather to chase meaning; to live a life of purpose and exist for humanity."
"I have high praise for Dr. Sood’s evidence based, easy to adopt program to improve resilience and build a positive work culture. To find a program that is adaptable to both a work force and to client care is very powerful."
“Amit Sood MD was a keynote speaker at our network wide symposium on clinical integration. He was inspirational and reassuring in face of many of our physicians facing burnout. He later was invited to train a group of 35+ physician in our organization in resilience."
“I have been using the work of Dr. Sood for many years and have been transformed by it. I will forever be grateful for his teaching and mentorship.”
“Dr. Amit Sood’s Resiliency Program has provided critical tools to support the military and veteran caregivers we serve. The four modules focusing on gratitude, mindful presence, kindness, and resilient mindset empower individuals with strategies to better cope with stress and approach everyday life with a more positive outlook.”
“Amit Sood MD was a keynote speaker at our network wide symposium on clinical integration. He was inspirational and reassuring in face of many of our physicians facing burnout. He later was invited to train a group of 35+ physician in our organization in resilience. It was transformative and uniformly appreciated by our faculty. Thank you, Amit.”
“I have high praise for Dr. Sood’s evidence based, easy to adopt program to improve resilience and build a positive work culture. To find a program that is adaptable to both a work force and to client care is very powerful.
“Most people would benefit from building their resilience and intentionally managing their stress. SMART offers a framework that is easy to dive into with its straightforward structure that is easily interspersed throughout your day. I see the potential for long term health promotion and disease prevention with regular use – for my patients, my family and myself.”
“The Transform Program has given me insight into everyday life and stressful situations. The program is simple. When I weave gratitude, kindness, acceptance, meaning or forgiveness to circumstances in life I feel the pulse of my day and those around me is lower. I have a toolbox to help others problem solve. It is so contagious, I continue to read and learn from Dr. Sood and others who bring positivity to difficult times. I am grateful!”
"Dr. Sood’s teachings changed my life. He helped me start a journey of kindness, gratitude and compassion towards myself and others. I had struggled with forgiveness before taking his course and I now have been able to forgive a few people who hurt me in the past, and now I can let go."
"A few years ago I went through the most difficult time in my life when we lost our baby. This is “ugly” stress as Amit describes it. At the right time I started Amit’s course and through the daily practices and exercises I solidified my resilience and continue to do so."
“Dr. Sood’s resilient option program is the antidote to the increasing stress in our world.
The program is elegant, practical, and the practices taught require only 5-7 minutes a day”
"Dr. Sood’s program has been like an anchor in these challenging times.
I feel calmer, more focused and able to handle the stressors of life.
The awareness of these simple concepts and principles has changed my life forever."
"Dr. Sood’s program has been life-changing for me. While I already knew that I have little to no control over what happens to me in life, after this program I am more in control of how I react to what happens to me than ever before in my life."
“This may sound like a cliche but taking Dr. Sood’s course was life altering for me. It also had a profound positive effect on my family and the staff of my dental practice as they could well attest.”
"As a result of participating in Dr. Sood’s course, I live each day focused on striving to make a positive impact on others, especially during times when others are in distress or feeling overwhelmed. In my effort to live life more for others and less for myself, I discover my life to be more enriched."
"Resilient mindset practices essentially enable us to adapt to life challenges alone and together. What a gift optimism is to believe we can handle whatever comes our way, even in this era of Covid-19. For that we are deeply, deeply grateful."
"As an HR leader, I come across a lot of learning programs and offerings. Dr. Amit Sood and his team offer something different: an ongoing exploration that combines practical knowledge and unique experience."
“I am so grateful to have had my team trained in the SMART program. We are using Dr. Sood’s principles within the structure of our wellness programs we offer to healthcare workers. Our programs are extremely well received by our organization’s employees.”
"I have found Dr. Sood’s programs tremendously informative. Every time I meet or listen to Dr. Sood, I learn new skills to help me deal with life's novel challenges, manage stress, and improve my resilience. I am grateful of Dr. Sood’s precious knowledge and his passion to share it."
“Taking the Transform Class with Dr. Sood and his staff changed my life. They helped give me the tools that I never had in my toolbox for anxiety and stress.”
"Dr. Amit Sood is a masterful teacher in the field of resilience and well-being. Witnessing the way he carries out his teaching in all aspects of his life is transformative."
"I give this course my highest recommendation, and not only will you transform, but others around you will as well."
"This program not only gave me practical ways to grow by creating a wellspring of insight to draw from, but it put me on a new path by giving me the ability to turn my suffering into transformation. For that I will always be deeply grateful."
"Amit is an innovator and visionary leader in the field, integrating spirituality and human values into healthcare; providing practical tools for building individual and workforce resilience and wellbeing."
"Amit taught me not to chase happiness, but rather to chase meaning; to live a life of purpose and exist for humanity."
“I have been using the work of Dr. Sood for many years and have been transformed by it. I will forever be grateful for his teaching and mentorship.”
“I first heard Dr Amit Sood Speak at our pediatric Grand rounds and it sparked my curiosity about what he had presented. I decided to attend the 6month course about Attention and Interpretation therapy which was offered here at Mayo and was hooked after that. I definitely benefitted from this and it changed my mindset. I started looking at things from a different perspective and am a big fan of Dr. Sood’s teachings. I have been sharing his philosophy with my family and friends.”
Dr. Amit Sood, our Executive Director, is the former Professor of Medicine, Director of Mayo Mind Body Initiative, and Carla and Russ Paonessa Enterprise Chair for student life and wellness, Mayo Clinic. He is the author of several books on resilience, stress management, mindfulness, and happiness, and is one of the world’s leading authority on resiliency and wellbeing. Based on two decades of clinical research and experience, Dr. Sood created The Resilient Option and CeRT programs.
Mayo Clinic 2010
Distinguished Service Award
Mayo Clinic 2013
Outstanding Physician Scientist Award
Top 20 intelligent optimist
in the world (Ode Magazine)
Mayo Clinic 2010
Innovator of the Year Award
Mayo Clinic 2016
Faculty of the Year Award
RWJ Foundation
Health Care Pioneer
Write to us with a query, with feedback,
for information, or just to say hello!
"Taking the Transform Class with Dr. Sood and his staff changed my life. They helped give me the tools that I never had in my toolbox for anxiety and stress. Those coping mechanism of gratitude, compassion, meaning, acceptance and forgiveness gave me strategies that have helped me control my anxiety and stress.”
This may sound like a cliche but taking Dr. Sood’s course was life altering for me. It also had a profound positive effect on my family and the staff of my dental practice as they could well attest. Gone were the periodic bouts of clinical depression that I had suffered from for over 35 years. Since that time, I have continued to grow via reading and reviewing Dr. Sood’s books, attending his speaking engagements when possible and now with using the resources on his Resilient Options website.
I am a father, a husband, a son, a physician leader and a chef. Life has shown me that it does not discriminate when it comes to hardship. A few years ago I went through the most difficult time in my life when we lost our baby. This is “ugly” stress as Amit describes it. At the right time I started Amit’s course and through the daily practices and exercises I solidified my resilience and continue to do so. This has candidly helped me, my family, and I continue to teach the course to my staff and colleagues and I am seeing the fruits on a daily basis. Thank you Amit, my big brother
Dr. Sood’s program has been life-changing for me. While I already knew that I have little to no control over what happens to me in life, after this program I am more in control of how I react to what happens to me than ever before in my life. Focusing my attention on core principles during times of adversity has not only helped me overcome hardships in life, but has helped me remain centered and strong during difficult times. Anyone who is able to take this course will leave absolutely transformed.
Dr. Sood’s teachings changed my life. He helped me start a journey of kindness, gratitude and compassion towards myself and others. I had struggled with forgiveness before taking his course and I now have been able to forgive a few people who hurt me in the past, and now I can let go. I wish them well.
Forgiveness freed me from emotional pain and sprung me to seek kinder, more meaningful relationships. It helped me become a better person too — by asking myself what type of friend I want to be to others. I found gratitude for the people who have wronged me - it inspired me to look within and find a way not to make those mistakes too.
I find mindful moments throughout the day. I take deep breaths. I stop and look at my loved ones in the eye. I try to be present and give them my full attention.
I have been able to achieve a lot of personal goals since taking Dr. Sood’s course. I am more physically fit and my golf game has improved. I now bring breath and mindfulness into my golf practice. I hear birds around me, I smell trees, I notice flowers and I breathe. I am present. I have a lot more joy and less fear. I am proud to say I consider myself a happy and resilient person.
Before taking Dr. Sood’s course I had forgotten how to say the prayers I had said my whole life growing up...I couldn’t remember the words. Towards the end of the course I suddenly remembered all the words to my nightly prayers. Thank you Dr. Sood!
Dr. Sood’s teachings changed my life. He helped me start a journey of kindness, gratitude and compassion towards myself and others. I had struggled with forgiveness before taking his course and I now have been able to forgive a few people who hurt me in the past, and now I can let go. I wish them well.
Forgiveness freed me from emotional pain and sprung me to seek kinder, more meaningful relationships. It helped me become a better person too — by asking myself what type of friend I want to be to others. I found gratitude for the people who have wronged me - it inspired me to look within and find a way not to make those mistakes too.
I find mindful moments throughout the day. I take deep breaths. I stop and look at my loved ones in the eye. I try to be present and give them my full attention.
I have been able to achieve a lot of personal goals since taking Dr. Sood’s course. I am more physically fit and my golf game has improved. I now bring breath and mindfulness into my golf practice. I hear birds around me, I smell trees, I notice flowers and I breathe. I am present. I have a lot more joy and less fear. I am proud to say I consider myself a happy and resilient person.
Before taking Dr. Sood’s course I had forgotten how to say the prayers I had said my whole life growing up...I couldn’t remember the words. Towards the end of the course I suddenly remembered all the words to my nightly prayers. Thank you Dr. Sood!
I have been using the work of Dr. Sood for many years and have been transformed by it. I use daily practices that have shifted my overall stress resilience and I have a deeper understanding of the neurobiological model and evidence base that underlies all of his work. I will forever be grateful for his teaching and mentorship.
Dr. Sood’s teachings changed my life. He helped me start a journey of kindness, gratitude and compassion towards myself and others. I had struggled with forgiveness before taking his course and I now have been able to forgive a few people who hurt me in the past, and now I can let go. I wish them well.
Forgiveness freed me from emotional pain and sprung me to seek kinder, more meaningful relationships. It helped me become a better person too — by asking myself what type of friend I want to be to others. I found gratitude for the people who have wronged me - it inspired me to look within and find a way not to make those mistakes too.
I find mindful moments throughout the day. I take deep breaths. I stop and look at my loved ones in the eye. I try to be present and give them my full attention.
I have been able to achieve a lot of personal goals since taking Dr. Sood’s course. I am more physically fit and my golf game has improved. I now bring breath and mindfulness into my golf practice. I hear birds around me, I smell trees, I notice flowers and I breathe. I am present. I have a lot more joy and less fear. I am proud to say I consider myself a happy and resilient person.
Before taking Dr. Sood’s course I had forgotten how to say the prayers I had said my whole life growing up...I couldn’t remember the words. Towards the end of the course I suddenly remembered all the words to my nightly prayers. Thank you Dr. Sood!
Dr. Sood’s teachings changed my life. He helped me start a journey of kindness, gratitude and compassion towards myself and others. I had struggled with forgiveness before taking his course and I now have been able to forgive a few people who hurt me in the past, and now I can let go. I wish them well.
Forgiveness freed me from emotional pain and sprung me to seek kinder, more meaningful relationships. It helped me become a better person too — by asking myself what type of friend I want to be to others. I found gratitude for the people who have wronged me - it inspired me to look within and find a way not to make those mistakes too.
I find mindful moments throughout the day. I take deep breaths. I stop and look at my loved ones in the eye. I try to be present and give them my full attention.
I have been able to achieve a lot of personal goals since taking Dr. Sood’s course. I am more physically fit and my golf game has improved. I now bring breath and mindfulness into my golf practice. I hear birds around me, I smell trees, I notice flowers and I breathe. I am present. I have a lot more joy and less fear. I am proud to say I consider myself a happy and resilient person.
Before taking Dr. Sood’s course I had forgotten how to say the prayers I had said my whole life growing up...I couldn’t remember the words. Towards the end of the course I suddenly remembered all the words to my nightly prayers. Thank you Dr. Sood!
As an HR leader, I come across a lot of learning programs and offerings. Dr. Amit Sood and his team offer something different: an ongoing exploration that combines practical knowledge and unique experience.
I use the word “exploration,” because while Dr. Sood is a world class expert on resilience and the human brain, he invites you into a conversation. He does not “teach” you neuroscience or overwhelm you with studies and facts. Rather, he guides and inspires – to find insights and make your own connections. I say “practical knowledge,” because everything in this program is grounded in the human experience – not a theory about humans, but what we each know and experience every day. Topics like gratitude and compassion take on a new, but surprisingly simple meaning based on Dr. Sood’s framing and practices. Finally, I describe this as a “unique experience,” because I look back fondly on my time in the program, a wonderful memory. Perhaps more important, however, I continue to explore and apply the insights from the Transform program.
In HR learning and development jargon, this program “sticks.” I mean that this with the highest possible praise. I strongly recommend this program to anyone who wants to go beyond words and explore meaning.
I came to Dr. Sood and his teachings several years ago to find happiness. The many facets of my career as a physician anesthesiologist were demanding too much of my time. In addition, a series of illnesses and injuries had depleted my physical reserves. While my time with patients was still enjoyable, I was impatient with nurses and colleagues and distant from my family at home. I was physically and emotionally exhausted and recognized that I needed help. I enrolled in Dr. Sood’s weekend course for stress management and resiliency training (Transform). In fact, my whole family took the course because I knew my life couldn’t change without their help. Together we learned about Amit’s simple but deep philosophies for resilient living. With my family’s assistance, I changed the way I interpreted the world and the way I interacted with everyone around me. My wife, Patti, and my two children, Sam and Jackie, inevitably changed as well and together we have continued to incorporate the SMART principles into our daily lives. Through our work with Dr. Sood, we now live with more gratitude, compassion and a deeper connection to our external world. Dr. Sood’s teachings were put to the test a year and a half ago when I was diagnosed with early stage pancreatic cancer. After my diagnosis, I reached out to Amit who encouraged me not to fight the cancer myself but to allow my doctors to battle it for me. He suggested that I focus my energy only on what was in my control. He helped my family and I gain perspective and acceptance. Throughout many rounds of chemotherapy and my recovery from surgery, he helped me learn to zoom in and zoom out to make the treatments more tolerable. Most importantly, he taught me not to chase happiness, but rather to chase meaning; to live a life of purpose and exist for humanity.
Amit has been a mentor, colleague and friend for over 10 years, and in this time I have been privileged to witness his work evolve from an early concept into an international program. He is an innovator and visionary leader in the field, integrating spirituality and human values into healthcare; providing practical tools for building individual and workforce resilience and wellbeing. I can attest to the transformational impact of this program on the lives of countless patients and employees.
I can honestly say this program saved my life. It gave me tools to train my attention, which allowed me to see and approach myself, the world, and those around me differently. It also taught me timeless principles, which anchored my thoughts in beauty and truth so I could find peace and meaning. This program not only gave me practical ways to grow by creating a wellspring of insight to draw from, but it put me on a new path by giving me the ability to turn my suffering into transformation. For that I will always be deeply grateful.
I have been a big fan of Dr. Sood’s work, but I always felt that there was something missing in my journey for fulfillment and serenity until I attended Dr. Sood’s Transform workshop. I realized then that two critical components were missing from my journey: simplicity and others. Transform gave me a straightforward blueprint of how to become my best and true spiritual self. And I discovered that transforming required a tribe and a mentor, that becoming your best isn’t a DIY project, but a team sport. I give this course my highest recommendation, and not only will you transform, but others around you will as well.
Dr. Amit Sood is a masterful teacher in the field of resilience and well-being. Witnessing the way he carries out his teaching in all aspects of his life is transformative. Dr. Sood makes the neuroscience of resilience easy to understand; teaching relevant concepts, tools and practices in such a way one is equipped to live and work with wise discernment and compassionate action.
In 2018 our family enrolled in the Transform Course instead of a summer vacation to learn a new approach to the ongoing barrage of complexities that we each face by choice and necessity. It was a bit unusual, but what better gift could we give ourselves and two adult children as one launched an international career in the arts and one went off to law school? It was so successful that we all opted to continue mentorship to imbed the practices, use our new language, and share work and personal experiences with Amit Sood and the cohort of new friends. Resilient mindset practices essentially enable us to adapt to life challenges alone and together. What a gift optimism is to believe we can handle whatever comes our way, even in this era of Covid-19. For that we are deeply, deeply grateful.
Dr. Sood’s program has been life-changing for me. While I already knew that I have little to no control over what happens to me in life, after this program I am more in control of how I react to what happens to me than ever before in my life. Focusing my attention on core principles during times of adversity has not only helped me overcome hardships in life, but has helped me remain centered and strong during difficult times. Anyone who is able to take this course will leave absolutely transformed.
I am a father, a husband, a son, a physician leader and a chef. Life has shown me that it does not discriminate when it comes to hardship. A few years ago I went through the most difficult time in my life when we lost our baby. This is “ugly” stress as Amit describes it. At the right time I started Amit’s course and through the daily practices and exercises I solidified my resilience and continue to do so. This has candidly helped me, my family, and I continue to teach the course to my staff and colleagues and I am seeing the fruits on a daily basis. Thank you Amit, my big brother
This may sound like a cliche but taking Dr. Sood’s course was life altering for me. It also had a profound positive effect on my family and the staff of my dental practice as they could well attest. Gone were the periodic bouts of clinical depression that I had suffered from for over 35 years. Since that time, I have continued to grow via reading and reviewing Dr. Sood’s books, attending his speaking engagements when possible and now with using the resources on his Resilient Options website.
"Taking the Transform Class with Dr. Sood and his staff changed my life. They helped give me the tools that I never had in my toolbox for anxiety and stress. Those coping mechanism of gratitude, compassion, meaning, acceptance and forgiveness gave me strategies that have helped me control my anxiety and stress.”
“I have high praise for Dr. Sood’s evidence based, easy to adopt program to improve resilience and build a positive work culture. To find a program that is adaptable to both a work force and to client care is very powerful. This training has increased our capacity to improve coping with stress and difficult situations, create new ways to face challenges together and raise compassion for each other as colleagues. Embedding the principle of this resiliency program organization wide has positively impacted our work environment and interpersonal relationships.”
