SMITHFIELD, RI –Thousands of people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, and many have struggled for years with the long-term and sometimes devastating physical and emotional effects of the disease. Bryant University Applied Psychology Professor Joseph J. Trunzo has written a new book, “Living Beyond Lyme: Reclaim Your Life From Lyme Disease and Chronic Illness," that focuses on helping people to live meaningfully with the disease by using mindfulness and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches. It's available in bookstores now.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “the number of reported cases of Lyme disease in the United States has tripled since the 1990s. Each year, more than 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported nationwide, while studies suggest the actual number of people diagnosed with Lyme disease is more likely about 300,000.”
In his recent talk at TEDxBryantU, "Living Well When You Don't Feel Well: Overcoming Lyme Disease and Illness,” Trunzo shared insights and strategies for improving quality of life when coping with Lyme disease and other difficult life challenges.
“Whether it is acute or chronic, Lyme disease causes suffering, and ACT, an evidence-based, scientifically driven approach, can help people change their experience of their illness while they work towards getting well,” says Trunzo.
Trunzo has been a member of the Bryant faculty for 16 years, and is currently the chair of the Applied Psychology department. His research and clinical work focus on the psychological management of chronic medical illnesses such as cancer and Lyme disease, as well as the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, especially OCD. He is a licensed, practicing clinical psychologist and founder of Providence Psychology Services in Providence, RI. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, Association of Contextual & Behavioral Sciences, and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.
Trunzo earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Marywood University in Scranton, PA, and completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the University of Vermont and his post-doctoral fellowship at the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University in Providence, RI.
For 155 years, Bryant University has been at the forefront of delivering exceptional education that anticipates the future and prepares students to be innovative leaders of character in a changing world. Bryant delivers an innovative, uniquely integrated business and liberal arts education that inspires students to excel. With approximately 3,700 graduate and undergraduate students from 38 st-ates and 53 countries, Bryant is recognized as a leader in international education and regularly receives top rankings from U.S. News and World Report, Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, and Barron's. Visit www.Bryant.edu.
