Dharma Wellness Institute

Research & Evidence

There's real science behind what you feel on the mat. Here's some of it.

Grounded in science, led by compassion

Everything we practice at Dharma Wellness — mindfulness, breathwork, somatic awareness, co-regulation — rests on a body of peer-reviewed research. We don't lead with the studies, but we want you to know they're there. When your nervous system learns to settle, that isn't magic. It's physiology.

The features in the Dharma Wellness App were designed against a bibliography of sixty studies across eight domains: mindfulness, co-regulation and dyadic practice, binaural beats and entrainment, non-sleep deep rest, heart rate variability, breathwork and pranayama, sound therapy, and digital mental health.

A few foundational studies

  • Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. doi:10.1093/clipsy/bpg016
  • Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57(1), 35–43. doi:10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00573-7
  • Hofmann, S. G., Sawyer, A. T., Witt, A. A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 169–183. doi:10.1037/a0018555
  • Zeidan, F., et al. (2011). Brain mechanisms supporting the modulation of pain by mindfulness meditation. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(14), 5540–5548. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5957-10.2011
  • Goleman, D., & Davidson, R. J. (2017). Altered traits: Science reveals how meditation changes your mind, brain, and body. Avery/Penguin.

Co-regulation

"Co-regulation is the mutual regulation of physiological states between individuals. Sitting in shared silence isn't passive — it's a biological event."

— Porges, 2011

Co-regulation is foundational to trauma-informed therapy and remains underserved by digital tools. The app's Co-Regulate feature lets two people meditate together in real time — therapist and client, partners, friends — with a shared timer, breathing rhythm, and audio. Pairing and session data stay on your device. Nothing touches a server.

Research in progress

The app includes a built-in research module using validated, brief self-report instruments — the PHQ-2, GAD-7, PSS-4, and POMS — collected before and after sessions, anonymized and processed on-device. We are designing a pilot study with clinical partners to evaluate co-regulation meditation in real-world practice. We'll share what we learn here when the work is complete, not before.

The Dharma Wellness App is a wellness tool, not a medical device, and is not a substitute for care from a licensed professional.

Curious about the full bibliography, or interested in a research partnership? Email hello@dharmawellnessinstitute.com.