Mindfulness
Mindfulness practice enables us to notice patterns of thinking and feeling in a non-judgemental way, and so develop new ways of reacting to situations instead of trying to escape from or fix difficult feelings.
During a Mindfulness session we will centre on learning skills to develop awareness of body sensations, feelings and thoughts. We will look at the patterns involved in your current behaviours and discover new ways to respond.
I integrate mindfulness into of all my sessions and offer it as a stand alone therapy.
I am skilled and experienced in two of the main Mindfulness Therapies:
Mindfulness Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Mindfulness Stress Reduction Therapy (MBSR)
The main aim of MBCT is to help people prone to depression and anxiety to get well and stay well.
The main aim of MBSR is to help people with chronic physical conditions to manage their symptoms more holistically, resulting in less reliance on prescription drugs.
Stress-reduction is a major benefit of regular Mindfulness practice, whether it is showing up in our bodies, minds, emotions or behaviour.
The Benefits of Mindfulness
Mindfulness has been clinically proven to have many health benefits - including:
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Lowering stress and anxiety levels
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Decreasing depression symptoms
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Lowering blood pressure
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Improving heart rate variability
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Higher brain functioning
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Increased immune function
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Decreasing feeling of overwhelm
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Experience of being calm and internally still
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Increasing clarity in thinking and perception
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Feeling connected to life and others
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Increased awareness, attention and focus
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Increased general health
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Improving resilience
QUICK TIP - The best way to reduce stress quickly is by taking a deep breath and using your senses - what can you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch?
“If you learn how to open to thoughts and feelings, and not try to shut them off or change them, you can then taste a degree of freedom, where you are not necessarily plagued by obsessive or difficult thoughts because you know they are just thought bubbles in the stream of thinking, and they are not the reality.”
Mindfulness Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn
