Mindfulness Approaches
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment through a non-judgmental, nurturing lens. It involves acceptance in that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them for being "right" or "wrong" in any given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we are sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.
Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as the awareness that rises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally in the service of self understanding and wisdom.
Mindfulness-based strategies are designed for people who suffer from repeated bouts of depression, chronic unhappiness anxiety and trauma. They combines the ideas of cognitive therapy with meditative practices and attitudes based on the cultivation of mindfulness.
Recent research has shown that people who have been clinically depressed three or more times in their life find that learning mindfulness-based skills help considerably to reduce their chances of depression returning.
What does Mindfulness based strategies help treat?
- Depression and anxiety
- Food and eating issues
- Low mood and negative thoughts
- Body sensations such as weariness and sluggishness
- Psychosis
If you can relate to any of the above issues, integrating mindfulness based strategies. It helps people to separate themselves from their thoughts and moods, and teaches them how to recognize their sense of being. It also aims to give participants the necessary tools to combat disruptive symptoms as they arise.
Evidence indicates that integrating mindfulness practices consistently may reduce the rate of mood and anxiety relapse. See this article for more information about the benefits of mindfulness practices. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679190/
If you or someone you know may benefit from learning more about integrating mindfulness practices as part of their recovery from mental health and substance use challenges, please contact us today for a more information. we would be happy to speak with you about how we may be able to help.