Mindfulness practice involves focusing on one thing in the moment. In mindfulness meditation, that one thing is the breath–noticing each inbreath and each outbreath–how each breath feels and what it does. But the practice doesn’t end with mindfulness meditation–you can mindfully drive, eat, walk, or fold your laundry.
Rooted in Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is now in heavy use in the mental health field. Mindfulness has been shown to be effective for reducing a wide array of symptoms–particularly anxiety and depression. Mindfulness can be an extremely valuable tool in psychotherapy, both in and out of session. Mindfulness therapy encourages being present in the moment, here and now, experiencing whatever you are going through however you are going through it. It may sound simple–and it is–but mindfulness-based psychotherapy can be extraordinarily powerful. Call or write me with any questions or to arrange a first appointment.
Mindfulness Reading
Some suggested mindfulness reading and workbooks.
Wherever You Go, There You Are and other titles by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Various books by Thich Nhat Hanh (Peace is Every Step, The Miracle of Mindfulness)
Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brach
The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety, by John Forsyth and Georg Eifert
The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression, by Kirk Strosahl and Patricia RobinsonPeaceful Mind: Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Psychology to Overcome Depression, by John McQuaid and Paula Carmona
A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook, by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein
Various books by Daniel Seigel (Mindsight, The Mindful Brain)
Guided Meditation mp3s
Some collections of free, downloadable guided meditations from around the web:
Mindful Awareness Research Center (UCLA)