MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness is one of the leading treatment methods in the mental health field today. It is a skill that is taught and practiced through meditations but it can also become a way of being. Mindfulness is somewhat like a muscle. The more you “use” or practice it, the stronger it gets.  Research has shown that people who meditate frequently have a lower stress response (which means less anxiety), they have lower blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, less chronic pain, less depression, better sleep, more energy, and the list goes on.  

 

A significant benefit to mindfulness is the result of less suffering.  People learn to be more present, aware, and accepting of the hard things. This allows someone to let  go of the resistance that compounds their struggle. Our ability to react differently to our emotions and experiences can change almost everything, yet changes nothing at all. Meaning it changes how we experience and interpret our existence , but that can happen whether or not significant parts of life change. 

 

In our practice we teach mindfulness as a healthy emotional coping skill.  It is often taught or practiced in session but also encouraged to be practiced on a frequent basis throughout the week.