Meditation & Mindfulness
So, what exactly is mindfulness?
Our experience of this life is made entirely of thoughts, perceptions and emotions. Mindfulness is the purposeful attention on those streams of experience. The author and meditation teacher John Kabat-Zinn puts it this way; "mindfulness is the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally." This practice helps alleviate being upset about the past or anxious about the future.
Meditation is a practice focusing on self-observation to understand oneself and reality more deeply. You can think of it as time that you set aside for yourself to specifically practice mindfulness. There are other styles of meditation, but when working with Scott, this insight type of meditation is taught.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a groundbreaking therapeutic approach that combines mindfulness techniques, including meditation with cognitive behavioral strategies. Developed to prevent the recurrence of depression, MBCT teaches individuals to break free from negative thought patterns that can trigger a downward spiral into a depressed state.
Benefits of MBCT
- Reduces Stress: By fostering mindfulness, MBCT helps in recognizing and disengaging from automatic negative thoughts, leading to reduced stress levels.
- Manages Anxiety and Depression: It equips you with tools to deal with unpleasant emotions systematically, decreasing the intensity and frequency of anxiety and depression episodes.
- Enhances Emotional Regulation: MBCT encourages a compassionate and non-judgmental attitude towards oneself, improving emotional resilience and well-being.
Connect with Scott today to learn more.