Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Presented by:

Nicole Swain, LPC, NCC, ACS, ACT

Origin

• Conceived by Jon Kabat – Zinn, PhD• First MBSR Center started in 1979

University of Massachusetts• Based in Easter Philosophy of “Paying

attention with purpose”

Evidence Based

• Three decades of research demonstrates clinically relevant reductions in both physical symptoms and psychological distress for those who have training in mindfulness and MBSR

Integration

• MBSR is not offered as an alternative to traditional medical and psychological treatments but as a complement to these approaches

Premise

• More right with people than wrong• Cultivating awareness of the mind and

body in the here and now• Non – judgmental• Practice allows choice

Entering the mainstream

• People with chronic Stress Illness Pain

Goals

• Allows insight into habitual ways of thinking, feeling and behaving

• Cultivate non-judgmental awareness• Learning to related directly to your life

(Respond vs. React)• Alleviates the experience of suffering

The mind’s two modes

• Rehearsing About the future

• Rehashing What has already occurred in the past

Negative Self Talk

• Natural way a person talks to themselves internally

• Tend to be biased towards the negative• People tend to mindlessly buy into them• Tend to exacerbate physical and

psychological stress and pain

Habitual Styles of Thinking

• Catastrophizing• Discounting the positive• Mind reading• Being the eternal expert• Shoulds• Blaming

Wandering Mind

• The mind will inevitably wander• Practicing mindfulness formally & informally

address negative self talk and habitual styles of thinking

• Non- judgmental awareness gives a person the opportunity and ability to choose to look at situations and thoughts as events rather than facts

Paradigm Shift in Being

8 Attitudes of Mindfulness:• Beginner’s Mind• Non-judgment• Acknowledgement• Non-striving

Attitudes of Mindfulness con’t

• Equanimity• Letting Be• Self reliance• Self compassion

Mindfulness is

• “Simply observing, watching and examining. You are not a judge but a scientist”

• Letting it be (awareness) vs.

Letting it go (acceptance)

Two forms of practice

• Formal: taking time each day to intentionally sit, stand or lie down and focus on the breath, bodily sensations, sounds , other senses, thoughts and emotions

Types of Meditation

• Concentration meditation: goal is to focus on a concept, image or mantra whereby the person becomes deeply absorbed with the object of focus

Types of meditation con’t

• Insight meditation: goal is to bring full attention to the body and mind in the present moment without trying to manipulate the experience

* Mindfulness meditations in MBSR are considered insight meditations

Meditations in MBSR

• Mindful check – in• Breathing meditation• Sitting meditation• Body Scan• Stress & Anxiety meditation• Loving – Kindness meditation• Mindful lying & standing Yoga

Two forms of practice con’t

• Informal: bringing mindful awareness to daily activities such as eating, chores, exercising, relating to others and basically any action

Informal: Weaving into everyday

• Upon awaking in bed• As you bathe• In living with others (home, work, etc.)• Walking• Doing tasks at work or home• Eating• Mindful Check – in

Informal Example

• STOP• S = Stop• T = Take a breath• O = Observe• P = Proceed

Formal Example

• 15 minutes Mindful Breathing Meditation

Resources

• Mindfulnesscds.com• The Miracle of Mindfulness

By Thich Nhat Hanh

• Full Catastrophe Living By Jon Kabat - Zinn

• The Mindful Way through Depression By Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal & Jon Kabat - Zinn

• The Mindful Way through Anxiety By Susan Orsillo & Lizabeth Roemer

Q & A

• Questions and Answers…………….

SMG MBSR Group

* Runs on a rotating basis.

* Summit Medical Group’s Behavioral Health & Cognitive Therapy Center

654 Springfield Ave

Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

908-277-8900