There’s a good chance you’ve already read or heard about . It seems to be everywhere these days, and there’s a reason why! Mindfulness can be really, really effective in treating anxiety and depression, and can generally improve our moods and experiences in our day to day lives.
Mindfulness really just means present moment awareness. We are practicing being aware of what is happening right here, right now, and not judging ourselves for those experiences. Oftentimes, our brains are time travelers, either bringing up memories and moments from the past or fast forwarding to future anxieties and fears. This can feel overwhelming and exhausting. When we practice mindfulness, we train ourselves to pay attention to the present moment, and when we do that we open ourselves up to change!
When we engage in therapy, it is necessary to recognize the rich roots and histories of the approaches we use. Mindfulness comes from Buddhist traditions that have been practiced in East and South Asian cultures for thousands of years. In therapy we can explore mindfulness through a secular lens in order to gain tools that can help us heal.
The world is too busy, stimulating, and sometimes too painful for us. In an age of constant digital distraction and daily horrors in the news, it can be hard to quiet the mind, whether it’s to rest or focus. Mindfulness training can help.