There is more to mindfulness than most people think.
Often I find clients surprised at the helpful effects and the different thinking about the reasons behind including mindfulness in their routine.
Mindfulness research has been growing over the last decade. More and more therapists seem to be turning to use this helpful resource for their clients and I have found it to be a vital part of helping in the the therapy room when working with depression and anxiety. There has also been research done that points to greatly helpful effects in reducing the return of symptoms and increasing tolerance in handling difficulty situations.
The most helpful explanation I have heard about mindfulness came from a recent conference I attended for GAMFT (Georgia Association of Marriage and Family Therapists). One participant spoke of our thoughts as boats on a river, and our observant mind as the part of us that can hop on and off each boat as needed. Sometimes we get lost exploring some of the boats and mindfulness helps us to learn how to step back and take a look at the entire river full of boats. Then we can choose which boat (thought) would be the most helpful to spend time on.
Learning the skill of mindfulness takes time, but here are a few resources to help you get started.
HeadSpace App – check out this app that is available on most platforms and get a taste of how you can incorporate easy, directed mindfulness into your routine.
DianeGehart.com – One of the prominant experts in mindfulness who has several resources on her page including links to guided mindfulness and resources for clients and therapists alike.
Resources
If you would like to read more about mindfulness check out This Website and This Website where much of the research about mindfulness is stored.
For a quick read about a great summary of mindfulness research ClickHere.