Mindfulness
In the medical field, mindfulness is considered one of the most evidence-based mental health practices. Decades of research and hundreds of studies have demonstrated that mindfulness can reduce anxiety and depression as well as help people manage chronic pain and illness (Goldberg et al., 2022; Maddock & Blair, 2023). This growing body of evidence is also supported by neuroimaging research, which suggests that regular mindfulness practice is associated with structural changes in brain regions involved in attention, emotional regulation, self-awareness, and cognitive processing (Pernet et al., 2021). Why does it work so well?
The founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) featured in many of the research studies, Jon Kabat-Zinn (2005) defines mindfulness as "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally" (p. 4). He notes that with mindfulness, we are "cultivating some appreciation for the fullness of each moment we are alive," using "a simple but powerful route for getting ourselves unstuck, back into touch with our own wisdom and vitality" (pp. 3-5). Mindfulness improves attention and emotional regulation by allowing us to become aware of bodily sensations such as our breathing, our thoughts, and our feelings with curiosity; this gives us space to notice and acknowledge our experiences.
One beautiful example of mindfulness in everyday life comes from the teachings of Thích Nhất Hạnh (1992): "Walking meditation is a wonderful practice. When we do walking meditation outside, we walk a little slower than our normal pace, and we coordinate our breathing with our steps. For example, we may take three steps with each in-breath and three steps with each out-breath. So we can say, 'In, in, in. Out, out, out.' 'In' is to help us to identify the in-breath. Everytime we call something by its name, we make it more real, like saying the name of a friend"; in this walking meditation practice, not only can we find peace for ourselves, but "when we are able to take one step peacefully and happily, we are working for the cause of peace and happiness for the whole of humankind" (p. 45).
The wonder of mindfulness is that although it has many benefits, practicing it means accepting ourselves fully, exactly as we already are, in this moment.
C & A Counseling is excited to offer a mindfulness class this September for anyone interested in learning practical mindfulness skills in a supportive environment. Please see the attached flyer for additional details, and if you would like to participate, email office@candacounseling.com for more information.
References
Goldberg, S. B., Riordan, K. M., Sun, S., & Davidson, R. J. (2022). The empirical status of mindfulness-based interventions: A systematic review of 44 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(1), 108–130.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620968771
Hạnh, T. N. (1992). Peace is every step: The path of mindfulness in everyday life. Bantam Books.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.
Maddock, A., & Blair, C. (2023). How do mindfulness-based programmes improve anxiety, depression and psychological distress? A systematic review. Current Psychology, 42, 10200–10222.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02082-y
Pernet, C. R., Belov, N., Delorme, A., & Zammit, A. (2021). Mindfulness related changes in grey matter: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 15(5), 2720–2730.