Why Mindfulness?

 

As a therapist, I see my patients only for one session per week. I hear about their symptoms, and providing effective interventions is extremely important. We always want to understand where our emotions and symptoms are coming from, but we also need something that can relieve the stress in the moment.

Mindfulness is a general term for actions that pull you from your racing thoughts and drop you into the present moment.  Mindfulness techniques are wide and vary from person to person and from therapist to therapist. 

The good thing about mindfulness is that it is free, it is portable, and it can be effective for many of us.

If you would like to start exploring mindfulness, there is a plethora of information online and through many apps.

For my patients I typically suggest the Calm App or HeadSpace. You may find that your insurance or employer may cover the monthly fee. I suggest these apps because they are affordable, beginner friendly, and have exercises that vary in length.

Another reliable resource is Kaiser Permanente. Their website offers mindfulness techniques that are free for the general public: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/mental-health/tools-resources/mindfulness/how-to-learn