Mindfulness-based Therapy

I find mindfulness practices to be very helpful to managing distress and building insight. In a session, I will often ask a client to practice being mindful of their experience; to be aware of their thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgement.

Mindfulness doesn't mean sitting in silence or chanting on a cushion. It's about being fully present in each moment, feeling the movement and experiences along the way. We become more aware of our behaviors and can make choices that benefit us, rather than reacting impulsively out of emotion. Mindfulness can help us foster a deeper connection with our emotions and behaviors. It helps us sit with our feelings rather than trying to "fix" them. This nonjudgmental presence is key to understanding.

My Masters in Clinical Mental Health counseling was embedded on a foundation of mindfulness training including 9 intensive meditation retreats, regular meetings with a mindfulness instructor, and meditation and mindfulness weaved throughout class time and ciriculum.

Your mind-body connection is a powerful part of your identity. By learning to listen and respond to your body, you can heal your mind, and vice versa. We can work through that process together. This might look like breathwork, guided imagery, or somatic practices.

I have practiced mindfulness for three years and have incorporated mindfulness into my practice since its inception. When I think of mindfulness, I think of training our awareness to focus on certain things and the present moment. In therapy we will explore mindfulness outside of sitting quietly.

We use "the now" to help individuals ground themselves and cope with daily struggles in a compassionate and caring way.

Psychotherapy approach that uses cognitive behavior therapy methods with mindfulness and meditative practices.

Just paying attention is such a simple but powerful act. When we're able to be present and listen--I mean *really* listen--the world opens like a flower. And what about you? Yes, what if you were to direct that same attention to your own thoughts and feelings, your behaviors and relationships and decisions and everything else? Things start to become clearer, confusion slowly recedes, and suddenly you know who you are and what you want. But it does take practice!

Grow your self awareness by noticing and doing body scans.

By tuning into your body and your surroundings, you’ll learn to lessen feelings of overwhelm and recognize that your thoughts are just one aspect of your experience—not the whole story. This mindfulness practice can be particularly transformative for healing from past trauma, allowing you to cultivate a sense of safety and comfort in both your body and mind. Together, we’ll create a space where you can truly feel at home within yourself.

Grow your self awareness by noticing and doing body scans.

This looks like tools including but not limited to meditation to orient ourselves to the present moment. I offer practice in session as well.

I use techniques like mindful walking, meditation and living in the moment.

I have been meditating for over 20 years now. Meditation changed my life. My entire education from day one of my undergraduate studies, including a 3 months stay in a Buddhist monastery, has been focused on understanding how meditation is used to heal. Mindfulness, is just part of this ancient contemplative practice that has been developed for thousands of years. I use mindfulness and self-compassion as a basis for learning how to get our needs met, whatever they may be.

My personal experiences and training have afforded me the opportunity to see individuals progress with this therapy. Individuals learned how to become aware and connect with themselves to regulate their nervous system.

Mindfulness is the practice of bringing our attention to the present moment. By being open and curious about how we're feeling we can start to process our emotions instead of avoiding them. During counseling we can practice different mindfulness exercises to see what works best for you.