Mindfulness Therapy

Introduction

Imagine you are at your favorite restaurant, and you have just ordered something really delicious. Now, it is right in front of you. What do you do? Do you dive right into it or take a moment, just to enjoy how the food looks, smells, and feels as it melts in your mouth? If you do the latter, then that is mindfulness. It is all about living in the moment, savoring every second of it.

Mindfulness therapy is a type of psychotherapy. It is based on the practice of mindfulness. It works by making clients focus on becoming more aware, and in doing so, reduces any impulsive, unwanted responses.

At NuView, we build on the mindfulness approach and help our clients become more aware of their thinking, emotional, and behavioral patterns, their surroundings, and their circumstances.

What Is Mindfulness Therapy?

Mindfulness therapy is based on the mindfulness approach. It is a type of talk therapy; it works by helping clients become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, environment, and circumstances. When clients become more aware, it helps them reduce impulsive responses to different events in their lives that can be unwanted and/or maladaptive.

Mindfulness therapy is performed by a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker with a training in mindfulness therapy. It can be performed across different settings – in one-on-one sessions, group sessions, and even via video conferences.

What Are The Benefits of Mindfulness Therapy?

What Are The Types of Mindfulness Therapy?

There are different types of mindfulness therapy.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) – MCBT is a type of psychotherapy, wherein dysfunctional thinking patterns are identified and are restructured into healthier thinking patterns. It incorporates mindfulness along with other techniques.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Mindfulness-based CBT incorporates mindfulness techniques into CBT, wherein the relationship between thinking, emotional, and behavioral patterns is identified and maladaptive ones are reshaped into healthier ones.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy (MBSR) – MBSR integrates mindfulness practices and stress management techniques to better handle stress and also relieve the effects of stress.

Read more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

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When Is Mindfulness Therapy Used?

Mindfulness therapy is used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions:

• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Anger management
• Stress management
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Autism
• Substance use disorders
• Eating disorders

Mindfulness therapy is also used to help cope with different health conditions:

• Chronic pain
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Side effects of cancer
• Other chronic illnesses

What Are The Techniques Of Mindfulness Therapy?

The practitioners of mindfulness therapy use different techniques. Some of them are:

Mindfulness Meditation –

Involves using meditation to allow the mind to stay focused on the present moment. It can be done under the supervision of an expert practitioner, while alone, and even in a group setting.

Body Scan Meditation –

Involves using meditation to pay close attention to bodily sensations and experiences, from the head to the toe. It helps in becoming more aware of the signals the body is sending out as well as the emotions.

Walking Meditation –

This is when the mind is focused on what it feels like to walk, thereby bringing attention to the body, especially to the feet and the feel of the ground beneath them.

Breathing Techniques –

Refers to inhaling and letting the breath fill the lungs, holding on to that breath up to a certain count (say, 5), and then slowly exhaling. Breathing techniques are very useful when anxious or stressed, as they help relax and also reel in thoughts and emotions.

Guided Imagery –

Also known as creative visualization, it involves visualizing positive images or settings to feel relaxed and better.

Therapeutic Yoga –

These are exercises that enhance body flexibility and help reduce anxiety and stress. They enhance cardiovascular functioning, improve sleep, and help with other conditions like chronic pain.

How Mindfulness Therapy Works?

Mindfulness therapy works by bringing clients in touch with the present moment. By being in the present, it helps become acutely aware of the thinking, emotional, and behavioral patterns. This, in turn, helps in breaking away from any negative patterns, focusing on moving ahead in life, and cultivating better interpersonal relationships by showing more understanding and kindness.

At the NuView Treatment Center, our medical and clinical team is committed to providing mindfulness therapy across different settings. It can be administered as an individual therapy, in group settings, and even via video conferencing. At NuView, mindfulness therapy is used to treat different mental health conditions, like substance use disorders, anxiety, and depression among others.

Book Your Mindfulness Therapy Consultation Today!

What Can Mindfulness Therapy Be Helpful For?

Mindfulness therapy can be helpful in treating physical and mental health conditions. It leads to:

• Reduced stress
• Reduced depressive symptoms
• Greater ability to cope and battle illnesses
• Provides a better scope for recovery
• Leads to an overall improved quality of life.

Is Mindfulness Therapy Effective?

Yes, mindfulness therapy is indeed effective. Studies have shown that mindfulness therapy helps in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression. It also improves focus, increases cognitive flexibility, enhances memory, leads to greater satisfaction in interpersonal relationships, reduces rumination, and decreases emotional reactivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mindfulness approach?

The mindfulness approach refers to staying in contact with the present moment, and becoming more aware of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

What are the goals of mindfulness therapy?

The goals of mindfulness-based therapies are to focus on the present, break away from negative thinking or emotional patterns, reduce impulsive behaviors, decrease judgment, and practice empathy and kindness in relationships.

Is mindfulness a CBT technique?

Mindfulness can be incorporated into CBT, but it is not traditionally a CBT technique.