What is Mindfulness Therapy?: Mindfulness is a very broad concept, but at its heart, it is about being present in the moment, being aware of your physical, mental, and emotional conditions, without becoming judgmental. It is thought that a true commitment to mindfulness can help you to control your thoughts and feelings, rather than be controlled by them.
Many different therapeutic approaches use some form of mindfulness, it is associated with a lessened reactivity to stress and an improved ability to focus and so it is used more widely in areas such as business and education, as a way of improving overall well-being. Examples of mindfulness approaches in therapy are meditation, breathing exercises, and some forms of bodywork.
What is mindfulness based cognitive therapy?: Mindfulness therapy is also used in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and it’s related therapy modalities – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). these modalities can be helpful in you identifying and changing destructive thinking patterns, choosing a course of action and accepting, and choosing alternative behaviours.
Because it is so widely applicable, mindfulness techniques can be used to address a broad range of issues, including:
- stress, anxiety, panic attacks & depression
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- childhood trauma & PTSD
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- behavioural disorders
- suicidal thoughts
- chronic pain
- self-harm
- negative/intrusive thoughts
- compulsive behaviours
