Mindfulness is quite a new concept to most of the western world. It is about becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better.
When we become more aware of the present moment, we begin to experience afresh things that we have been taking for granted. Gradually, we can train ourselves to notice when our thoughts are taking over and realise that thoughts are simply ‘mental events’ that do not have to control us.
This has to be approached carefully as if mindfulness is not ingrained with the correct mechanisms, it can become a chore and an additional burden.
mindfulness is effective for some of the
following symptoms
Not staying in the present e.g thinking/worrying about the past or future too much
Not feeling in control of their thoughts and feelings
Overwhelming emotions
Over analysing thoughts and feelings they experience
Very often we will commence the mindfulness session with a standardised assessment to gain recognition of the key difficulties and to gain a baseline for progress.
Mindfulness interventions can be used alongside other interventions to provide extra support for the individual. The person will often learn how to understand their emotions and recognise how they are feeling. Then the individual will learn how to acknowledge those thoughts and feelings and let them pass without feeling controlled by them.
The individual will be given different meditation techniques to try, and will then be given the opportunity to think about how effective these techniques have been for them. Effective techniques may include visualisation and controlled breathing.