Therapy - Mindfulness

What is mindfulness?

• People are in control of their minds

• Paying attention to present thoughts and feelings

• Focus on building a well-rounded life

• Enhance a person’s positive characteristics

What is the link between mindfulness and the good life?

The good life:

• Improve the well-being of all people, not just those who are mentally ill or suffering

• Focus on the good life

What is the link between mindfulness and the authenticity of goodness and excellence?

The authenticity of goodness and excellence:

• Nurture positive emotions, and enable people to develop their strengths and virtues

• Authenticity of goodness and excellence = positive emotions and human potential are seen as just as valid a study as negative emotions and suffering

What is the link between mindfulness and free will?

Free will:

• Mindfulness aims to empower people to take control over their thoughts and emotions, and embraces the concept of free will

• Free will, and that a belief in determinism is detrimental to human flourishing

Process 1?

Gain control of thoughts:

1. Focus on the present

2. Usually, minds are focused on the past

3. Awareness of incoming thoughts and feelings

4. Accepting

5. Awareness of negative thoughts (control and minimise)

6. Negative thoughts can lead to depression

Process 2?

Meditation and Mindful Breathing:

1. Allows individuals to focus on their minds easily

2. Meditation is learnt through guided meditation

3. Teddy bear breathing = helps control children’s breathing

   • The client sits comfortably

   • Keeps spine straight

   • Focus their attention on breathing

   • Paying attention to sensations, thou

Process 3?

Informal Practices of Mindfulness:

1. Once learned

2. Mindfulness is practised informally (e.g. driving)

3. The opposite of multitasking (one task at a time)

4. Mind wonders → attention back to the sensations