Like orange is the new black, mindfulness may be the new psychotherapy.
Talking to a licensed therapist can be a critical step to wellness. It can include sharing problems, worries, and yes, those reliable and messy mainstays, family of origin issues. Getting evaluated by a professional can be one of the most important tools for treating anxiety, depression, and other emotional disorders.
Learning cognitive behavioral tools ( CBT ) is another branch on the tree called getting back to wellness. One of the most up-and-coming, state-of-the-art CBT tools is mindfulness. Thirty years ago, when I was walking my dinosaur on my college campus, mindfulness was not echoed in the hallowed halls of learning. I'm not sure it was even a thing back then. But it certainly is now.
Mindfulness is a form of meditation. It is the art and skill of redirecting one's mind away from the everyday thoughts, worries, judgments, and distractions that occupy our brain when it's on auto-pilot. Where are my keys? Did I take the load of laundry out of the dryer? Don't forget to return those pants, pick up that prescription, talk to my professor, get the car inspected. "Monkey mind" is what Dr. Alejandro Junger, M.D., cardiologist, calls collectively, all those pesky thoughts.
Today we all have a new worry: the pandemic. To protect us from Covid-19, many new restrictions are in place. Mask wearing, vaccinations, avoiding unfamilliar people and crowded outdoor spaces. Mindfulness can be used as a stress reduction tool. Try this mindfulness video, here, let by Dr. Robert Hindman, a clinical psychologist with the Beck Institute*.
For more ideas on how to learn about and practice mindfulness, have a look at Harvard University Medical School's suggestions, here. Because maybe, just maybe, fifteen minutes a day is the new 60 minutes on the couch.
For more ideas on how to learn about and practice mindfulness, have a look at Harvard University Medical School's suggestions, here. Because maybe, just maybe, fifteen minutes a day is the new 60 minutes on the couch.
*The Beck Institute was founded by Aaron T. Beck, MD, largely considered the father of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and his daughter, Judith Beck, Phd.
Sandy Andrews, Ph.D. Psychologist
Teaching CBT in South Austin, Texas
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