Blog - Mindful Living Community - South of Boston

Moving Toward Your Strengths

2012-02-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

Ask yourself a simple question: Would you rather know a huge pile of information about your problems, or instead know specific solutions, how to change and improve them? The question really does sound foolish and simplistic, but for some reason the field of psychology has long been focused upon pathologizing, that is, labelling and describing to a "T" every type of mental health concern. It has created neat little categories in its book, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), its categories include disorders of mood, personality, anxiety, dissociation, adjustment, the list goes on and continues to grow with each new revision.

However, the truth is that the mental health field has not been very good at finding solutions to problems. It hasn't learned much about enhancing well-being, identifying peoples' strengths and ways of putting them into action. Understanding problems is an important aspect says psychologist and accepted founder of the positive psychology movement, Martin Seligman; according to Seligman, understanding problems is probably half of the battle. However, Seligman says that the fields of counseling and psychology in the 21st century largely left out the most important side of the well-being and health equation, better questions that include: what makes people well? How do we increase happiness? How can one flourish? What will it take to make people's lives deeper and more meaningful? How can we increase the level of passion and engagement in life activities and in interpersonal relationships?

This new field of positive psychology founded by Seligman is not really a new field at all, but had been studied and researched for many years prior in the field of psychology by luminaries including Abraham Maslow, who coined the terms, "peak experience" and "self-actualization," and by Carl Rogers who taught that human growth and change happens within, not something transfered by an expert or professional. Carl Jung, former prized pupil of Sigmund Freud, also said that this change process is primarily an inner journey, and is about the harmonizing of unconscious and conscious psychic energies, there were numerous others as well. Additionally, the new, scientific study of positive psychology draws heavily from work of ancient cultures and religious philosophies.

A foundational treatise of the new positive psychology is a book developed by Seligman and Chris Peterson titled the Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification. This book lists 24 identified character strengths grouped in 6 categories. Other researchers in the field and in related fields are examining additional strengths-based metrics as well. Hopefully, psychology has turned a corner toward becoming more enlightened particularly in terms of how it views change and the human personality, toward strengths instead of deficits.

New Perspectives On Mindfulness

2011-06-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

Mindfulness is a hot topic; and, my personal experience is that many are intrigued -- those who do not know much about it are attracted, and need to know more. They are captivated by the fascinating subject that has made a trans-continental journey to the Western world from the Far East. Yet, I have also found there is quite a bit of confusion about what mindfulness is. And, there seems to be a lack of agreement about its meaning, with unclear, and perhaps even many erroneous views (at least in this author's humble viewpoint).

Sufficient reasons exist for both the interest and confusion; and, the spawning of a healthy debate on mindfulness is ultimately a positive thing. Mindfulness is a monumentally vast subject, it concerns the mind and consciousness, which are not study topics for the timid or faint of heart. Mindfulness practice (including meditation) is thousands of years old, with a massive amount of history, study, and practice accruing during that time. The English word mindfulness tends to be associated with the Buddhist Vipassana meditation which, again, is thousands of years old and quite extensive and detailed in scope. One brief article such as this one cannot do justice to the magnitude of Buddhist meditative practices and Buddhist spirituality.

The fact remains, nevertheless, that the term mindfulness is also used in a universal way in English. Although Easterners such as Buddhists, Hindus, Taoists, and Sufis have made meditation a fundamental part of their lifestyle, people have practiced mindfulness in cultures across the globe throughout history; it is not solely Eastern or Buddhist. There is no monopoly on mindfulness or on being mindful! One does one need to be part of any particular faith, group, or social club to increase mindfulness. Being mindful is an action, a way of being, a state of consciousness, which is fundamentally part of the human condition. Improving attention and happiness, becoming more self-aware and balanced, actualizing greater virtue, attuning to one's inner states, and developing greater awareness of one's own mind, e.g., greater "mindsight," a term coined by neurobiologist Dr. Dan Siegel, are qualities and characteristics that are available to anyone who desires to put mind and spirit to use through applied effort.

A good definition of mindfulness has been provided by premier teacher, Jon Kabat-Zinn, who is highly influential in bringing mindfulness to popularity in the West. Kabat Zinn says that "mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness. It is cultivated by purposefully paying attention to things we ordinarily never give a moment's notice to. It is a systematic approach to developing new kinds of control and wisdom in our lives, based on our inner capacities for relaxation, paying attention, awareness, and insight." This has become a commonly accepted definition in the West.

Mindfulness practice typically concerns learning to become attentive to external experience, and becoming aware of one's internal experience through the practice of meditation, and other meditative and contemplative arts such as breathing, sitting, lying, walking, chanting, and so on. It is frequently described by practitioners as becoming the "observer" or witness to one's experiences including thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and sensations, in a non-judgmental way. There is an art to dealing with life's difficulties, similar to navigating a sailboat. In a sense, it is about wisdom and balance -- learning to control the things one is able to control, and conversely letting go of those one cannot. The foundation though is mindfulness, for without awareness and quieting of the mind, one cannot distinguish between what is controllable in life, and what is not.

One fundamental paradox, however, is that the practices serve to bring one to a deeper and richer experience of moment by moment reality, e.g., truth "as it is." Therefore, in a sense, the practices are like training wheels - although the path of practicing mindfulness may never end, eventually one must be able to let go of techniques and learn to dive into the experience of being alive, vital, open and receptive in each moment, which is perhaps the true aim of all mindfulness practice.

It's very possible that the explosion in mindfulness in the West is due, in part, because we are actually coming to an expanded viewpoint of mindfulness. The Buddhists may have had an extensive system of practice historically, but with mindfulness's migration to the West has come some interesting twists in perspective. One main influence is the work of Kabat-Zinn. One of Kabat-Zinn's aims is to distill the powerful benefits of mindfulness practices by removing the associated religious connotations.

I do not believe that Kabat-Zinn is against the practice of Buddhism or Eastern religion, yet his desire is to make available the advantages of mindfulness and meditation - physically, emotionally, and perhaps spiritually as well - to those who are not necessarily Buddhist and may not be open to meditation because of its Buddhist or Eastern roots. Kabat-Zinn recognized that the Buddhist and Yogic texts often referred to meditation as a science, and so he likely considered, why not also treat it as a science, a form of wellness or healthcare treatment in the West? Of course some purists may have trouble with such an approach, but the ultimate results have been difficult to argue with. Kabat-Zinn developed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center which has proven excellent to help people manage many types of previously resistant physical, mental, and stress-related conditions. His program is currently used in over 250 hospitals across the country, and countless other wellness and treatment centers.

Many other conventional and holistic health practitioners, researchers and writers are following Kabat-Zinn's lead, taking the ball and running with it, so to speak. They are integrating and creating new approaches to mindfulness. For example, Dr. Ellen Langer at Harvard University has performed research on mindfulness and creativity. Others have also integrated mindfulness in unique ways: mindfulness and psychotherapy, mindfulness and healing, mindful career exploration, mindful parenting, mindful education, mindful communication and relationships, mindful business practices -- we truly are, as the authors of the magazine Shambala Sun have put forth, experiencing a "mindfulness revolution."

Mindful Journaling

2011-05-19T14:25:00.001-07:00

I cannot think of a better way to improve mindfulness e.g., learning to live each moment with presence, attentiveness, self-awareness, and heart-centered compassion for self and others – than through the regular practice of writing expressively from one’s heart and mind, in a journal. I am not merely referring to what used to be called, “diary writing,” but rather progressive, cutting-edge writing techniques for self-growth and creative expression.

Through evidence based research, our understanding of personal writing and mindfulness and their effects on mental and physical well-being have expanded dramatically. Prominent research by Dr. James Pennebaker at the University of Texas on therapeutic writing, and Dr. Richard Davidson’s on meditation and attention at the University of Wisconsin have broken ground for a huge wave of follow-up research about these, and related research topics.

So, how can a journal be used to improve mindfulness? Initial ideas or concepts that come to mind are the enhancement of clarity and creativity through writing. If we live our lives as though we’re in a “haze,” and are mentally fuzzy about our personal values, needs, and wants; if we are out of touch with our innate, inbred creative capacities – well, to me that’s not very mindful. Creative applications of journaling allow us to sift through the excess stimuli streaming at us from things like information and technology overload, excessive work and family responsibilities, as well as unrealistic social and cultural expectations, among other influences. Such chronic overload contributes to the collective, growing feelings and symptoms of distractedness, angst, anxiety, depression, and general mental fog or “brain lock.”

There are numerous journal techniques to help move through or beyond these problems (the extent of which cannot be elucidated upon in this article). However, a great example of one basic technique or practice to improve mindfulness through journaling is stream of consciousness writing combined with a simple mindful check-in.

Stream of consciousness writing has been used for a long time to improve well-being. In fact, the legendary psychologist Sigmund Freud had his clients either write or talk in a stream without censoring or filtering thoughts in order to bypass their “inner critic,” the self-critical voice that often hinders positive personal development. Writing in this way allows access to a hidden reservoir of wisdom, knowledge, and creativity beyond the conscious part of the mind, called the subconscious. More recently, author Julia Cameron popularized the practice with her “morning pages” journaling technique.

A mindful check-in is simply moving one’s attention inwardly, listening contemplatively to what’s going on inside including thoughts, feelings, bodily perceptions, and emotions – tuning in to to the movements of the spirit. At any moment during the day, one can open a journal, turn the attention inward for a few moments or a few minutes, and write in stream of consciousness fashion about what he or she is experiencing by asking the simple question: “What am I feeling right now?”

Journaling pioneer Lucia Cappacione claims that the mere use of this single practice can be life-changing. Practicing regularly can increase mindfulness, self-awareness, deepen one’s sense of mental and emotional clarity, and generally improve one’s sense of self, and self-efficacy.

The Psychology of The Power of Love

2011-02-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

Mystics and poets have contemplated that love may be the unifying force of existence itself; and, Romanticism is an intellectual and arts/cultural movement that is built on the foundation of love and transcendent thought; it has been said in these realms that love is beyond verbal communication, beyond words themselves. For example, there is an old story that one day the great spiritual teacher the Buddha (for whom Buddhism is named) was set to give a talk before thousands of people; however when he appeared, instead of proffering a sermon the Buddha held a flower and stood in silence with a beautiful smile on his face. Time passed for a span, and then one of his top disciples, Mahākāśyapa, began to laugh. Buddha handed Mahākāśyapa the flower. It is speculated that this student was the only one who actually grasped or understood the true nature of the Buddha’s teaching – the simple teaching that love is the great lesson transmitted from teacher to student, which cannot be conveyed through words.

We tend to think of love in human terms, but love takes many forms: there is love for animals; love for material objects such as rings,trinkets, or fishing poles; love for a concept, virtue, or activity such as love for “hard work” or for music; and there is spiritual or Divine love meaning love for God. In the path of Vedanta, the philosophy that underlies yogic thought and practice, there is the path called Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti yoga is the path of devotion, which explains that all of the different types of love that exist are merely individual “rays” of the greater prism or spectrum of love called Divine love or love of God. This love is referred to as bhava, and it is also sub-categorized to explain the different rays of human love such as vatsalya bhava, love of a mother toward child; madhur bhava, romantic love; or, sankhya bhava, love between friends; and so on.

In positive psychology, love can be difficult to quantify. However a major finding on happiness research is that the love between husband and wife is very powerful, Seligman (2002) states, “Marriage is a more potent happiness factor than satisfaction with job, or finances, or community” (p.187). Even though the Vedanta idea of Divine love is acknowledged by adherents of the philosophy, in general Americans and humans are social animals so to speak, and tend to thrive within the interdependence and shelter of positive, nurturing relationships. We don’t often tend to find Americans meditating and praying on Godly scriptures up in mountaintop caves. Positive psychology research also shows however, that having faith, a religious practice, and love for a higher power, with everything else considered, is also a good predictor of happiness (Myers, 1992).

References

Myers, D.G. (1992). The pursuit of happiness: Discovering the pathway to fulfillment, well-being, and enduring personal joy. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Seligman, M.E.P. (2002). Authentic happiness: Using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

The Mind and Health

2011-01-06T13:17:00.001-08:00

Do optimism and positivity truly influence physiological health and well-being? Assuming they do, could we therefore actually change our mental state - our levels of optimism, hope, and positivity to create better physiological health and well-being? If so, to what degree and how would we do it?

Research findings seem to show pretty clearly that when people feel helpless and as though they cannot change their circumstances, they tend to suppress their own immune systems (Locke, 1997). A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Cohen et al.(1991) confirmed that stress and helplessness inhibit the body’s ability to fight illness and disease. Approximately 400 participants were given questionnaires designed to measure negative outlook, emotions, and helplessness; the results show that an average of 2 to 1 people with negative psychological assessment, when exposed to the common cold virus, came down with the cold symptoms. These findings have been replicated with consistency.

One of the first scientific studies to show the connection between psychology and immune function occurred, in a sense, inadvertently by Dr. Robert Ader at the University of Rochester in the 1970’s. Dr. Ader and colleagues were researching classical conditioning with lab rats. They fed the rats a mixture of sugar water simultaneously with a drug which suppressed immune function (the drug was called Cytoxan); Cytoxan also caused nausea and taste aversion. Next, the researchers unexpectedly found that when they fed the rats only the sugar water, the rats’ immune systems also became depressed, and some rats even died! The experiments were reproduced over and over with essentially the same results. This was perhaps the first time that science was able to show the mind’s power over immune and endocrine function (Locke, 1997).

The new field of positive psychology is about “positive change.” Positive psychology, in a sense, was developed as a response to a system that had been flawed - the conventional mental health system during the mid part of the 20th century. This has been referred to as the disease model of care - which according to Seligman only provided half the true story of wellness (and maybe less) by focusing solely on treating mental illness and not on mental health. Seligman spent most of his fledgling days in academia studying learned helplessness and hopelessness. That system he was immersed in had been mired in a mindset of stagnation, or, the idea that our level of happiness, our state of mental health was fixed and unchangeable. The main conceptualization had become that when people were diagnosed with mental illness, they were labeled as “broken” and according to the disease model of care it could only be through drugs (and/or complicated and involved psychological analysis) that change was possible (Lampropoulos, 2001), but not very much through self-care practices. However, a humanistic psychologist, researcher and practitioner, Carl Rogers, did much to change this viewpoint by offering what he called a client-centered model.

One of the most simple but significant ways that positive thought affects our health is through the absence of depression and hopelessness. When people are depressed and hopeless, they are pessimistic and therefore often do not take actions to improve their own well-being (Kliff, 2007). For example, one may not utilize wellness and coping skills such as eating right, exercising, and managing or coping with stress effectively. We have lots of scientific information to show that the absence of self-care behaviors impacts physical well-being.

Dean Ornish, for example, was perhaps the first to prove that coronary heart disease (CHD) can not only be slowed or prevented but actually reversed through integrative holistic practices. Ornish’s program combines diet and nutrition, exercise, and learned skills to reduce psychological distress such as hostility, anxiety, and depression, which have been correlated with increased risks for heart disease. It is difficult to determine exactly what percentage each (diet, exercise, psychosocial skills) play in reducing CHD, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that a holistic approach is optimal in order to prevent problems before they occur.

Sometimes the best way to know something is by what it is not, or through its absence. For example, knowing how health is affected in the absence of optimism and positive emotion perhaps tells us about its opposite corollary. Significant research comes from Pennebaker (King et al, 1998), whose first interest in expression, writing, and disclosure came when he was giving polygraph tests for the FBI, and he noticed the dramatic reductions in blood pressure and heart rates and reductions in bodily perspiration. In his research, Pennebaker found that undisclosed trauma of various kinds actually doubles the risk of illness (King et al., 1998).

Some of the important findings Pennebaker has obtained through years and years of research about disclosure are that: 1. Writing about one’s deepest feelings and thoughts connected with personal experiences is most significant. It is not necessarily daily diary keeping that seems to be the most important aspect, but rather it is, “integrating” one’s experiences on a deep level that seems to help the most. (However, Pennebaker isn't saying not to write regularly, because it still probably a good habit to develop) 2. Pennebaker's research seems to show that it is not necessary to share one’s experiences with others, which may be shocking to counselors and therapists. Again, Pennebaker is not putting forth that counseling is not important or helpful, rather I think he is saying that many of the same benefits can also be obtained through self-disclosure.

References

Cohen, S & Tyrrell, D. & Smith, A.P. (1991). Psychological stress and susceptibility to the common cold. The New England Journal of Medicine, 325(9), 606-611.

King, D.J. & Holden, J.M. (Summer, 1998). Disclosure of trauma and psychosomatic health An interview with James W. Pennebaker. Journal of Counseling & Development, 76(3).

Kliff, S. (2007). This is your brain on optimism: New research reveals the biological roots of positive thinking. How a rosy outlook can affect your health. Newsweek. October 24. Retrieved December 23, 2010 from http://www.newsweek.com/2007/10/23/this-is-your-brain-on-optimism.html

Lampropoulos, G. (Jan, 2001). Integrating Psychopathology, positive psychology, and
psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 56(1).

Locke, S. (1997). The healer within: The new medicine of mind and body. Plume Publishing.

Pischke, C.R. & Scherwitz, L. & Weidner, G. & Ornish, D. (September, 2008). Long-term effects of lifestyle changes on well-being and cardiac variables among coronary heart disease patients. Health Psychology, 27(5) 584-592.

Selgman, M.E.P. (2002). Authentic happiness: Using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

New Outlook For Mental Health Recovery

2010-09-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

At one time a diagnosis of severe mental health (MH) condition such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder meant that an individual was sentenced to a lifetime with a stigma and an etched-in-stone diagnosis. Negative beliefs persisted in healthcare, and socio-culturally, that recovery was virtually impossible.

However, today we know the possibility exists for full recovery from mental illness with the correct approach and guidance. Sufferers have authentic hope in the form of an integrative mind-body-spirit approach to MH recovery. Stories abound on the Internet and elsewhere of people who are winning battles over mental illness.

What is interesting is research from the World Health Organization (WHO)shows that in developing nations around the world, the rate of recovery from severe mental illness (primarily schizophrenia) is twice as high as in Western developed nations! The results of this research is not happenstance - developing cultures take a less technical and less dehumanizing (e.g., lower reliance upon psychotropic drugs and invasive techniques), yet more organic and socially interconnected approach. Perhaps in the West, we are finally beginning to learn lessons from them!

According to Dan Fisher, Founder of the National Empowerment Center (NEC), a national recovery advocacy organization, significant reasons for this success is that developing nations "[are more] socially oriented, and they instinctively recognize the importance of keeping people connected to the community. We have ceremonies of segregation and isolation, which is really what our labeling and hospitalization process is. They have ceremonies of reintegration and connection." (White, 2005)

So, what are the most significant steps for recovery from mental illness? Well, in 2005 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) put forth the following elements of a healthy recovery: self-direction, individualized and person-centered approaches, empowerment, holistic views, non-linearity, strengths-based, peer support, respect, responsibility, and hope. (Kiume, n.d.) And a report from the Wellesley Institute, a health policy organization, titled Mental Health "Recovery": Users and Refusers, states the three main components of a solid recovery plan are symptom management, health and nutrition, and faith(Mental Health "Recovery:.., 2009), a mind-body-spirit oriented approach.

Fisher himself is an inspiring model of recovery from mental illness. He completed full recovery from schizophrenia, now runs the NEC, and is a practicing psychiatrist. In his psychiatry work he does not, however, excessively prescribe psychiatric drugs such as clozapine and haloperidal, yet maintains a central tenet that medications are temporary solutions and not the core component of an integrative recovery. Central tools for recovery Fisher relies upon are forms of cognitive therapy for self-help, recognized as quite powerful when utilized properly, among other integrative modalities.

For local information on mental health recovery in the Greater Boston Area, please visit the Metro Suburban Recovery Learning Center website at www.metrosubrlc.org or the Transformation Center at www.transformation-center.org. Additionally, please visit the National Empowerment Center website at www.power2u.org.

References

Kiume, S. (n.d.) What's Involved With Mental Health Recovery? Retrieved 10 September 2010 from PsychCentral's World of Psychology website:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/05/12/whats-involved-in-mental-health-
recovery/

Mental Health "Recovery" Study Working Group (2009). Mental Health "Recovery"; Users and Refusers, Toronto: Wellesley Institute. Retrieved September 10 2010 from
http://wellesleyinstitute.com/files/Mental_Health%20_Recovery.pdf

White, R. (2005). Empowerment Model of Recovery From Mental Ilness: An Expert
Interview with Daniel B. Fisher, MD, PhD. Medscape Psychiatry and Mental
Health, 10, 1.

Beginning Meditation: Cultivating Your New Practice

2010-05-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

Attempting to learn just about any new skill can be a daunting, challenging endeavor; however, starting a meditation practice is unlike other new activities in that it is a relearning process. It is revisiting a part of oneself that has perhaps been forgotten, but when reawakened becomes quite familiar - meditation is a journey back to one's innermost sanctum! Meditation is a simple but not easy act of shifting from "doing" to "being," a transition away from externalized awareness, back to what is described in the field of counseling psychology (e.g.,in technical terms), as an "internal locus of control." The beautiful thing is one only needs to learn to be receptive and accept this wonderful gift - to just be!

We have all done it many times before, naturally, without even being aware of it. For example any time you have found yourself deeply immersed in an activity such as Journaling, reading a good book or driving, and have lost track of time, space, and surroundings, you were experiencing a glimpse of meditation. You have shifted your awareness toward the inner world and center, away from the outer distractions.

There are definite steps to learn to meditate effectively; some ways better than others, yet, there is no wrong way to meditate (except being distracted!). The key, no matter the style or approach is establishing and maintaining a regular daily practice. Perhaps a good analogy is breathing: most would agree they never needed to learn any special technique to breathe; still, ironically, through practice it is possible to become more adept at both breathing and meditating. The most important thing is to learn to enjoy it, to simply delight in the journey!

Certainly, many varied philosophies and nuanced techniques exist, which may become important especially as one advances in practice; yet from my practice and study of meditation I would like to offer the following basic technique that can form the foundation of a positive practice.

Basic Technique - Seated Meditation

1. Create a comfortable environment free from noise and distractions.

2. Find a comfortable chair that is sturdy, with good back support. Keep the body aligned. It is beneficial to sit straight as many believe it helps align the body's energy centers (chakras). Slouching can be very distracting; however, this is your personal time, so sit how you feel comfortable.

3. Begin to tune inward and let go, move your awareness away from all the external distractions of your day and from your immediate surroundings. Feel your breath as it moves in and out of your nose, listen to it; become one with it.

4. It is useful to find a focal point for your attention as it tends to center the mind. You can repeat a meaningful phrase or prayer, one word e.g. God, Jesus, Buddha, Om, peace, wellness. It can be beneficial to focus on the point between the eyes (the sixth chakra), which is one of the seven energy centers in the body; or loving kindness on the heart chakra (the fourth). Perhaps focus on a candle flame, or point on the wall. Or, if you like you can continue to come back to the breath as an anchoring point when the mind wanders.

Whatever you decide to focus on is OK; just make it meaningful and enjoyable! Experiment with the process, as you progress you will become more accepting of your experiences in meditation, and it may not be necessary to use a focal point; the pure experience of being receptive may be enough. Or continue to use a focal point if you like. You may decide you want to shift back and forth intermittently.

5. What is most important is trust the process and don't strive; when you meditate you are letting go of inner struggle, and letting go of your stress, and distractions.

6. Continue sitting for a time that feels right to you. In the beginning, five to ten minutes may be enough. Two times a day - once in the morning and once in the evening - is optimal. However, even once per day for a short time may be beneficial as long as you practice regularly in a spirited way. As you advance you will find it is easier to sit longer. Your meditations will naturally increase, and sitting for longer periods becomes much easier. Through practice, your mind will naturally come to one pointedness.

References

Bien, T.; Bien, B. (2002). Mindful Recovery: A Spiritual Path To Healing From Addiction. New York, NY: Wiley and Sons.

Kabat Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York, NY: Random House Publishing.

What is Mindfulness Coaching?

2010-05-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Mindfulness coaching is a solutions oriented approach that teaches people how to cope effectively with stress in daily life. The main technique is mindfulness based stress management, a relaxation method that focuses on present moment awareness. It is very powerful for helping to manage distressing thoughts and difficult emotions.

Mindfulness coaching also has been influenced by, and integrates aspects of other related therapies such as mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance and comitmment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

Although mindfulness itself is a universal concept and has been used historically in different cultures around the world, mindfulness based stress management particularly blends eastern approaches including meditative practices. Mindfulness coaching is used successfully to help various mental and physical conditions including compulsive and addictive behaviors, attention and mood problems, anger-management, headaches, and pain, as well as other problems.

Book Review - "Mindful Recovery: Spiritual Path To Healing From Addiction" by Thomas Bien and Beverly Bien

2010-05-01T08:22:00.001-07:00

The authors Thomas and Beverly Bien come from personal backgrounds of addictions; they work as professional therapists, and at the same time practice deep spirituality. And, similar to a growing population of seekers and teachers today, recognize an obvious need in our culture for a synthesis of mindfulness and mental health.

One of the important reasons mindfulness is salient in recovery, according to the Biens, is because addiction "is at its core a way of avoiding life rather than being aware of it"; that, "for many addicted people, addictive behavior is a way to turn problems off for a while." Yet the abuse of substances ultimately only increases fears and avoidant behavior over the long term. It is only effective as a short term coping strategy. Mindfulness, they urge, is a way of awakening to the beauty of the present moment.

A central theme of "Mindful Recovery" is that mindfulness is the opposite of experiential avoidance, or of denying responsibility, or of ultimately fleeing one's inner self. The Bien's have an approach which they emphasize is, "spiritually oriented." Although the Bien's connect mindfulness with Buddhism in this text they point out that Buddha did not set out with the intention to teach Buddhism as a religion per se; rather as a practice and "path of liberation." It is a way to end one's mental, emotional, and physical suffering; yet the sort of practice espoused by the Buddha does not conflict with and only enhances one's personal religious devotion or higher ideal, whatever path it may be including Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, or any other.

The Buddha's primary teachings are the Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths tell us that life is suffering and that there is in fact a way to free or liberate us from that suffering. The way to liberation, Buddha taught approximately two thousand years ago, is the eightfold path, which is:

• Right view
• Right thought
• Right speech
• Right action
• Right livelihood
• Right mindfulness
• Right diligence
• Right concentration

However, the Buddha did not mean "right" in the moral sense, rather in a practical way. He meant whole, or complete, or effective.

Meditation and mindfulness are a practice in being. The addicted person rarely embraces moments. This is because the here and now is uncomfortable for many reasons. But meditation is a practice in embracing the now; it is about practicing whatever one does with whole attentiveness, "If you are doing the dishes in order to be able to go on to something you think will be more satisfying than doing the dishes, not only will you not enjoy doing the dishes, but you will not enjoy whatever it is you go on to do next...you never live, but are always planning to live."

Their approach is Eastern influenced, but mindfulness is universal and has been practiced in all cultures, in all wisdom traditions; and Western psychology has now embraced mindfulness as a therapeutic modality. The stages of change model developed by Prochaska juxtaposes on the Bien's philosophy.

What I find uniquely stimulating about this approach is how the practice of mindfulness as a positive addiction is emphasized. It sounds similar to what William Glasser, the creator of choice theory and reality therapy, espoused in the 1980s. The only way we can overcome compulsive, addictive behaviors is through replacing them with healthy, positive addictions. In this book, an example is provided of a man in recovery from cocaine addiction (Martin), who took up golf with such passion that it replaced his addiction: "Martin's story also points out that while quitting is an essential step, it is not enough. One needs a new focus. While other things can provide it, in our view, the best focus you can have is on living more deeply, more spiritually. In this book we offer mindfulness as just such a a focus - indeed as a way of life." What the Bien's are saying is that mindfulness becomes the positive addiction undergirding all useful habits, or to replace destructive ones.

The Bien's "10 Doorways to Mindfulness" also somewhat parallel the very successful 12step approach. The 10 Doorways are:

• Practicing being present
• Considering as a story that is always fresh
• The use of the journal for story and awakening
• Meditation
• Connecting with the natural world
• Cultivating healthy relationships
• Exploring dreams
• Practicing mindfulness at work
• Learn to hold and embrace difficult emotions to ensure recovery
• Practice, practice, practice

This author highly recommends this book. If one takes the steps outlined here and as the authors say in the tenth and final door, "practice, practice, practice," he or she will at the very least achieve a new perspective on addiction, with new passion and a positive addiction that cannot do oneself or anyone else harm.

Postmodernism and "Beginner's Mind"

2010-04-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

I guess that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Being increasingly immersed in postmodern thought particularly since that is what has taken over the counseling field and much of progressive academia since the 1990s, during one of my regular meditations I recently stumbled upon a realization (the famous "aha" insight!) -- that all the hot new perspectives into constructivist thought and hermaneutics are really just new twists on old themes.

Ancient Taoist and Zen masters wrote about something called, "beginner's mind," or translated, the Japanese word shosin. In contemporary counseling the revolution taking place is finally catching onto their ancient message. Until around the 1990's a therapist was considered expert, authority, and guide until diverse voices challenged that position, including feminist thought, multiculturalism, person-centered thought, and an emerging preventive and wellness paradigm in healthcare. These challenges were based upon (supposedly) new ideas from social constructivism that said the traditional Western notions of "truth" were rigid, egocentric, and frankly, arrogant. It said the outdated model was erroneously based upon an "absolute truth" which was simply a false construct agreed upon by dominant social groups.

Social constructivism says, alternatively, that no social group has a monopoly on truth; that each individual has access to his or her own individual shard of truth, in essence what helps make up our unique individuality. Ahh! Didn't the ancient Zen and yogic masters already know this? They taught that the more one developed wisdom or enlightenment, that the less one actually knew in a certain sense. An old Zen saying grew from this: "If you meet a Buddha in the road, kill him!" The Zen masters taught that the teacher was facilitator, and meditation practice was a powerful tool to develop one's inner knowing and inner voice; that, mindfulness meditation was a powerful tool for constructing the self. So, the student could learn from a teacher or master, but the real master was within. Isn't postmodern thinking and social constructivism in counseling merely another name for "beginner's mind"?

The way one practices beginner's mind is to empty oneself of all thoughts (if only that were possible!). This means empty of all preconceived judgments, labels, concepts, techniques, and methods. It is a main purpose of meditation - there is still nothing better than quiet stillness to wipe the miror clean; to free the mind, and to bring space and clarity.

Mindfulness: The First Step Is Deep

2010-04-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

In developing a mindfulness practice, I am convinced that the 1st step is the most significant. The 1st step in mindfulness (after making the choice to practice, of course) is internalization or self-awareness. We take a giant leap by learning to tune into the messages the body provides, moment by moment. Frankly, it is a meditative art in itself. It is about learning to manage one's own energy, and manage what mindfulness teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn calls, "the full catastrophe" of modern living.

For example, if you are sitting at your desk juggling emails and simultaneously finishing a weekly report; your work tempo is hectic but you are feeling pretty good about staying on pace. Well, suddenly the phone rings, it is a well-meaning friend who wants to gab away precipitously without considering your time. You fail to set a good boundary, and suddenly you have gone from being, "in a groove" to being swamped trying to do 3 or 4 things at once! It is the final straw - subtly, ever so slightly, the jaw begins tightening, and a faint,throbbing, pulsing feeling awakens in the temple area. The problem though, at this beginning stage of the mind-body stress response, is that many people would not awaken and take notice.

This is where a significant difference exists between one who practices mindfulness and one who does not. At this moment, the body's wisdom shouts: "Red flag! Red flag! Heed; stop; and, take action." If one intervenes, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system e.g., the relaxation response, she has the opportunity to avert a forest fire (such as for example a potentially severe migraine). Of course additional biopsychosocial factors come into play concerning migraines, such as allergies, genetics, environment, among others; all things being equal, however, learning to relax will help minimize fallout from the stress response.

In this brief article, I have outlined merely one possible example but our body is providing signals constantly during the day, directed by the subconscious mind. The more we practice mindfulness, the more it becomes natural to "tune in" to the subtle wisdom the body provides, to be proactive with our health and wellness, and to avert more serious problems.

Mindfulness and Detachment: Creating Mental Space

2010-03-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

In sharing and teaching mindfulness practice, I find the need to explain that although daily seated meditation is the heart of practice, I like to urge that "life is meditation; and, mindfulness is far more than sitting" - yet, for some reason people have difficulty grasping the concept! I am not sure why since it is rather simple: the peace and mental space gained in meditation can permeate every aspect of one's daily life. I find this a great goal; and truly, the practice of meditation has the capacity to enrich life in so many ways beyond sitting. One of the foremost qualities meditation helps cultivate is detachment. Detachment overlaps the quality of non-striving, which is one of the eight attitudes of mindfulness according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, the originator of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Truly, detachment - in our stress-filled, needs-based culture - may in fact be the most important spiritual quality of all to master.

Throughout history, the various wisdom traditions have embraced the notion of detachment. In Buddhism, the concept of Nibbana (many Westerners know it as Nirvana), literally means "no burn." In the Christian tradition, Jesus, in the Gospel of John referred to the quality of detachment by urging us to, "be in the world, but not of the world." In the Hindu faith, throughout virtually the whole Bhagavad Gita (part of the sacred Mahabarata associated with the ancient Vedic scriptures), a thread of detachment is ubiquitous throughout the work. For example, chapter sixteen in the Bhagavad Gita, the central topic is the three gunas: rajas, tamas, and sattva. The quality of sattva is goodness, purity, energy, and detachment; the quality of rajas represents lust and passion; and tamas, inactivity and sloth. By cultivating sattva, one becomes free from anger, jealousy, and selfishness, and develops wisdom and clarity of mind.

So, what does it truly mean to be in the world but not of the world? It means developing a center, a place of inner wisdom; it means having the ability to not allow worldly occurances distract us from what we know is true, from our core values and life purpose. We can be involved in activities with others but not so influenced that we have lost our own center.

For example, people often ask me if I drink beer or alcohol; I usually tell them I may have a few beers but don't really "drink" per se. Yet still,I do like to go out sometimes and have fun (though not often enough!!). The key is I am able to maintain a sense of detachment when I do go to a restaurant or a bar, and not necessarily get drunk or even have one beer. Still, my intention is to have a blast! In doing this, I am living detached, staying centered, and remaining true to my personal value of sobriety. This is merely one example of so many ways we can remain detached.

The reason meditation helps is because it is a practice in returning to our sacred center. The more we return to this sacred center, we automatically find less and less need to strive for validation, acknowledgment, and direction from others.

Does Mindfulness Actually Increase Stereotyping in the Workplace?

2010-03-09T21:57:00.000-08:00

I found the following quite fascinating. Many who study and practice mindfulness are of course inspired by the wondrous lifestyle changes they experience through regular mindfulness practices; which I would add, often includes the development of cultural awareness. On the flip side, listening to a recent radio broadcast about the pros and cons of diversity training in the workplace on Talk of The Nation (National Public Radio) I found comments made by Elizabeth Levy Paluck, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Princeton University, extremely interesting and cause for further inquiry.

Paluck put forth that becoming more mindful and conscious of diversity actually may increase stereotyping in the workplace! According to Paluck, "One topic that's been brought up is that when training and education may activate bias rather than reduce it, and so this is something that psychologists study quite a bit. So when you make these explicit and conscious attempts to regulate your thoughts - and that's not necessarily what all the diversity training does, but we do know that this can sometimes exaggerate stereotyping and raise issues that might otherwise not come up in the workplace. And oftentimes, women and minorities are, you know justifiably upset when this happens."

In light of this, should we thus make attempts to become less mindful? If we know that our attempts to become less judgmental, less biased, and more humane and more civil only serve to make the workplace situation worse, should we therefore curtail attempts to educate workers about diversity? Should we discourage workers to practice enlightened thinking around issues of diversity? My own inclination is to say absolutely "no"; yet based on the above, an important question is raised: is it even possible to consciously increase our emotional intelligence quotient (EQ)? Or, are we merely opening a new can of worms - in the form of increased judgments and critical thoughts - when we attempt to do so?

What Paluk identifies is a fascinating occurance: when we practice conscious thinking, we also paradoxically somehow send off more harmful vibes - the exact opposite of positive EQ.

What she describes may actually make some sense. We all know iritating people who seem to do and say all the right things, yet underneath, (their sometimes facades) seem full of moralistic judgments and toxic thinking. I would like to believe, though, it may only be a temporary phenomenon. That over time any person's diligent, authentic efforts to shape EQ and character eventually pay off for the best, and, ultimately can serve to contribute to a more compassionate and socially conscious workplace.

Audio link to broadcast
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=124495770&m=124495767

Positive Psychology and Schizophrenia

2010-03-08T10:27:00.000-08:00

Many people are probably not aware that much of the work on family therapy actually began with research on schizophrenia. According to Nichols et al., researchers felt that the "strange patterns of interaction [in families in which psychosis was present] were so dramatic," if they could understand such an extreme condition, it would likely shed light on so many other less extreme mental health conditions as well. (Nichols, et al., 2007) Ultimately, doing this work, researchers were able to identify patterns in families that were not healthy. Such patterns include extreme conflicting messages such as the "double bind," rigid family roles, faulty parental models of identification, and the "rubber fence." The rubber fence, identified by Wynne, is parental rigidity that limits outside contact for the children. It is particularly ironic because it often occurs in the lives of many children who need outside contact the most, who live in such a toxic family culture.

The study of schizophrenia and family culture has certainly provided significant measure of understanding of disease, of why people get sick. That is one part of the equation. However, the other side of it, e.g., the dangers and consequences of focusing only on disease etiology, is that using this perspective we also tend to blame, label, and diagnose. Doing so, we tend to lose focus of the most important aspects of recovery, such as strengths, positive qualities and beneficial characteristics of both the individuals involved and whole families.(Seligman, et al., 2006)

References

Nichols, M.P.; Shwartz, R.C. (2007). Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods (8th edition). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Seligman, M.; Rashid, T.; Parks, A.C. (November 2006) American Psychologist. pp.774-778.

Creating and Re-framing Your Life Story

2010-02-26T15:04:00.001-08:00

To cultivate positive mental well-being, in my view, we can choose to look at our lives from a perspective of the clinical model, e.g., the disease model of health care, in which the focus has inevitably been on "fixing problems" particularly through the use of medications, or we can look at our lives from a positive, holistic, and person-centered standoint. And certainly the more informed we are, and aware of essential developmental issues, conflicts, and stages, for example, the psychosocial stages laid out by Erik Erikson (which have become foundational in modern psychological thought), the better we are able to manage stress, transition, and change in our lives.

However, in my view embracing the notion of life-story and of learning to reframe our lives from a positive, holistic,and person-centered perspective is critical to well-being. Reframing is making a choice to see situations in productive, positive, and life-affirming ways, as opposed to seeing them in destructive, life-alienating ways. The reason reframing is so important is because our perspective on our lives makes a huge difference in the quality of our lives; our thoughts create our well-being. McAdams puts forth that the way we view each of the important challenges faced from our pasts, interestingly, also makes a big difference on our overall well-being today, and how we deal with our present life and future challenges.

This "re-framing of mind" is fundamentally how we perceive who we are as individuals: it is our sense of self, including self-esteem and self-efficacy. In other words, we each have a choice of how we want to view our past and what led to the creation of the present "I" or self. Until we are able to make some sense of the past, and learn to reframe it in a useful and positive way, we will inevitably have difficulty accepting ourselves as individuals, and have difficulty moving forward. Most of us have hurts from the past; some, of course, worse than others. For many it is difficult to forgive, to move on, to re-initiate the process of living. However, I think it is important to keep in mind that the only person we hurt by not being able to reframe the past is ourselves. The power of story helps us learn to do that. We can learn to view our lives within the bigger context of story by imagining and creating stories of challenge, and ultimately, triumph.

It has been said that, "our biography becomes our biology." And, Dr. James Pennebaker has performed research to show the benefit to our health of disclosing one's most difficult, deepest, intimate life experiences through the mere act of writing such thoughts and feelings in a journal for minutes a day. In one of his studies of college students, only six months of such disclosure through the use of journal writing, students showed significantly fewer visits to the university health center. (McAdams, 2006, p.31). McAdam says the reason is because inhibiting and holding onto such feelings requires physiological work, though it is subtle, and we may not be aware of it. The reality is suppression of feelings becomes exhausting to us. When we disclose either verbally or in a journal, we are letting go of the armor needed to hold onto or suppress painful, dark feelings. It also allows us to begin gaining insight into these events and begin seeing them in more solution oriented ways, if we choose so.

References

McAdams, D. P. (2006). The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live By. New York , NY: Oxford University Press.

Why is it so difficult to discuss end-of-life issues in American culture?

2010-02-26T11:03:00.000-08:00

Modern Americans have a difficult time dealing with painful emotions, such as ones associated with death and sickness, and we often respond with denial (putting up walls and defenses, and using forms of distraction), harshness ("just be a man"), or confusion (converting pain into another emotion like anger without realizing it). In some cultures death is not thought upon negatively. Yes, of couse it is painful to lose a loved one; however, many cultures regard death in a celebratory way. Death is viewed as a transition - albeit a significant one - along the spiritual journey of life.

I lost my father to cancer when I was three. Our family did not discuss his death much, and immediately following, my mom took us cross-country to San Diego and Disneyland as an "escape." If our family had dealt with the pain of death head on, perhaps a trip would have been helpful - sometimes a change of scenery can be useful and refreshing during a stressful period. However, I think the combination of denying emotions and fleeing a situation was not the most beneficial, and perhaps conveyed a messsage to our internal selves of fear and powerlessness.

So, how does one deal with or manage difficult emotions such as ones associated with death effectively? According to dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) a mindfulness based approach, "No appropriate psychological technique can change a natural feeling into a different one. It would not be right to [try] to change the feeling of depression about losing a loved one into the feeling of indifference. This [is] an attempt to truncate your feelings, to deny them. So emotional regulation isn't about making one feeling into another. It's about changing our emotional state altogether," states Thomas Marra, Ph.D., president of the Center for Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Monterey, CA.

The keys, according to mindfulness based therapies, are acknowledgment, responsibility, and choice. If we acknowledge the pain we are not denying it; rather, we are embracing our humanness, admitting we are emotional beings, however, that does not mean succumbing to our emotions. It means also taking responsibility for our feelings, and recognizing we possess the ability to make choices in how we respond to situations.

In my view,one of the main reasons Americans have trouble dealing with death is because we tend to fear our emotional beings and therefore also deny and disregard our internal self, and in a sense our innate humanness.

References
Marra, T. (2004). Depressed and Anxious: The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook for Overcoming Depression and Anxiety. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

2010-02-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

What is Mindful Communication?
Mindful or compassionate communication is a way of learning to connect with others from a heart level. It is about being present in the moment and listening with one's whole being. Although compassionate communication is truly an organic (and historically timeless) process, it is highly influenced by recent work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg and his method of Nonviolent Communication (NVC).