Comments on: Mindfulness is Intentional Mental Health http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/ Exploring Healthy Psychotherapy Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:48:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Peter Strong, PhD http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-24352 Peter Strong, PhD Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:38:07 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-24352 Mindfulness is an extraordinary skill that can be quite easily learned, although the challenge is to apply it throughout the day and consistently during mindfulness meditation sessions. Mindfulness is actually a multi-dimensional form of mindfulness that includes an Active dimension, called sati in Pali, the language of the Buddha's teachings; a Relational Dimension, called satisampajanna; and a Transformational dimension called satipanna. The active dimension of sati teaches you to recognize habitual patterns of conditioned emotional reactivity. This is what sustains anxiety, depression and other forms of emotional stress and distress. It is always what you DON'T see that is most harmful. The Relational dimension is all about listening and being 100% present with whatever you are observing. In the form of psychotherapy that I teach, we make the emotional suffering the object of mindfulness meditation, and the art is to establish a present-centered and non-reactive relationship with the emotion. No blind acceptance; no avoidance or aversion; no thinking about the emotion; no self-analysis. Just pure awareness and pure presence. This creates a creative and therapeutic space in which the emotional complex can speak, differentiate, unfold and it is through this process that the suffering will heal itself. The transformational dimension is an active investigation into the structure of the emotion; not through thinking, but through allowing details to arise in the freedom of the space of mindfulness. Typically, this involves experiential imagery, because imagery is the natural language of the psyche. When this changes, so too the emotion. Mindfulness is indeed quite remarkable and has wide applications in the field of psychotherapy for creating the ideal conditions in which the psyche can heal itself. You may like to read some more articles published on my website. May you discover the path of mindfulness and resolve your suffering and find true happiness. Peter Strong, PhD, is a specialist in Mindfulness Psychotherapist based in Boulder, Colorado. Mindfulness is an extraordinary skill that can be quite easily learned, although the challenge is to apply it throughout the day and consistently during mindfulness meditation sessions.
Mindfulness is actually a multi-dimensional form of mindfulness that includes an Active dimension, called sati in Pali, the language of the Buddha’s teachings; a Relational Dimension, called satisampajanna; and a Transformational dimension called satipanna.

The active dimension of sati teaches you to recognize habitual patterns of conditioned emotional reactivity. This is what sustains anxiety, depression and other forms of emotional stress and distress. It is always what you DON’T see that is most harmful.
The Relational dimension is all about listening and being 100% present with whatever you are observing. In the form of psychotherapy that I teach, we make the emotional suffering the object of mindfulness meditation, and the art is to establish a present-centered and non-reactive relationship with the emotion. No blind acceptance; no avoidance or aversion; no thinking about the emotion; no self-analysis. Just pure awareness and pure presence. This creates a creative and therapeutic space in which the emotional complex can speak, differentiate, unfold and it is through this process that the suffering will heal itself.
The transformational dimension is an active investigation into the structure of the emotion; not through thinking, but through allowing details to arise in the freedom of the space of mindfulness. Typically, this involves experiential imagery, because imagery is the natural language of the psyche. When this changes, so too the emotion.

Mindfulness is indeed quite remarkable and has wide applications in the field of psychotherapy for creating the ideal conditions in which the psyche can heal itself.

You may like to read some more articles published on my website.

May you discover the path of mindfulness and resolve your suffering and find true happiness.

Peter Strong, PhD, is a specialist in Mindfulness Psychotherapist based in Boulder, Colorado.

]]> By: Roy Aldrie http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-20427 Roy Aldrie Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:06:55 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-20427 Digg it! Digg it!

]]> By: Lori Granger http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-15734 Lori Granger Mon, 02 Mar 2009 05:34:12 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-15734 Dear Rita, With mindfulness we train the mind to become quiet so that we can live more from the heart. In meditation we recognize those persistent thoughts that tend to make us feel threatened and fearful. We learn to consider more carefully our response to our thoughts, recognizing that not all of our thought are the truth about who we are - or what we need. The heart has better answers, but is normally shouted down by our thinking mind. I don't know if this is useful information for you or not. Your comment almost sounded like you were looking for some guidance. Please let me know if I can be of help. Dear Rita,
With mindfulness we train the mind to become quiet so that we can live more from the heart.
In meditation we recognize those persistent thoughts that tend to make us feel threatened and fearful.
We learn to consider more carefully our response to our thoughts, recognizing that not all of our thought are the truth about who we are – or what we need. The heart has better answers, but is normally shouted down by our thinking mind.

I don’t know if this is useful information for you or not. Your comment almost sounded like you were looking for some guidance.

Please let me know if I can be of help.

]]> By: Rita http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-15682 Rita Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:08:52 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-15682 I tend to be judgemental and I think I need to train my mind a lot more to take over my heart. I feel I am a very emotional person and all my friends and family have told me that. I also have a hyperactive thyroid which causes a lot of emotional chaos. I tend to be judgemental and I think I need to train my mind a lot more to take over my heart. I feel I am a very emotional person and all my friends and family have told me that. I also have a hyperactive thyroid which causes a lot of emotional chaos.

]]> By: Delilah http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-15117 Delilah Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:37:41 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-15117 Many of us try to be mindful in veeryhting that we do, from every encounter that we make to every action that we take. In some cases I think that all of this mindfulness of others can become confusing and overwhelming as I sometimes lose sight of myslef and the things that I think when I am so busy trying not to overprocess the information that I am receiving . Is this possible? I want to take everyone's actions and feelings to heart but not at the expense of losing me. How do you find a balance that can allow you to achieve both? Do I simply go through life "mindfully" and then take it all in later to process? Many of us try to be mindful in veeryhting that we do, from every encounter that we make to every action that we take. In some cases I think that all of this mindfulness of others can become confusing and overwhelming as I sometimes lose sight of myslef and the things that I think when I am so busy trying not to overprocess the information that I am receiving . Is this possible? I want to take everyone’s actions and feelings to heart but not at the expense of losing me. How do you find a balance that can allow you to achieve both? Do I simply go through life “mindfully” and then take it all in later to process?

]]> By: kayla http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-15089 kayla Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:01:07 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-15089 Thanks for that clarification Lori. I have to admit that I too was having a little trouble wrapping my mind around this concept initially, but after rereading the article and yoour comments it helps a lot. Thanks! Thanks for that clarification Lori. I have to admit that I too was having a little trouble wrapping my mind around this concept initially, but after rereading the article and yoour comments it helps a lot. Thanks!

]]> By: Lori Granger http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-15073 Lori Granger Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:08:57 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-15073 Yes, Charles. I prefer referring to the stance as a "compassionate witness". Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression parlance is "de-centered" position in relation to experience. Letting experience unfold, as opposed to getting stuck in the commentary about it, the liking or disliking which Buddhists would say cause clinging or aversion, the root of suffering. Yes, Charles. I prefer referring to the stance as a “compassionate witness”. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression parlance is “de-centered” position in relation to experience. Letting experience unfold, as opposed to getting stuck in the commentary about it, the liking or disliking which Buddhists would say cause clinging or aversion, the root of suffering.

]]> By: Charles http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-for-mental-health/comment-page-1/#comment-15063 Charles Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:08:15 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=1583#comment-15063 Huh. . . this is interesting. So does this mean that mindfulness is the ability to be a casual observer of situations without letting your own thoughts and feelings take control and bring you to conclusions? Huh. . . this is interesting. So does this mean that mindfulness is the ability to be a casual observer of situations without letting your own thoughts and feelings take control and bring you to conclusions?

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