Comments on: Psychotherapy and Meditation: Sitting with What Is http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/ Exploring Healthy Psychotherapy Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:06:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Elisa http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/#comment-22542 Elisa Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:58:50 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/?p=4383#comment-22542 Have you ever tried meditating while listening to Binaural Beats? No idea where they got that name from, because I hear no beats at all :p These Binaural Beats are brainwaves that are to set your brain for something that you wish to achieve (e.g. success or so). Ever since I use these brainwaves my meditation has become so much better. Anybody else having experience with this? Elisa Have you ever tried meditating while listening to Binaural Beats? No idea where they got that name from, because I hear no beats at all :p
These Binaural Beats are brainwaves that are to set your brain for something that you wish to achieve (e.g. success or so).
Ever since I use these brainwaves my meditation has become so much better.

Anybody else having experience with this?
Elisa

]]> By: Anne Ihnen MA LMHC http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/#comment-21924 Anne Ihnen MA LMHC Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:52:03 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/?p=4383#comment-21924 I like the idea of "touch and go" - practicing staying with what's painful and difficult for just a minute or two. It's a gentle way to come into the present moment, staying there only as long as you can stand it. In session, it can be like a dance in which we talk, tap into the present moment for a minute or two, and then return to talking about the presenting issue. Not only does this cultivate affect tolerance, it shows the client that he/she really has some power to manage their experience. I agree that meditation can be too much for many people and needs to be eased into over time. Taking a few minutes to focus on the breath during the day and tapping into the present moment are ways to start cultivating mindfulness which can eventually lead to sitting meditation practice. I think that walking meditation and body-oriented meditation practices are often more appropriate for people who are new to meditation and are overwhelmed by sitting practice. It can be especially draining for empathic people to sit with another who's experiencing intense emotions. While self-care is important for all therapists, it's especially important for sensitive, empathic therapists. I try to give myself multiple 30 - 60 minute breaks during the day to recharge and let go of anything I may have taken on. It seems to help a lot. Karla McLaren's CD course "Energetic Boundaries" (available from Sounds True) has also been helpful for me. It's so heartening to me that mindfulness and psychotherapy are coming together more and more! I like the idea of “touch and go” – practicing staying with what’s painful and difficult for just a minute or two. It’s a gentle way to come into the present moment, staying there only as long as you can stand it. In session, it can be like a dance in which we talk, tap into the present moment for a minute or two, and then return to talking about the presenting issue. Not only does this cultivate affect tolerance, it shows the client that he/she really has some power to manage their experience.

I agree that meditation can be too much for many people and needs to be eased into over time. Taking a few minutes to focus on the breath during the day and tapping into the present moment are ways to start cultivating mindfulness which can eventually lead to sitting meditation practice. I think that walking meditation and body-oriented meditation practices are often more appropriate for people who are new to meditation and are overwhelmed by sitting practice.

It can be especially draining for empathic people to sit with another who’s experiencing intense emotions. While self-care is important for all therapists, it’s especially important for sensitive, empathic therapists. I try to give myself multiple 30 – 60 minute breaks during the day to recharge and let go of anything I may have taken on. It seems to help a lot. Karla McLaren’s CD course “Energetic Boundaries” (available from Sounds True) has also been helpful for me.

It’s so heartening to me that mindfulness and psychotherapy are coming together more and more!

]]> By: Holly http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/#comment-21726 Holly Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:02:58 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/?p=4383#comment-21726 I have decided that my therapist is like my favorite pair of jeans- it always feels right to talk with her just like those jeans always seem to be my favorite wardrobe staple! That may sound a little quirky but she has given me the tools to make meditation a part of my daily life and has helped me to learn how to really make the most out of seeing things for the way they are and for appreciating the simple things in life. Like those jeans always leave me feeling a little better about myself, my therapist always has just the right words to make me feel better and gives me the confidence that I need to make it. I have decided that my therapist is like my favorite pair of jeans- it always feels right to talk with her just like those jeans always seem to be my favorite wardrobe staple! That may sound a little quirky but she has given me the tools to make meditation a part of my daily life and has helped me to learn how to really make the most out of seeing things for the way they are and for appreciating the simple things in life. Like those jeans always leave me feeling a little better about myself, my therapist always has just the right words to make me feel better and gives me the confidence that I need to make it.

]]> By: Nathaniel http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/#comment-21668 Nathaniel Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:38:18 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/?p=4383#comment-21668 Meditation can be a little unnerving for beginners. When you don't know to expect feelings to arise that may well have been put aside for a very long time, your initial reaction is agitation. Knowing to simply go with the flow during it is advantageous. When you know that <em>before</em> rather than after attempting meditation especially for the first time, it's not so unsettling anymore. I tell folks to relax, expect the unexpected and not let unusual feelings, sounds or visuals perturb them. Meditation brings such a sense of wellbeing everyone should experience it at least once. Meditation can be a little unnerving for beginners. When you don’t know to expect feelings to arise that may well have been put aside for a very long time, your initial reaction is agitation. Knowing to simply go with the flow during it is advantageous. When you know that before rather than after attempting meditation especially for the first time, it’s not so unsettling anymore.

I tell folks to relax, expect the unexpected and not let unusual feelings, sounds or visuals perturb them. Meditation brings such a sense of wellbeing everyone should experience it at least once.

]]> By: themuse http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/#comment-21665 themuse Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:12:13 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/?p=4383#comment-21665 Anne, thank you for the article. I find how you work very interesting. I'm empathic and can feel how another is feeling no problem. It can be overwhelming how hard their strong emotions can hit. How do you manage to do that all day long? I find even an hour or two with some can be very emotionally draining and I don't have an ounce of energy left. I steer clear after that when I can. Anne, thank you for the article. I find how you work very interesting. I’m empathic and can feel how another is feeling no problem. It can be overwhelming how hard their strong emotions can hit. How do you manage to do that all day long? I find even an hour or two with some can be very emotionally draining and I don’t have an ounce of energy left. I steer clear after that when I can.

]]> By: Beth Patterson, MA, LPC http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/#comment-21645 Beth Patterson, MA, LPC Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:09:25 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/?p=4383#comment-21645 I too practice meditation and bring it into my practice of psychotherapy, both for myself and for my clients. For myself, I practice "touch and go" -- touching on what I'm feeling in my client's presence, and letting it go so I can truly be with him or her. I also teach clients mindfulness techniques for feeling their thoughts/emotions on a body level. When clients are stuck in their thoughts, there is a sense of claustrophobia. Bringing those thoughts to the level of the body creates spaciousness and workability. I too practice meditation and bring it into my practice of psychotherapy, both for myself and for my clients. For myself, I practice “touch and go” — touching on what I’m feeling in my client’s presence, and letting it go so I can truly be with him or her. I also teach clients mindfulness techniques for feeling their thoughts/emotions on a body level. When clients are stuck in their thoughts, there is a sense of claustrophobia. Bringing those thoughts to the level of the body creates spaciousness and workability.

]]> By: Roose http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/#comment-21527 Roose Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:14:21 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/?p=4383#comment-21527 This is very interesting indeed... Concentrating on the present moment and all that is influencing us is a sure way of relieving the pain withing ourselves. Discussion and reflection on past events helps us in recognizing our short-comings and differences and also helps us in rectifying those very mistakes in future life and also in curing us. This is very interesting indeed… Concentrating on the present moment and all that is influencing us is a sure way of relieving the pain withing ourselves. Discussion and reflection on past events helps us in recognizing our short-comings and differences and also helps us in rectifying those very mistakes in future life and also in curing us.

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