Recognizing how much power our thoughts have in determining our quality of life, then implementing mindfulness to promote positive change is a powerful component in my approach to helping my clients.
Seeking therapy is a healthy, positive step that can restore balance to your life, improve communication, and provide insight about yourself and those who are important to you.
A common feeling is, "my life was fine until it wasn't." This is when therapeutic support can be extremely helpful in navigating these temporary "bumps in the road" so you can move forward in life.
How often have you had a bad day because of your thoughts--worries about the future or negative intrusive thoughts from the past?
Mindfulness incorporates awareness and acceptance of the present--What am I feeling, thinking; what physical sensations am I experiencing and what's happening around me at this moment? Learning to cultivate this skill of non-judgment and acceptance is a powerful tool to increase your quality of life. Research shows that mindfulness:
changes increases positive emotions, decreases stress and can fight depression and relapse
increases the density in the brain in the regions regulating emotions, empathy, memory and learning
improves focus and attention
improves relationship satisfaction
boosts the immune system and ability to fight disease
improves kids' behavior and learning at school and develops kindness and empathy
In addition to mindfulness, I encourage my clients to cultivate wellness from a perspective of wholeness which incorporates mind, body and spirit. Exercise, meditation and self care are integral parts of this approach.
Employing mindfulness techniques with talk therapy along with methods that include elements of art and music can be extremely beneficial by providing a powerful connection to our inner selves. Since much of change comes from within, I also offer these research-based, enjoyable techniques that tap into the unconscious and help clarify what may be going on, resulting in more rapid healing:
MARI, the Mandala Assessment Research Instrument MARI is a research-supported technique that brings the unconscious to the conscious based on Carl Jung's theories and his four aspects of consciousness: thinking, feeling, sensing and intuiting. Utilizing symbols and colors, MARI is a creative and enjoyable way to identify issues and goals as you create a preferred vision of your future. To learn more about this technique go to: http://www.maricreativeresources.com/MARI
Music and Guided Imagery Therapy Music can be used to access and explore, connecting conscious to unconscious. The capacity to heal ourselves is innate; music is a catalyst for change and functions as a co-therapist, leading to integration of body, mind and spirit. This kind of work has proven effective for anxiety, depression, and overall wellness. To learn more go to: http://www.ami-bonnymethod.org/faq.asp