TYPICAL MINDFULNESS PROCESSES

INCLUDE: •1. Directing attention to an attentional anchor

•breath

•sensation

•a feeling

•2. Repeatedly re-direct attention back to the anchor

•the mind will naturally drift off to thoughts, memories, feelings, or images

•3. The goal is to create a more clear awareness of the moment to moment processing and to experience it with kind curiosity

•Increases clarity and stability of attention and leads to reduced reactivity in the body

•Breaks the habit of a think-feel-act pattern and of judging and evaluating thoughts

•Mindfulness is defined as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment to moment (Kabat-Zinn, 2003 p. 144)

•Also defined as “an approach to increase awareness of and skillfully respond to the mental processes that contribute to emotional distress and maladaptive behaviour (Bishop et al., 2004)

Mindfulness Defined

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”

― Amit Ray

MINDFULNESS: A SCHOOL’S GUIDE

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“Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant

without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).”

– James Baraz”

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”

― Thích Nhất Hạnh

• • •

COMMON REACTIONS TO MINDFULNESS

•I’m not doing it right

•I can’t shut my mind off

•I would do it but….I don’t have time, my house isn’t quiet enough

•This makes me more anxious!

•It’s so boring.

•What’s the point? I still feel the same.

•It’s great! I think I fell asleep.

MINDFULNESS SUCCESSES (Shapiro & Carolson, 2009)

•Success has been found in many populations, including

•Healthy adults

•Those with cancer

•Fibromyalgia

•Psoriasis

•Chronic pain

•Anxiety disorders

•Depression

•Stress and Chronic Pain

•Anxiety

•Eating disorders

•Depression

•Addictions

•BPD clients

MINDFULNESS BENEFITS

(Ruff & Mackenzie, 2009)

•improves health and well-being by

•enhancing neuroendocrine and immune system function

•improving adherence to medical treatments

•reducing need for medication

•altering perceptions of pain

•increasing motivation to make life changes

•enhancing social connection and

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Mindfulness Intentional Attitudes

non-judging both self and other patience

beginner’s mind

trust

non-striving

acceptance

letting go

“BE HAPPY IN THE MOMENT, THAT'S ENOUGH. EACH MOMENT IS ALL WE NEED, NOT MORE.”

― MOTHER TERESA

“Restore your attention or bring it to a new level by dramatically slowing down whatever you're doing.”

― Sharon Salzberg,

“Don’t let a day go by without asking who you are…each time you let a new

ingredient to enter your awareness.” ― Deepak Chopra

!• • •

MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOLS Provides a tool for teachers to lower personal stress levels and for students to gain EF, attention, regulation skills, and brain functions (Tang et al., 2007)

Three basic teaching approaches (Meiklejohn et al., 2012)

direct - programs that teach students mindfulness exercises and skills. A tool box approach

indirect - when the teacher has a personal mindfulness practice and allows those behaviors to enter the classroom. Mindfulness is an experiential process and successful integration o fosters:

•listening more deeply

•developing emotional awareness

•empathy

•compassion

combination

Intensive - Most comprehensive benefits of mindfulness are experienced when there is a felt sense in the classroom embodied by the classroom teacher

MINDFULNESS FOR TEACHERS

Teachers are the professional collective most affected by psychological problems (Franco, Manas, Cangas, Moreno, Gollego, 2010)

There has been a significant increase in psychological distress in teachers (Fueguel & Montoliu, 2005) including

High levels of anxiety, depression, and low self esteem (Franco, Manas, Cangas, Moreno, Gollego, 2010)

Distress levels may be negatively impacting teachers’ job performance (Matud, Garcia, & Matud, 2002)

Teacher training does not include psychological preparation or self-awareness tools (Anadon, 2005)

MINDFULNESS FOR COUNSELLORS

Mental health practitioners suffer from both emotional exhaustion as well as the same organizational sources of stress that teachers do (Moore & Cooper, 1996)

“When you reach a calm and quiet meditative state, that is when you can hear the sound of silence.”

― Stephen Richards

Notable Mindfulness Studies

Dr.Greeson http://sites.duke.edu/greesonlab/publications/ !K e l l e y M c C a b e R u f f & Dr.Mackenzie http:/ /www.uphs.upenn.edu/p a s t o r a l / e v e n t s /mackenzie_mccabe_explore_2009.pdf !John Meiklejohn et. al. h t t p : / /www.mindfulnessinstitute.ca/P o r t a l s / 1 5 / p d f /Integrating_Mindfulness_Training_Into_K-12_Education.pdf !Holzel et al. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004979/ !Chan et al. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18096360! Luders et al. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184843/

SUGGESTED APPS & PODCASTS 1) Booster buddy - stress assessment and

mindfulness http://www.viha.ca/cyf_mental_health/boosterbuddy

2) Mindshift - AnxietyBC app http://www.anxietybc.com/mobile-app

3) The Mindfulness App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-mindfulness-app/id417071430?mt=8

4) Simply Being https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/simply-being-guided-meditation/id347418999?mt=8

!“Inner Peace can be seen as the ultimate benefit of practicing patience.” ― Allan Lokos