MINDFULNESS

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W HA T I S I T , A ND HO W W O UL D I T HE L P M E ?

Mindfulness is the practice of

maintaining a nonjudgmental

state of heightened or

complete awareness of one's

thoughts, emotions, or

experiences on a moment-to-

moment basis. Put simply,

mindfulness is putting yourself

into a heightened state of

awareness.

RECOGNITIONINSIGHTOPENNESS

W HA T I T I S

Practicing mindfulness can

help with

Stress reduction

Chronic pain

Anxiety

Depression

Sleep problems

HO W I S M I ND FUL NE S S HE L P FUL ?

RECOGNITIONINSIGHTOPENNESS

Research demonstrates that

mindfulness can

Improve our brain’s ability to

process information

Reduce brain-related

problems in old age

Strengthen our immune

system

Lift our mood and reduce

stress

HO W I S M I ND FUL NE S S HE L P FUL ?

RECOGNITIONINSIGHTOPENNESS

Learning to use mindfulness

techniques well takes practice.

Pick one of the sample

exercises below to try for 15

minutes a day. Consider

enlisting a friend to help you

with your commitment, or to

debrief with you about what

insights you gain. Think of it as

your “mental health hygiene.”

The more you put into it, the

more you’ll get out of it.

RECOGNITIONINSIGHTOPENNESS

HO W TO GE T THE R E

RECOGNIZE AND NAME YOUR CONCERNS

Recognizing and naming your concerns nonjudgmentally

can help you develop a clearer idea of what you want to

change in your life.

Think of an experience that causes or has caused you

internal pain.

Add words: “I am having the thought…” or “I am having

the feeling…” and complete the sentence.

Notice when your response to an experience causes you

to get “stuck.”

For example, “Every time I think about what she said in

front of everyone at lunch, I get so mad!”

TRY THIS…

RECOGNIZE AND NAME YOUR CONCERNS

Practice observing your thoughts and reactions without

judgment.

For example, “I felt really hurt when she said that about

me because I’m afraid my other friends will think poorly

of me. I really care a lot about what others think of me,

and I’m afraid I will lose friends.”

Consider a change-focused response:

“Yes, I’m concerned about what others think of me, but I

also believe my closest friends know me well enough to

know that what she said isn’t what I’m really like.”

TRY THIS…

Ignoring

Attacking

Leaving (running away)

Bottling up my feelings and pretending I’m fine

SAMPLE JOURNAL EXERCISE

W HA T HA V E I TRI E D I N HUR TFUL S I TUA TI O NS ?

Starting a discussion

Being able to move on

Being able to put the situation into perspective

Being able to think of a better approach

W HA T HA V E THE S E S TR A TE GI E S P R E V E NTE D M E FRO M D O I NG?

Instead of numbing your feelings with any of these methods, allow and experience your feelings. Replace drinking, drugs, eating or sleeping excessively with activities that are soothing or active.

Allow and experience the distressing feelings. Remember to reward your efforts by doing things that are active or soothing.

D I S T R A C T I O N A N D S U P P R E S S I O N

S I T U A T I O N A L A V O I D A N C E

A L C O H O L O R D R U G S , B I N G E E A T I N G ,

E X C E S S S L E E P I N G

Try to cope independently with your distress. Reward your efforts by doing things that are active or soothing.

R E A S S U R A N C E S E E K I N G O R C H E C K I N G

Gradually face distressing situations and stay in them until you have ridden through the distress. Reward yourself afterward with soothing or active things you enjoy.

COMMON ESCAPE METHODS

THE O P P O S I TE A C TI O N

H A R M F U L R E L E A S E S Self-soothe and be active in the moment, rather than harming yourself.

KNOWING YOUR IDENTITYW HO A M I ?As Christians, mindfulness can have a

spiritual focus, such as meditating on

Bible passages that reassure us of our

identity in Christ, God’s unconditional

love, mercy, grace, hope of salvation,

forgiveness of sin, and comfort.

Try using resources such as

biblegateway.com to find verses for

meditation and journal your thoughts.

WHO I AM IN CHRISTM Y I D E NTI TY I N C HR I S T(click for bookmark .pdf)

I am accepted.

I am secure.

I am significant.

“Understanding your identity in Christ is

absolutely essential for your success at

living a victorious Christian life!”

~Dr. Neil T. Anderson

YOUR VALUES COMPASSD E TE R M I NI NG D I R E C TI O NWhat do you find meaningful in life?

What do you care about? What’s

important to you? Knowing your values

can give you direction in life.

Rate each value listed here for how

important it is for you, from “0” for

unimportant to “10” for very important.

YOUR VALUES COMPASSJO UR NA L E XE R C I S EWrite your thoughts:

How does avoiding unpleasant internal

experiences affect your quality of life?

If you wait for unpleasant internal experi-

ences to go away, what are you giving up?

What would happen if, instead, you began

living your life to the fullest and openly

accept your experiences?

Even though you may have what feels

like thousands of thoughts running

through your mind and you don’t feel as

if you are relaxing, you will likely notice at

least some level of relaxation when you

finish. As you practice various

mindfulness exercises, this relaxation will

increase.

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

TI P S FO R M I ND FUL NE S S

Sometimes old or hidden pain can arise

during mindfulness exercises. If you find

that you are suddenly angry, frightened,

depressed, etc., and you feel safe, gently

allow yourself to experience the

sensation without forcing yourself to try

to understand it. If you feel the need, talk

to someone about your experience (i.e.,

friend, family member, therapist, etc.).

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

TI P S FO R M I ND FUL NE S S

You may have heard about “perfect”

conditions for mindfulness exercises (i.e.,

only in a quiet place, using certain body

positions, only two hours after you’ve

eaten, etc.). Don’t let conditions stop you.

If you find whatever is distracting you

particularly bothersome (i.e., rumbling

stomach, noises outside), try to

incorporate it into your exercise.

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

TI P S FO R M I ND FUL NE S S

Check out the handouts and videos

available on the Counseling Center’s

website.

Breathing exercises

Sleep hygiene

Meditation

Relaxation exercises

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

HA ND O UTS A ND V I D E O S

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