Mindfulness Tools
Learn to calm your mind
Mindfulness Tools
"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." - Buddhist proverb
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How can mindfulness help me?
Mindfulness can help you increase your peace of mind and live more meaningfully in the present. Our goal is for you to have tools that you can use to alleviate stress at any time on your own, starting today. So many of us miss the life that is unfolding right now because we are caught up in the whirlwind of our own thoughts and the frantic world around us. Living in the present can reduce stress and anxiety by calming the mind, as well as add a sense of meaning and purpose to the life we are creating... right here, right now.
Normally, we operate in a state of mindlessness, rather than mindfulness. We simply follow our thoughts wherever they go and mindlessly react to our own thoughts and feelings. We may get lost in thinking about past hurts or upsetting events, worries about the future, “What ifs?”, thoughts of how things “should” be, or simply lost in our To-Do lists and everything we feel we need to get done right now. Because of this, our lives can become an endless stream of stressful thoughts and our knee-jerk reaction to those thoughts. We miss the meaning in our lives that is unfolding all around us. We often let our own lives pass us by, maybe believing “I’ll be happy when…” We may strive toward some magical point in the future where we will be able to relax and enjoy ourselves. Yet, somehow that time never seems to come.
Mindfulness is about living your life is right now. Rather than letting it pass by in a blur, you can stop and engage in the meaning that is present today. The goal is to stop reacting mindlessly to your own thoughts and feelings, and to choose meaningful behavior instead. Choosing a meaningful intention or behavior is difficult to do when you are angry, anxious, upset, or lost in thoughts. So, when you are upset, the goal is stop, slow down and take a pause. In the pause, you allow your thoughts to slow down, you allow your emotions to settle, and you connect to the present and what is meaningful to you. Then you can choose to proceed with intention and meaningful action. Mindfulness practice has been shown in research to reduce stress and anxiety, and to rewire your brain to change the way you think. You can learn to calm your mind and take back your life. Learn more about the path to peace of mind using mindfulness and EMDR.
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What is your background in mindfulness?
Tired of feeling anxious myself, I started going to Buddhist meditation classes. I spent years practicing meditation and other stress reduction techniques, learning to calm my mind and allow space for a happier, more peaceful, and more meaningful life. Trainings on stress alleviation that I have completed include: "Mindfulness and the Gateways to Refuge: Finding the True Self," "Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A New Approach to Treating Distressing Emotions," "Shifting Focus Through Mindfulness," and "The Neurobiology of Mindfulness: How Being Present Can Change the Brain." I have since trained other therapists to use stress alleviation and mindfulness meditation techniques, and I conduct free workshops for the public or workplaces on using mindfulness tools to alleviate stress. I'm a featured meditation teacher on the free app Insight Timer. I also have training in traditional therapy techniques such as humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, and solution-focused. Techniques used in session might include breathing techniques, relaxation exercises, guided meditation or visualizations, stress management tools, focusing on sensations in the body when uncomfortable feelings or thoughts arise, learning to observe thoughts as separate from a sense of self, and connecting to important values. You will never be asked to do something beyond your comfort level. The goal is to give you tools to choose from to alleviate your anxiety and calm your mind.
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