Let’s face it. Life is not easy. In fact, at times life can be unbearable. Most of us at some point in our lives, will encounter such great pain that we wonder whether or not we can go on living. We lose our jobs; we lose people we love; we say the wrong things; we break bones; we get diseases; we hurt people; we hurt ourselves; we have addictions; we struggle to be parents; we think someone else’s life is better than our own; we hold our feelings in; we explode; we feel anger, resentment, jealousy, and injustice. We are both good and bad. We are human, and we are all perfectly imperfect. Pain is part of the human condition. It’s impossible to escape, and it’s also the time we need help the most.
Mindfulness-based psychotherapy involves teaching clients specific mindfulness skills, such as breath awareness, mindful eating, and other ways of maintaining attention. These techniques allow us to observe our reality without judgment. This method of psychotherapy can be incredibly beneficial to those suffering with anxiety, depression, trauma, physical pain, and addiction.
Mindfulness has been practiced for over 2,500 years, mainly in the form of mindfulness meditation, in order to alleviate human suffering. Mindful awareness allows us to see that most of our thinking is conditioned through experience and not necessarily objectively true. It teaches us that pleasant and unpleasant thoughts will continue to occur throughout our lifetime, whether we like it or not. However, through mindfulness we also discover that all thoughts (good and bad) are temporary, and all of them are illusions. Mindfulness-based psychotherapy reminds us that it is important to become less identified with our thoughts as we begin to notice events with acceptance.
Our minds can tell us many things. Some thoughts can be beneficial and other thoughts can be very harmful. In the end, all of it is an illusion, created from the interpretations we have gathered from our own life experiences.
Mindfulness-based psychotherapy can help you begin to see what’s real and what’s simply the movement of the mind. You will learn mindful techniques that will allow you to notice the effect certain feelings have on you, which will in turn give you the choice of reaction. Together we will work through your negative thought loops and unhealthy emotional patterns in order to discover a truth about yourself and the world that is waiting to be seen! Contact me today to schedule an appointment in my Longmont, CO, office.
