Saturday, November 1, 2014

Meditation and Mindfulness for Mental Health


Meditation and Mindfulness are practices that are highly recommended for anyone struggling with anxiety or depression symptoms. The depression you may feel can come from past trauma, a symptom of bipolar disorder, and/or a range of other issues. Meditation gets your mind focused on the here and now; if you are depressed, chances are you are too focused on the past, and if you are anxious, chances are you are focused on future worries. Allow even 30 minutes in your day to clear your mind of these issues and you will see your stress - and therefore anxiety and depression symptoms - alleviate over time.

Some good tips for beginners:

  • make sure you provide a space for yourself that is devoid of stimulants - low lighting, a low traffic area in your home, no TV or other devices present
  • turn your phone on silent 
  • make it a priority - use a daily reminder on your phone, choose an activity to link your meditation time to so that it can become a habit (immediately after dinner, before watching TV, immediately before or following a shower, etc)
  • start with "guided meditations" which you can search on YouTube and other search engine sites - or - use a search engine to find "meditation exercises," "3-minute breathing exercises," etc
- written by Nakya Reeves, LMFT. I am a therapist and owner of a private practice where my main focus is working with families on communication issues, especially the parent-teen relationship. I also utilize PhotoTherapy techniques in my practice, which integrates bringing in photos that the client has taken or collected as a part of the therapy process. I can be contacted any time at csolutionstherapy@gmail.com

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