Benefits of Mindfulness | Rowena Di Stefano

What people often ask me is “what are the main benefits of mindfulness and how would it change my life”? Here goes:

To recognise the importance of awareness in building a comfortable relationship with living in the present moment
Attention training: how to notice when your attention is flagging, to accept this without judgment, and to bring it back into focus.
Taking control of your mind and being in the driver’s seat, rather than the mind controlling you.
Responding with mindful thoughtfulness, rather than instantly reacting to situations that might upset or trigger you.
To help you engage with life more fully, with a sense of self compassion and gratitude.

But let’s not just stop there

One of the most important modern growth areas of this ancient practice is known as Cognitive Based therapy (CBT). It was created by psychiatrist Dr Aaron Beck as he was frustrated by psychoanalytical therapy.

He found the analytical approach, undertaken by patients, could lead to damaging and unnecessary suffering. In a CBT therapeutic relationship, patient and therapist work as a team to resolve programs with two-way feedback and participation.

Clients are trained to be given the skills they need to heal themselves on a daily basis by highlighting thoughts, physical health, behaviour, relationships and habits. And how they are interrelated.

CBT has been proven to be effective because of this focus. Its aim is to provide you with the tools to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) states that thoughts are not facts and you become the observer rather than the thought itself.

Clinical psychologists Segal, Teasdale and Williams created an 8-week MBCT program for this reason in 2002 as a preventive tool to stop patients relapse into their Depression and be overwhelmed by it. There are many benefits to MBCT, from reducing fatigue, to addiction and stress. Research by the Mental Health Foundation found that MBCT is more effective than antidepressants. That in itself is a reason to undertake this course.

It is important that teachers running this program have a practice of their own, qualified and up to date with research and evidence in the field. A beginning to that end, is to undertake this course.

References:

Collard, P. (2013) Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Dunkley, C and Stanton, M. (2017) Using Mindfulness Skills in Everyday Life. A Practical Guide. New York: Routledge.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2004). Wherever you go, there you are. London: Piatkus.

Segal, Z, Williams, M and Teasdale J. (2018) Mindfulness – Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression. (Second Edition) The Guilford Press.