The Science Behind Mindfulness

Train the Mind. Change the Brain.

Only a few decades ago, scientists considered the brain to be fixed and unchangeable by the end of adolescence (mid-20's). Then came the notion of "neuroplasticity," or the capacity of the brain to change with new experiences throughout the life span.

Mindfulness practices are increasingly being utilized to cultivate attention in the here and now, providing a concrete path for neuroplasticity, or changes in the structures and function of the brain.  Meditation practices work to train your mind on what you are thinking and feeling in the moment, and result in changing the structures and functions of the brain, allowing you to respond more thoughtfullty, rather than react in patterned ways that make things worse.

Research findings support that a regular mindfulness meditation practice helps the brain switch more naturally from a fight or flight response (driven by the amydala and sympathetic nervous system) to a more balanced emotional response (by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system). In fact, research supports the fact that as little as two weeks of a regular meditation practice can produce measurable changes in the structures of the brain.

If you would like to learn more about the science behind mindfulness, take a look at these videos of researchers Dr. Richard Davidson and Dr. Sarah Lazar.  If they don't crack the skeptic in you, no one will! 

Meditation, Science & The Mind - Pt. 1 - Dr. Richard Davidson - Benefits of Meditation on the Brain.

Transform Your Mind, Change Your Brain

Dr. Sara Lazar: The Impact of Mindfulness Training on Brain Plasticity and Cognition

 

Mindfulness for Skeptics

Mindfulness is everywhere.  It refers to the skill of being able to notice what is going on in your mind and body, in the moment, without getting too caught up in it. The game changing proposition is that by practicing mindfulness, you may be able to respond to situations more calmly and with clarity, rather than reacting to situations in ways that make things worse. Think about it, if you don't get highjacked by the stories you tell yourself or by overwhelming emotions you feel, you may be less likely to lose your temper, and more likely to handle difficult situations with confidence and grace.  Another upside is that you will be more present and capable of enjoying life as it unfolds, moment by moment.

Mindfulness practices build emotional and social intelligence, mental assets that matter significantly in how one navigates life. But it's one of those practices that needs to be experienced to fully understand how it might impact your life.  

If there is a mindfulness skeptic in you, perhaps the raw science behind mindfulness will allow you to be more open to it.  More to come on that!

 

  

"Prioritize Your Needs"

Sometimes you can't decide how to approach a difficult exchange with your friend, colleague, parent, employee, teacher, relative, boss, or spouse.... Very often situations like this involve having to ask for something or say no to someone. Either way, it can be very tricky...

Pulling from my experience in facilitating Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills groups, consider taking a moment to prioritize your needs before you dig in to the challenge. Do you need to: 1. Get your objectives met?? 2. Maintain the relationship?  or 3. Maintain your self esteem?  How you prioritize your needs will often change the degree to which you ask for something, say no, or respond to the needs of others. Prioritizing your needs might even help you get your own objectives met more effectively.

Let me know how it worked for you!  Send me your story at rjs0825@gmail.com

 

PeRfECTly IMperfect

Good. Bad. Perfect. Imperfect. One doesn’t come without the other.  How often do your personal challenges or perceived imperfections get in the way of feeling good about yourself?  Have you ever considered the ways in which imperfections are actually necessary for feeling vital, alive, human, and connected to others?  It’s just a different way of looking at things, and looking at things differently can certainly start the process of feeling better overall.

Consider for a moment, the ways in which you may have grown stronger from having to study harder than others, pay closer attention to your health, budget your resources differently, or survive the chaos of everyday life because certain things didn’t go as planned. Imperfections allow reservoirs of courage to show up in both subtle and determined ways.  Perhaps looking at them differently will create space for change in ways that will allow you to celebrate the “perfectly imperfect” all of you.

Shame Thrives in Secrecy...

Brene' Brown, a best selling author, researcher, and social work professor at the University of Houston, states that shame needs three things to grow:  secrecy, silence, and judgment.  

Is there something about me, that if you knew, you wouldn't want to be my friend, colleague, or partner anymore?  Think about it....  People often tuck away shame to protect themselves from what they really fear..... disconnection. Individual therapy can offer a place to unravel the secrecy of shame in one's life, in a supportive and non-judgmental way.  It is a collaborative process that involves moving slowly, with openness and curiosity, and providing a safe space for one to explore feelings of vulnerability as they emerge.

As your therapist, I will be with you in this process. We will work together to disarm your shame stories and encourage your growth towards connection and a life that feels more vital and alive. For a confidential phone consultation, please contact me at 224-408-0115, or email me at: rjs0825@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you.

Rebecca Strauss, LCSW

Breathe.. Your mind and body will thank you!

Breathe.. Your mind and body will thank you!
There is such a thing as “breath rate,” and this refers to the number of breaths a person takes during a one-minute period.  Consciously slowing down the breath rate engages the relaxation response of our nervous system, leading to a sense of calm and a release of tension in the mind and body.

Give it a try! Next time you're feeling a bit stressed, perhaps a bit anxious… Pause.  Slowly breathe in through the nose for 5 seconds, 1-2-3-4-5, and slowly breathe out through the nose or mouth for 5 seconds, 1-2-3-4-5.  Repeat this conscious breathing exercise for 10 breath cycles.  

There now, don’t you feel better? 

 

Hijacked by Anxiety?? Try some of these techniques...

Anxiety...  Your heart is racing. Your palms are sweating. You can't think clearly. You feel everyone's eyes are on you. The butterflies in your stomach have teeth! You. Can't. Move.

These are just some of the descriptions of what it is like to be in the throws of anxiety.  Next time you feel like you are being hijacked by fearful thoughts and feelings, consider these suggestions:

1. S  l  o  w - d  o  w  n:  When we are anxious, everything seems to speed up, including our thoughts, our heart rate, and our breathing... At the first sign of things speeding up, see what you can do to slow things down...  Take 10 conscious breaths.. Inhale slowly for 5 seconds, 1-2-3-4-5, and exhale completely for 5 seconds, 1-2-3-4-5.  Give it a try right now....

2. Create a little distance between you and your anxiety:  If you think about it, when you're observing something else, there is a space between you and what you're observing, right? So observe where you are, right now (not where you think you are, but where you really are... walking to class, working at your desk, going down the aisles at the grocery store, etc). Observe, with words, what you are thinking or feeling. Notice what it feels like to separate yourself from your anxiety.. just for a moment.

3. Engage your senses:  Anxiety lives in your mind, but often presents itself in the body making it difficult to connect to where you are right now. Take a few moments to notice something from your sense of sight, sound, smell, taste, and/or touch.. Lie down and watch the passing clouds, listen to music, smell some oil of lavender, notice the sweetness of slowly eating a tangerine, or when available, squeeze some old fashioned silly putty.

4. Check the facts:  Anxiety feels very real yet often stems from fears about events that haven't happened yet, or ever. When you have anxious thoughts, ask yourself, "Are these thoughts really true? How do I know they are true?" Thoughts are just thoughts, nothing more, and your own gentle inquiry may help you manage anxiety in ways that feel genuinely helpful.

5. Channel it:  Not all anxiety it bad.. Just like other mental events, anxiety lies on the continuum from mildly uncomfortable to very debilitating. If the anxiety you are feeling is not too severe, you might want to channel it into something productive, like taking a walk, cleaning out a closet, creating a new playlist, or going to a yoga class.

Only two days in the year that nothing can be done...

“There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow. Today is the right day to Love, Believe, Do, and mostly, Live.”  ~Dalai Lama XIV

This moment is the right moment to do something. This moment is the right moment to love, believe, do, and mostly, live.  Mindfulness practices are one way to train the mind to pay attention to what’s happening today, right now, in this moment.  Perhaps even as you read this post, you may notice how easily your mind takes you somewhere else. Are you thinking about the past (something that has already happened), worrying about the future (something that hasn’t happened yet), or in constant evaluation of someone else (you’re in their space, not yours)?  Now bring yourself back, to where you are right now.  Welcome to mindfulness! Your mind takes you away, and you bring it back, again and again.