Mindfulness is a practice rooted in Eastern traditions, but has rapidly extended to Western culture. Mindfulness is “a process that leads to a mental state characterized by nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment experience, including one’s sensations, thoughts, bodily states, consciousness, and the environment, while encouraging openness, curiosity, and acceptance” (Hofmann & Gomez, 2017, p. 741). Mindfulness principles have been integrated into many treatment techniques such as dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and biofeedback. Mindfulness strategies have been found to be helpful in treating anxiety and depression and are being rapidly adapted for the treatment of other mental health conditions and stress management (Hofmann & Gomez, 2017).
So how can you practice mindfulness in your day-to-day life to improve your quality of life and reduce your stress?
1. Try a meditation practice.
2. Download a mindfulness-based application for your smartphone such as Headspace. These apps can be very helpful in teaching you mindfulness in a way that fits your lifestyle.
3. Try to become more mindful throughout your day.
4. Talk with your current therapist or Mountainview Counseling about how to integrate mindfulness in your life.
References
Hofmann, S. G., & Gomez, A. F. (2017). Mindfulness-based interventions for anxiety and depression. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 40, 739-749. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.008