Transcript MINDING THE BODY, MENDING THE MIND

Self-Care:
Using Mindfulness to
Manage Stress
2011 Multi-State Nutrition Education Conference
Charleston, WV May 16-19, 2011
Jane Riffe, Ed.D., LICSW, LPC
Specialist, Family & Human Development
Sources of Stress
Tough economic times
Family or health problems
Anger at life situation – “Why me?”
Persistent worries
Fear of bad things about to happen
What causes you stress?
Today you will:
Identify 3 benefits of Mindfulness Based
Stress Management.
Identify 3 personal “Stress Barometers.”
Experience and practice mindfulness
skills to help you feel better.
Create a self-care plan to reduce and
manage stress.
Mind & Body are One
Intricate “spider web” of mind-body
connections
Strong emotions create pathways to
the brain, connections between mood,
thoughts and body responses.
Pathways go in all directions.
Mindfulness is…
Paying attention
On purpose
In the present moment “Here & Now”
Nonjudgmental attitude
Jon Kabat-Zinn, (1994) Wherever You Go, There you Are.
Mindfulness Based
Stress Management
Refined by 30 years of medical and
psychological research.
Impressive results with anxiety,
depression, and chronic diseases
such as diabetes, hypertension and
heart disease.
www.clinical trials.gov
University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for
Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society
http://www.umassmed.edu/Content.aspx?id=41252
Non-judgment
The
of mindfulness
Paying attention to your experience in
a gentle, kind way.
Learning to view all your body, your
thoughts, and your feelings with
compassion and kindness.
Extending thoughts of compassion
toward others.
6 Core Mindfulness Skills
Skill #1: Mindful Breathing
Skill #2: Mindful Eating
Skill #3: Bringing Awareness to
Your Thoughts
Skill #4: Thought Surfing
Skill #5: Bringing Awareness to
Everyday Routines
Skill #6: Focus on What’s Funny
The foundation =
Paying Mindful Attention
How do YOU know….
When you are out of balance?
Personal Stress Barometers
can be a signal to be mindful
Body tension/pain
Feelings/moods
Thoughts
Behaviors
Skill #1
Mindful Breathing
What are YOUR cues?
“Body Barometers”
“Mind Monsters” (thinking patterns)
“
Cue to do”
-q 2 do
Mindful Breathing
Follow your breath in & out
Breathing Mindfully
What do you think are the benefits of
Mindful breathing?
Easy to notice
Always with us
Returns us to the present moment Stimulates the Relaxation Response
Relaxes the diaphragm
Reduces anxiety
Skill #2
Mindful Eating
A Taste of Mindfulness:
Eating One Raisin
Holding
Seeing
Touching
Smelling
Placing the raisin on your tongue
Tasting
Swallowing
Following
Shifting out of Autopilot
As you are eating:
1) Notice stress cues/body barometers
2) Shift and slow down into moment-tomoment awareness by practicing mindful
breathing.
3) Pay attention to sensation. This will help
you sense directly what foods are good for
your body.
Shift Focus
Out of thinking mind…
…into direct sense-based experience
Persistent dominance of Left Brain
Mindfulness opens us to more
resources.
Mindfulness can dramatically increase
stress resiliency.
Skill #3
Bringing awareness to
your thoughts
Mindfulness = Relaxed attention
Great news! We can re-wire our
brains towards greater health & happiness!
“The most powerful, and the most
controllable stressor in the world is
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.”
…the Human Mind.”
Source: Michael Matteson & John Ivancevich, Controlling Work Stress- Effective
Human Resource and Management Strategies.
Trying to Suppress & Control
Thoughts Doesn’t Work
Exercise: Don’t think about a pink elephant.
“What you Resist, Persists”
Attempting to control thoughts & feelings…
Works for temporary short-term relief.
Increases anxiety and/or anger.
Worsens memory for important life events.
Is hard work!
Results in poorer quality of life.
Stop the Tug of War with
Your Emotions
How do you respond to your cues?
 Struggle to control thoughts, feelings,
or body sensations?
 Get mad, feel sad?
 Get busy so as not to notice?
 Blame yourself for even thinking or
feeling that way?
 The solution (manage, control & avoid
feelings) becomes the problem!
What else can I do?
Choose to notice sensations
thoughts, or feelings.
Shift to gentle acceptance.
Practice daily tuning into mindful
awareness.
What else can I do?
Choose to notice sensations
thoughts, or feelings.
Shift to gentle acceptance.
Practice daily tuning into mindful
awareness.
Our Feelings
Negative feelings are unavoidable in
the face of life circumstances.
Anxiety and depression are common
and part of life’s experience.
It is impossible (and likely undesirable)
to maintain perfect control of one’s
emotions.
Feelings are a sign of weakness.
Be Kind to Your Mind
Unpleasant thoughts & feelings are
natural, normal experiences in the
flow of life.
Could it be possible to be open to life
experiences rather than fighting
them?
What you Can Do with
Upsetting Thoughts
Instead of this…
Do what your mind
says to do.
Struggle with
thoughts &
feelings, trying to
make them go
away.
Mindfully do this:
Observe what your
mind says without
further action.
Meet your thoughts
& feelings with
compassion.
Simply allow your
thoughts to be
there.
What you Can Do with
Upsetting Thoughts
Instead of this…
Blame and judge!
Put down yourself or
others for having
these thoughts and
feelings.
Distract yourself
with activity, stay
too busy, run from
the feelings.
Mindfully do this:
Practice patience
with yourself and
others.
Notice the feelings,
perhaps do nothing
unless action will
really help.
It’s possible to choose to…
“
struggling to feel and think better.
Instead, start living better with whatever
you might be thinking or feeling.”
Forsythe & Eibert (2007). The Mindfulness and Acceptance
Workbook for Anxiety. New Harbinger Press
Skill #4
“Thought surfing”
Learning to Surf
Notice your barometers: urge to act or
to move into self-blame.
Visualize this emotion as a wave, ride
that wave, surf it in your mind.
Like all waves, the feeling or thought
will peak and pass.
Be curious about the ride!
“It will Peak and Pass.”
Mindfulness in a nutshell
“You can’t stop the waves,
But you can learn to surf.”
Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn
When Mindfulness Works Best
When you have no control
Things I can control
vs.
Things I cannot control
“…Wisdom to know the difference.”
AA Serenity Prayer
Skill #5
Bringing awareness to
everyday routines
Choose to notice. Use a routine
activity as an opportunity to practice
mindful acceptance.
Shift to gentle noticing of self and
others.
Use your breath!
Practice daily tuning into mindful
awareness.
Remember – Refrain from
judging!
Pay attention to your experience in a gentle,
kind way.
Learn to view your sensations and thoughts
with compassion and kindness.
When you find yourself judging, simply
notice it gently by saying,
“Judging, judging”…
Choosing Happiness
Chance of feeling happy:
Happy friend – 9% increase
Extra $5000 – 2% increase
Your body and mind responds to:
 TV
 Music
 Films & books
Choose carefully!
Mindfulness Bell
Add a mindfulness bell to your
computer.
www.mindfulnessdc.org/mindfulclock.html
When it chimes, bring your attention to
the present moment and to your breath
moving in and out.
Skill #6
Focus on what’s funny
Physical benefits of a good laugh...
•Relaxes tense muscles
•Speeds up oxygen to our bodies
•Helps regulate the heart beat
•Increases endorphins/stimulates immune system
•Lowers blood pressure
•Lowers serum cortisol levels
Laughing is good for your heart. It has been
proven to increase blood flow by more than 20%
and the benefits of laughter last for up to 45
minutes.
Laughter Yoga
Emotional Benefits of Humor Therapy
•Effective in combating stress
•Provides moments of joy
•Gives you a different perspective on problems
•Making light of a situation reduces its threat
Humor Therapy
•Go to a funny movie.
•Laugh about life’s frustrations.
•Call a friend and laugh for a few minutes.
•Have a game night with friends.
•Force a laugh once in a while.
•Smile more often.
Other Self-Care Strategies
Take a walk most days.
Set boundaries.
Clarify your life priorities by writing a
“Personal Mission Statement”.
Choose healthy foods.
Journal thoughts & feelings.
Soothe yourself with art, music,
gardening, animal or human friends.
Your favorites?
Start Small with Changes
“If you always do what you have
always done, you will always get
what you have always gotten.”
One new thing you are motivated
to do based on today’s
information?
Self- Care Plan
Promises to yourself:
Written: What is one thing you WILL
do to deal with stress more
effectively?
Specific – will you know if you do it or
not?
• Timeline – how often or by when?
•
Public: Please tell your neighbor
now/family or friend later.
Mindfulness – Paying attention
“Mindfulness is not paying more
attention but
Paying attention differently and
more wisely - with the whole
mind and heart, using all the
senses of the body and mind.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn
Calm Mind, Calm Body
Questions, Comments?
Jon Kabat-Zinn MBSR video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSU8
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