Show, don’t tell.
It’s a common technique practiced by most successful teachers and writers – and one we practitioners use as well.
When it comes to helping patients zero in on what’s preventing them from truly healing, getting them to a place where they can see it (and even feel it) for themselves can sometimes have more impact than just talking about it.
Pat Ogden, PhD adapts mindfulness exercises for her patients to reveal the obstacles that might be slowing progress to healing. She describes one example in this short (3:02 min) video below.
Hearing about effective exercises like the one Pat details in the video can give us a great starting point for mapping out techniques to try in our own work.
Click here for more practical examples of how mindfulness can take us beyond conversation to transform the way we treat trauma.
Have you ever created a mindfulness exercise for any of your patients? Please tell us about it below.
Hello,
I am interested in watning to learn more on how to use mindfulness exercises and or approaches when working with my clients and thier families. This approach can be added to my autillory allowing me a better sense of understanding an individuals needs by looking at thier impulses. I often use alot of conversation and would look to try a different modality.
Dr. Ogden’s example of how the young lady was able to utilize a pillow to resemble her previous relationship and how she wasn’t ready to let go was a wonderful illustration.
If there are any classes are seminars/trainings on the “Power of Mindfulness” I would love to be informed and allow myself an opportunity to grow, learn and teach my clients.
Respectfully,
Edwin Melendez, M.Ed, CAGS
Home Based Clinician
Mostly my realizations come from my non-bipolar meds that earbeacxte my bipolar symptoms of hypomania or depression. I’ll take a nasal spray for allergies as an example then 4 hours later I’m bouncing off the walls feeling hypomanic and will go aha! It’s the allergy spray. Things like that.I find that as I age, I’ll be fifty this July, I am gaining aha wisdom type moments. I don’t think they’re related to bipolar per se but life experience.
Let me pose a question about C-PTSD or PTSD since these memories are stored differently, in the amygdala, not accessible consciously, words, thought and emotions do. Ot reach our trauma.
Mindfulness creates a vehicle to access the amygdala and integrate its contents slowly. Cognitive dissection creates more trauma. CBT has been replaced by a myriad of therapies because it failed with trauma.
You heal not engaging, not entertaining thoughts or emotions of trauma. Finding a way belOw the ego,p accesses a direct link for healing. This side of the mind does not have decisions, judgments, or even words. There is no right or wrong, good or bad, like our perfect self.
Enabling a client the ability to focus on the breath and let go of the fear and storyline heals more than years of therapy. This tool enables you professionals to impact the life of your clients in a quick positive way.
All that is needed is direction by you pros for clients to improve quickly. it is a marriage of neuroscience and a 2600 old practice of Buddhism in part.
Please think about exposing your client to this practice first visit. Create homework and a desire for us to take action. I am a firm believerI in action, mental and physical for trauma anxiety or depression.
Healing happens for the most part in our own daily practice with direction from you ladies and men. So much opportunity is in your hands at this moment in time.
may I also say that physical action, aerobic exercise. O matter what shape we are in has ogre at inspiration for the mind. the mind/body is all important. aerobic exercise depletes cortisol las does the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system via mindfulness.
Itt is harder to heal filled with cortisol. Stabilize the nervous system and integrate the rest reinforced by exercise.
Happy healing.
I have a model that is the simplest way to focus on the breath. It brings two more lenses to the practice and eliminates much of the thoughts. thanks for the platform.
Hi Christine,
Please tell me about your health retreat in Colorado. I’m curious.
Suzy
I so appreciate your website and mindful ideas. As a Trager practitioner, I invite my clients to become aware of their thoughts through gentle movement and “what would it feel like if” suggestions that explore habit patterns that bring about change. Noticing breath and where it gets “stuck” is another way to explore held feelings in the body. There are many ways “in.” I love my work which informs my client in a mind-body-spirt way and gives them life tools to take away. Of course using these tools daily helps to keep the newness open and clear.
Thank you for all the wonderful work you do and am looking forward to the broadcast.
Looking forward to the broadcast.
Superior thinking detrmsnoated above. Thanks!