Whether the approach is highly structured or not, and whether the practices are formal or informal, bringing mindfulness into helping roles has several general principles. This article explores these, along with some of the benefits, limitations and contraindications of mindfulness practices.
Mindfulness
Take the Mindful Path to Self-Care
Imagine a self-care strategy which relies solely on you. It can be done in a quiet space or on-the-go; it can take place individually or with like-minded others; and it can be flexible to your needs and circumstances. Furthermore, in a time when uncertainty never feels too far away, it is unlikely to become a casualty of lockdown or physical distancing. Within a working context, if utilised properly, this self-care strategy can enable you to become a better helping professional, as well as inform and improve upon your interactions and practices with clients. Welcome to the world of mindfulness.
- February 3, 2021
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- Personal Effectiveness, Stress Management, Wellness
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Living a Mindful Life: Mindfulness Program
For quite some time now, many of our readers and students have wanted a Mindfulness program that not only teaches them about Mindfulness, but progressively helps them integrate Mindfulness into their lives for enhanced wellbeing. Well, we listened, and now we’re delivering! The resultant program is Living a Mindful Life. Living a Mindful Life This was […]
- March 11, 2020
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- Personal Effectiveness, Stress Management, Wellness
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The Serve and Limit of Social Comparison
Maggie, a counsellor, saw a client in the morning who related how his doctor had just given him a diagnosis of cancer, necessitating cutting out some cancerous tissue. Her client, Arnold, was dismayed about the diagnosis. “But at least,” he confided to Maggie, “I don’t have to have that horrible colostomy bag like some people […]
- August 24, 2018
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- Spirituality & Religion, Stress Management, Technology & Social Media, Wellness
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Helping Clients Handle Rejection
There are no two ways about it: rejection is a universal experience and we will all face it multiple times over the course of our lives. But it still hurts! So what might it be helpful to keep in mind when you face that poor client that has been rejected (perhaps again)? This article offers […]
- April 9, 2018
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- Counselling Therapies, Loss & Grief, Relationship & Families
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How to Close the Chronic Pain Pathway
We’would like to introduce you to two people; in fact, more than introduce you. For the next several minutes, we’would like you to become these people. The first is a chronic pain patient, and the second is the family member caring for that patient. The patient We’ll call you Chris. You are of working age […]
- July 22, 2015
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- Ageing Issues, Disability Issues, Wellness
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Mindfulness Practice: Problems and Solutions
Although only recently embraced by Western psychology, mindfulness practices and techniques have been part of many Eastern philosophies, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Tai Chi, Hinduism, and most martial arts, for thousands of years. The various definitions of it revolve around bringing non-judgmental consciousness to the present experience, so it can be considered the art of […]
- July 7, 2014
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- Counselling Therapies, Spirituality & Religion, Wellness
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Mindfulness Techniques: Defusion Exercises
Mindfulness (learn more about mindfulness here) interventions have been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of psychological and physical conditions such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain, personality disorders, and addictions. Controlled trials of normal populations have also demonstrated positive changes in brain function and immune response, self-awareness, perceived stress, and increase in self-compassion […]
- June 24, 2014
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- Clinical Mental Health, Counselling Theory & Process, Creativity in Counselling, Wellness
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Book Review: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Wellness and Recovery
Bein, A. (2014). Dialectical behaviour therapy for wellness and recovery. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a form of cognitive behaviour therapy. Developed by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan in the late 1980s, the approach emphasises the psychosocial elements of treatment. Dialectical behavior therapy for wellness and recovery by Andrew Bein presents […]
- May 14, 2014
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- Book Reviews, Counselling Therapies, Diagnosis & Treatment
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Book Review: Acceptance and Mindfulness Treatments for Children and Adolescents
Greco, L.A., and Hayes, S.C. (2008). Acceptance and Mindfulness Treatments for Children and Adolescents. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications. Acceptance and mindfulness based treatments are identified within the field of third-generation behaviour therapies. These approaches seek to move beyond traditional behavioural and cognitive concepts to acknowledge contextual aspects. Acceptance and Mindfulness Treatments for Children and […]
- December 25, 2013
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- Book Reviews, Children & Adolescents, Counselling Therapies
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ACT: Definitions, Goals and Underlying Philosophy
Acceptance and commitment therapy (usually pronounced as the word “act” rather than the initials “A-C-T”) is a form of clinical behavioural analysis developed in 1986 by psychologists Steven Hayes, Kelly Wilson, and Kirk Strosahl. Originally called comprehensive distancing, it gets its current name from one of its core messages: the injunction to accept what is […]
- October 11, 2013
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- Counselling Therapies, Stress Management
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