What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is defined as ‘a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.’
So what does all that mean?
Mindfulness involves taking some time in your day to sit with your thoughts and feelings. To be aware of how you feel in the moment, sometimes this will be calm and it can be easy to pay attention to your current states. At other times it can seem difficult to put your mind ‘at ease.’ Mindfulness encourages you to accept the feelings, thoughts and physical sensations you have in every moment.
What will mindfulness do for me?
- Mindfulness has been shown to help with depression in individuals who have experienced recurring depression.
- Mindfulness encourages us to become aware of the thoughts and feelings we are having in each moment and to see how some thought patterns may be unhelpful.
- Understanding how we are feeling in the moment is helpful, if you can recognise the times that you become stressed or anxious, you may be able to deal with these feelings better
How can I be more mindful?
Have you tried it?
I have! I often use the mindfulness app ‘Headspace.’ It is available online and on a mobile application. I began with the meditations that take 3 minutes of the day and have built up my mindfulness practice from there. The app also offers individual mindfulness exercises for times when you may feel stressed about work or family life. Why not give it a go! You can also add me as your ‘buddy’ using my email address patriciabarbertherapy@gmail.com.
Dr Patricia Barber 
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