[dmcintyre]

Question 1
My physical experience was complete relaxation. Focusing on an impulse and not reacting took deep concentration, as I held myself back. At first this was not easy, as I have difficulty with shutting of my head. However, the better focused I became the easier it became. As that happened, I felt my body give into relaxation. I truly liked this exercise and if I could see improvement with a couple practices and I see this being quite beneficial with continuation. I plan to use this with my urge to eat junk food late at night to have understanding of how to change a negative habit, a small comparison to working with clients who have addiction, but a comparison none-the-less.

Question 2
I chose being mindful of emotions without judgment exercise, as I have worked in the past on myself in depth, not judging some of my emotions as a weakness (sadness/crying). I often work with clients who have similar judgments about emotions they feel and so was hoping for another tool for the toolbox. My physical experience was initially tightness when I thought about letting out sad emotions. As I went through the practice, I could feel my physical being let go of those negative thoughts and judgement, accepting the feeling for what it is and allowing my body to ‘feel’ the emotion. This was a nice release. I could certainly see this being effective in my work with many clients. I currently have a few that have goals of being more aware of their emotions and not being so critical of themselves. This practice would work nicely in helping them in their success.

Question 3
This learning environment was well thought out. I have enjoyed walking through the various components of mindfulness and have learned a great deal. It has not only helped me to increase my ability to help others with use of mindfulness tools, it has also helped me regain practice of mindfulness for myself. I plan to continue using many of these strategies to help stay focused and mindful of self and being in the moment. Incorporating these approaches into the work I do with being or have MH disorders and/or addictive use of substances will help bring their awareness to a new level and hopefully to recovery and maintenance for long-term. Thank you for this well-delivered course. I am truly glad I did this and hope to attend more trainings from you in the future.

[dmcintyre]

Question 1

This exercise was new for me. I have not done this type of meditation before and noticed I was, in the end, able to soften my belly and feel more relaxed. At the same time, I was fixated on my belly feeling soft, noticing the extra ‘fluff’ that I want to lose. I was able to bring my attention back to relaxing and on my breaths. To be honest, the smacking of the narrator’s lips and mouth distracted me. I tried closing my eyes and remaining focused on my breaths and not so much on the lips/mouth smacking. I then tried the exercise without the guide and did better focusing on relaxing my stomach. This is a mediation that will enhance acceptance of feelings and sensations after practice.

Question 2

I enjoyed this exercise and find it very useful when practicing person-centered work with clients. When focusing on the phrase “May I accept myself completely as I am right now” the feeling of acceptance was felt and brought better focus to ‘feeling the words’ while saying them. I would use the technique myself and on clients, evaluating the effectiveness through feedback from clients explaining their ability to be in the moment and over time, improve self-efficacy.

Question 3

I can envision adapting and integrating the Soft Belly Meditation an acceptance exercise into clinical work with clients, in particularly those with substance addictions. One client, in particularly is in early stages of recovery. She is learning to manage anxiety, while also dealing with life’s issues. These practices will help my client focus in on herself, reducing anxiety and learning how to be in the moment. Often, her anxiety is felt in her belly and if she can learn how to relax her body, especially her belly this will have a positive effect on her physical self.

[dmcintyre]

Question 1

I noticed my body began to relax as I did the scan. Tension in my shoulders was noticeable and I moved to the next area simply experiencing the tension. I liked this experience for myself as I found it relaxing and effective. It brought me in the present moment. I am not certain lying down would be something my clients would be willing to experience in the office, as the space is small. I would say; however, this would be effective if the atmosphere allowed for lying down and the person experiencing the body scan meditation felt comfortable doing so.

Question 2

This exercise was a great way to bring my attention into the moment. Focusing on a heart shaped rock as my visual aid. I noticed I would have to bring my attention back in as it drifted. This was done in a fluid manner, and not abrupt leaving me feeling calm when I transitioned back into the present moment. Feeling the rock allowed me to notice the sensation in my hand of the smoothness. I would use this technique for myself to be mindful, as well as using this in practice as I have many clients who would benefit from having a focal point. I believe this practice would strengthen their ability to focus attention.

Question 3

As I mentioned above, I believe this is an effective experience. However, the office space that I use would not comfortably allow for a client to lye on the floor. I would certainly teach them the strategy to try in their home environment. I would certainly use the single object experience with clients, especially those who have symptoms of PTSD and anxiety. This would help them to bring themselves into the present moment having focus on the hear-and-now.

[dmcintyre]

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Homework Questions
Question 1

During my experience of guided breathing, I noticed my body began to relax. My shoulders and hands were the last to release tension. My mind was not able to wonder as much as it typically does as I focused on counting and breathing in and out deeply. I used to be skeptical about meditation due to having a difficult time relaxing and have since realized that the more I practice the better I become.
Question 2

While the Basic Mindfulness Meditation brought my physical self into a relaxed state, I feel the counting in the first exercise helpful for myself to remain focused. My mind wondered a bit more, with paying attention to my physical self, however, I was able to refocus quickly and by the end that focus was entirely on my breath. I would say this technique is also effective and in time and with practice it would bring about heightened mindfulness.
Question 3

As noted in each answer 1 and 2, I was able to have better focus when counting as it kept my mind busy on one thing. I have practiced various forms in the past; unfortunately, I have not been consistent with practicing and why I did this course; to incorporate this in my daily life and then with work with clients. Both techniques were effective in their own ways, and I could see how I would need to help my clients find which technique best works for them.

[dmcintyre]

Hello! I am Debra McIntyre, PsyD, LCPCC, CADC. I am a full-time and part-time professor for college/university in Maine. I am also a clinical mental health therapist working part-time for a local agency. My specialty is working with adolescents and teens dealing with experiences of trauma. I am taking this online course for continuing education, as well as wanting to advance knowledge in mindfulness to better serve my clients.

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