[Joye Jewell-Hill]

1. Urge Surfing Exercise: My inclination when performing this exercise is to rearrange the body to avoid discomfort. I experienced difficulty in wanting to reduce discomfort immediately. I noted that I was initially feeling restless, irritable, annoyed, impatient with myself during the exercise. Slowly, I noted that I was able to sit still for longer periods and experienced less judgment about whether the urge I was experiencing was positive or negative. The exercise requires daily practice in order for it to be effective in controlling urge sensations. It would be a beneficial exercise to introduce to clients who are dealing with substance use disorder behaviors. It is practical and portable for clients to practice independently.
2. Guided Loving Kindness meditation: I chose this mindfulness practice in honor of Valentines Day. I wanted to send a positive message from the heart to a loved one, an acquaintance, a stranger and to all beings throughout the world. I had the most difficult time sending this message to myself. It was much easier to sit calmly and send a positive message to others than self. I realized in the attempts to perform this activity that I am able to convey compassion and connection with others before doing it successfully for myself. This activity would be helpful in encouraging clients to relay a sense of connection and compassion with others outside of themselves. This may be especially helpful with clients involved with 12 Step programs who are making greater efforts to connect with others and make amends for past behavior.
3.I have appreciated the opportunity to review a variety of exercises and techniques in the practice of mindfulness. It has been a good overview regarding I am also appreciative that mindfulness requires a change in lifestyle and providing self with opportunities to practice mindfulness behaviors on a daily basis. I am also appreciative of the opportunity to spend time with clients and review some of these philosophies and techniques to encourage and improvement in the client’s mental, physical and spiritual health.

[Joye Jewell-Hill]

1. I was able to perform this meditation activity without the use of the guided video. I tried the guided video and experienced distraction. Once I settled into the activity, I experienced a feeling of relaxation and comfort. The activity was helpful in helping me to acknowledge and accept my feelings at the moment.
2. I enjoyed this activity and experienced an overall feeling of relaxation. The repetition of the phrase was easy to perform. The exercise is portable and easy to practice on a regular basis. I appreciated the intent of the exercise to acknowledge self acceptance in the here and now. I would utilize this exercise again.
3. I think that both exercises could be beneficial in my clinical work with clients. Each activity may need to to shortened in duration in order to accommodate the client that may not be able to sit quietly for a 10-20min period. The soft belly meditation may be easier for a client to grasp and trial for a shorter duration and gradually increase the time frame. The mindful acceptance exercise would be helpful for clients struggling with issues related to shame and guilt associated with substance use.

[Joye Jewell-Hill]

1. Question 1: I enjoyed the opportunity to be able to lay down during day time hours and give myself permission to relax my body and meditate. I have noted that providing time and space in order to perform meditation activities requires giving myself permission and encouraging myself to put this activity on the top of the to do list. I utilized the online resources to guide the meditation. I found this to be helpful and worked better than relying upon myself to perform the exercise independently. Once I had settled down I was able to perform the meditation activity in it’s entirety. I noted that I was experiencing tension in my cervical spine, shoulders, hands and feet. As the meditation activity continued, I was gradually able to relax each area of tension for a short amount of time. I found this exercise required more practice and opportunity to set aside time on a daily basis to provide benefit.
2. Question 2: I chose a oval shaped painted rock for this activity. I found this exercise easier to engage with and complete. I was able to utilize the online resource to help with the exercise and it was beneficial. I was able to repeat the activity the following day and experienced a feeling of calm and peace. I found this exercise was especially beneficial on a busy day. It was helpful to give myself permission to sit in a quiet space with the painted rock for 5mins and relax. The rest of the workday proceeded with less feelings of tension, irritability and feeling overwelmed by multiple work demands.
3. The Lying Down/Body Scan mediation could be practiced in a session in person or online. The written information and script could be sent to the client or given to the client in person so that the resource is available for review and the ability to complete independently. The online audio resources link could also be shared with the client. The focusing on a single object exercise would be easier to teach and the client could practice and utilize the activity in a variety of settings. The activity does not require any special tools or monetary investment.

[Joye Jewell-Hill]

1. I noticed that I was better able to perform the Breath Counting Meditation with my eyes closed. I also noted I was made aware of the lighting in the room, temperature in the room and ambient sounds in the room. I experienced an increase in temperature of my body during the medication exercise. I experienced an feeling of annoyance, irritability with ambient noise in the room and outside the room. I also experienced feelings of pain in my feet bilaterally, between my shoulder blades, and need to adjust my postures several times during the exercise.
I enjoyed the Breath Counting meditation including the ability to count breathes and was able to complete the activity from 1-10 and repeat the exercise.
I was able to proceed to activities during the remainder of the day with an improvement in mental clarity, focus and motivation.
2.I was able to set still and attend to the activity. I was able to quiet my mind and focus my gaze with softened eyes.
This activity requires mental discipline to make time on a daily basis and practice the meditation. It needs to be a priority in my daily routine.
3. Similarities: Both types of meditation require mental & physical participation. Both require a statement of intention prior to the meditation. Both require frequent practice.
Differences: In my experience, the Breath Counting Meditation was more engaging. It required a longer period of time to perform the meditation. I experienced an immediate reward after the meditation of improved mental clarity, physical energy and motivation. This feedback encouraged me to perform the meditation again the next day with the intention of developing the habit of meditating on a daily basis.
Experience for Clients with Substance Related & Co-Occurring Conditions: I would recommend these meditation practices for this population of clients. The medication tools are easy to access, inexpensive, portable, no financial investment, can be used in a variety of settings. The experience of mediation can provide improvement in mental clarity, physical energy, motivation and potentially reduce cravings.

[Joye Jewell-Hill]

Hello Everyone, My name is Joye Jewell-Hill, PMH-NP. I have been working with the Integrated Behavioral Health outpatient program via Acadia Hospital. I am providing medication management services to a variety of clients via telehealth services and in person. I am looking forward to learning more regarding practicing mindfulness activities to provide balance and harmony within myself and provide guidance to enhance the well being of the client population I am working with.

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