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1. Initially I found the Urge Surfing exercise very challenging. My thoughts were very “jumpy” and my breathing felt unnatural and out of sync. I also felt restless and kept flip flopping between paying attention to my belly and the tip of my nose. Not relaxing at all! However, I stuck with it and noticed that I felt myself physically settle down and my muscles slowly started to relax. Picturing my urges as waves really worked well for me. Perhaps it had something to do with the predictability of the wave action and its natural rhythm. As I continued the exercise, I noticed that the impulse felt increasingly distant, and it was easier to let go of it. Physically I noticed a more consistent relaxed state the longer I practiced the urge surfing. Working with clients, I think the value of this exercise would include cultivating increased awareness of cravings/ impulses and possibly beginning to help clients feel a sense of empowerment when faced with urges.
2. I chose the Thought Diffusion exercise. I love nature and find being in nature very grounding and soothing so the picturing thoughts as leaves floating on a stream was instantly appealing to me. I found I was able to relax quite quickly during this exercise and noticed tension releasing and my heartrate slowing. The frequency of my thoughts also slowed as the exercise progressed. I found it quite easy to bring my attention and my “mind’s eye” to each individual leaf and really noticed a sense of separation from my thoughts. If clients are willing this seems a great exercise to introduce the concept of thoughts being separate from us and coming and going. So many clients are held hostage by their thoughts and feel ruled by them. This exercise would hopefully begin to cultivate a neutral detachment.
3. I have really enjoyed learning and practicing so many different kinds of mindfulness exercises. My varied experiences have really highlighted for me that experimenting to find what works best for each person is really important. Many of my clients are resistant to trying mindfulness and/or quickly tell me that they tried “it” and it doesn’t work. This course has helped me to rethink how I present mindfulness as an option, describe its purpose, and has given me a number of different options for tailoring my approach to each client’s needs. When all is said and done, helping clients to find an exercise that helps them notice and detach from negative thoughts is essential for reducing discomfort and encouraging behavior change.1. My experience with Soft Belly Meditation was very relaxing. At first, I noticed areas of tension in my body (i.e. shoulders, belly, face). As I practiced the meditation, I could feel my muscles slowly relax and my heartbeat slow. I was surprised by how effective this meditation was in helping with relaxation and how little time it took. I tried focusing on my breathing and then tried focusing on repeating the words “slow” and “belly.” For me, using the words was more comfortable and made it easier for me to let thoughts go as I focused on being in the present moment.
2. My physical experience of the Acceptance exercise was not that dissimilar from that of the Soft Belly Meditation. While my focus was not on my belly, I experienced a warmth and overall relaxation. I became aware of tension as it slowly released and allowed muscles to relax, particularly in my shoulders and face. I found focusing on the self-acceptance phrase comforting and helpful in cultivating a sense of compassion toward myself. I really enjoyed this particular exercise, and found it very helpful in beginning to practice acceptance of self in the present moment.
3. I see many possibilities for incorporating the self-acceptance exercise into clinical practice with willing clients. It never ceases to amaze me how harsh clients are with themselves and how much their self-critical monologue negatively affects them. This exercise may provide clients a way to begin softening towards themselves, directing their focus to acceptance and away from perceived faults. Many anxious clients report shallow, dysregulated breathing. The Soft Belly Meditation may offer a great way for clients to learn a different way of breathing that increases oxygen flow and relaxation.1. I used the guided audio to practice this meditation. My initial observation was that I had difficulty focusing my attention on a specific area in my body and noticed feelings in multiple areas at the same time (i.e. pulsing, tension, heaviness, tingling). The audio helped me bring my attention back to one specific area, but it required some effort. As the meditation progressed, I felt it was easier to isolate specific areas of my body and focus my attention solely on that area. I also noticed that I struggled with simply accepting rather than changing/ fixing the experience. Specifically, my lower back started to hurt and I wanted to adjust my position rather than just “notice” the discomfort.
2. I found the exercise of focusing on an object both visually and using sense of touch to be grounding. My mind wandered occasionally, but I found it fairly easy to return my attention to the object in front of me. Focusing on one object in this way became easier as time progressed. I can see this as a powerful technique for cultivating being in the present moment.
3. I can see using both of these exercises in clinical practice. The body scan meditation seems appropriate and useful for clients who are willing to try noticing sensations in their bodies. The benefit potentially is improved emotional regulation and stress reduction. I have had clients who tell me it’s triggering to focus on body sensation and that it causes them increased anxiety. For those folks, the focusing on an object exercise may be less intimidating yet help to cultivate awareness of the present moment and to reduce stress.1. During the Breath Counting Meditation, I became more aware of my heartbeat, a general “heaviness” in my body, and the slow release of muscle tension. The overall physical experience was very relaxing and left me feeling sleepy. My mind most definitely wandered, but I found focusing on counting very helpful and it allowed me to easily return my attention to the meditation. Something about giving my mind a job, and a concrete one at that, seemed to work well for me. All in all, I found this type of meditation quite effective at calming my mind and soothing my body.
2. I tried the Basic Mindfulness Meditation on a different day so that may have impacted my experience somewhat. Maybe I started off more distracted and restless? Physically, I initially found it calming to focus on my breathing, but then I started to feel like my breathing was out of its normal rhythm, and then I started thinking about that…and well, then my mind was off and wandering. I tried repeatedly to refocus my mind on my breathing not my thoughts, but it felt like a job, and it was not relaxing. This meditation was very effective at highlighting just how chaotic and distracted my thinking was in that moment.
3. I think the biggest difference between these two types of meditation exercises is the way in which you bring your wandering mind back to meditating – counting vs. focus on breath. Similarities include working to focus and calm the mind and to increase awareness of physical sensation. Many of my clients struggle with “being in their bodies” and being able to relax. Ruminative thinking and obsessive thoughts are also distressing. Teaching a meditation practice to willing clients may offer them a tool, something to “do,” when they feel overwhelmed and help to calm and promote overall relaxation.
