‘Mindfulness’ is a buzz word of the present in mental health. I was uncertain whether to include this in this website, as I am aware it ignites many interpretations, and often polarised feelings. Mindfulness-based interventions are something I will commonly offer, but I never judge if a client chooses not to take this up during out work together.
I absolutely agree that mindfulness may not, at least in its strictest from, be for everyone. However, I often hear stories of clients being discouraged in this method by the appearance of what mindfulness entails (see Mindfulness Myth-Busting) or if in their practice of mindfulness they have not had the opportunity to have their experiences be heard or unpacked; if they have only had access to using an app, or been in a group environment where there was not sufficient time for inquiry, which can be an important part of coming to understanding, refine and individualise their practice.
As a person who utilises mindfulness myself in the day to day (or tries to, when I get a moment spare) I understand that sometimes we can be drawn to it and at other times it can be the last thing we want to do. So I aim towards a pragmatic approach. If the idea of sitting on a cushion on the floor for an 20 minutes doesn’t grab you, a better and arguably more effective way (because your more likely to practice it!) Would be to incorporate mindfulness into some activities that we do day to day, such as having a mindful shower, and mindful favourite snack or drink, a mindful walk or a mindful commute, even one mindful minute between meetings in the day is forming a wellbeing habit that can make a difference.
We can incorporate mindfulness as part of any sessions, or the sole focus can be on mindfulness and building a practice for yourself. If you would like to see an examples of short MBI practices, please see Resources.
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