Advanced Mindfulness Toolbox to Treat PTSD, Pain, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Related Symptoms

Session 1:

Intro to Mindfulness and Cutting Edge Research

• 3-Part Mindfulness Meditation
• Mindfulness Research and Resources
• Useful (and free) web resources and apps

The Truth about Stress

• Stress and Stress Research
• Epi-genetics

The Power of Sense Grounding

• Anxiety and stress reduction with sense grounding
• Assessing stress with stress instruments
• Palm the Present Moment Practice
  • Physical grounding method of dropping into the body
  • Integrates progressive muscle relaxation
  • Good for spatial, visual, hands-on learning styles

Brain Basics and Emotional Regulation

• Visual Brain Model for clients
• Emotional Regulation for Depression and Anxiety

 

 

Session 2:

Brain Basics and Emotional Regulation (Cont.)

• Crashing the Brain’s Hard Drive
• Effects of cortisol on learning and immune system
• The brain’s mindfulness module

Train the Brain for Calm and Cognition 

• Train the brain by turning on the Parasympathetic Nervous System
• Navy Seals method for arousal control
• Heart rate variability & relaxation response
• Practice: Diaphragmatic Breath and 5 Breathing Postures

Mindful Eating 

• Research
• Practice: 4-Step Mindful Bites Technique

 

Session 3:        

5-Steps of Mindful Self-Care (Behavioural and Collaborative Side of Mindfulness)

• Gratitude and Attitude
• Relationships and Social Network
  • Identifying resources and resilience
• Eating and Sleeping
  • Healthy nutrition and sleep hygiene
• Activity
  • Exercise, movement, and pleasant activities
• Technology Management and Tune-ups
  • Manage weapons of mass distraction
  • Practice: Assessment of Technology and Time
  • Tune-up with mindfulness skills

Connecting Clients to Mindfulness

• Understanding Mind Wandering and telomeres
• Understanding Client Mindfulness Styles
• Practice: Be a Learning Style Detective

 

Session 4:        

Re-Mindfulness

• Practice: 3-Part Mindfulness Meditation
• Practice: Palm the Present Moment

The Power of Storytelling and Identifying Strengths 

• Story intervention for Depression and Coping Skills
• Broaden attention; find resilience
• Stories are fundamental to attachment
• Practice: Identifying Strengths

Focusing the Mind for ADHD and Stress 

• Integration of Breath and Word
• Practice: Be the Pebble

Mindfulness for Addictive Cravings 

• Emotional Regulation for Cravings
  • Impulse and Craving Control
  • Mindful Curiosity Shifts Focus
• Practice: S-T-O-P Inner-Outer Grounding Technique

Mindfulness for Chronic Pain 

• Introduction to the Body Scan Practice
• Demonstrate how to pay attention non-judgmentally
• Practice: Surf the Body (The Body Scan)

 

Session 5:        

Mindful Laughter for Depression, Anxiety and Grief

• Mood management for the” terminally serious”
• Research on laughter and stress and mood
• Biochemistry of laughter and embodied cognition
• Using laughter in therapy
• Practice: The Laughter Cure

Managing Moods through Attention and Selective Memory

• Master attention and memories
• Savouring of the present moment
• Practice: Pleasantness in the Moment
• Using selective memory to savour the past and future
• Practice: Savouring Success: Past, Present, and Future

Harnessing Gratitude to Increase Positive Emotions

• Managing depression with gratitude
• Gratitude research
• Four psychological reasons for gratitude
• Techniques that make gratitude interpersonal and enhancing Supportive social networks
• * Practice: The G.L.A.D. Technique

Mindful Walking for Transitions and Anxiety

• Research
• Practice: Ground Surfing

 

Session 6:

Nature for Stress and Mental Exhaustion

• Attention Restoration Theory
• Effects of nature on focus, moods, & healing
• Discharge negative emotions for transitioning
• Slowing down with nature to get present
• Practice: Sky Gazing

Healing Emotional Pain through Acceptance, Forgiveness, and Compassion

• Forgiveness is a skill
• Research on compassion practice
• Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build Theory
• Security priming for feelings of safety and trust
• Develop positive emotions and resources
• Practice: Loving-Kindness Affirmation

Safe Anchors that Integrate Our Experience

• Mindfulness as a present moment safe anchor
• Anchors from our experience
• Anchors from various life stages
• Practice: Savouring an anchoring symbol

Putting It All Together

• Creating a mindfulness roadmap for clients:
• Bundling practices together
• Engage through learning styles
• Maintaining skills
• Follow-up and reinforcement