Mindfulness Therapy in Philadelphia, Ocean City, Mechanicsville, Santa Fe

Why You Should Try Mindfulness Therapy

For many, 2021 has not been the magic cure for 2020. Last year we were dropped into an alternate universe of COVID-19, world wide protest, seemingly unending political ads and a national election. So far it seems like 2021 is a carry over from 2020. With the world seemingly upside down, new work/home blurred lines, nationwide lockdowns and safety mandates it’s no wonder stress and anxiety levels are on the rise. Add to that your own personal struggles and it’s natural to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or out of control. So, short of finding COVID’s instant cure, creating unity and harmony in the world and waving a magic wand to make all of your issues disappear, how can one deal with stress without being stressed? How do we find a moment to just breathe? A moment of zen? Enter…..mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice of quieting the mind and body and creating calm and acceptance of yourself and your emotions. Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness is a natural stress reliever. The techniques practiced in mindfulness have been found to help reduce how you respond to your internal and external environment, a.k.a stressors. You’ve likely heard the phrase “just breathe” before. It turns out that there’s a lot of power in it. In a nutshell, teaching your body how to positively respond to stress and anxiety and finding calm is possible. The very nature of mindfulness works to help us stop and reconnect with how we’re feeling.

When we are feeling stressed or anxious our body begins releasing hormones to help us react to these factors. Adrenaline and cortisol are among those hormones released. They help us respond quickly and react to whatever we perceive as a threat or stress, whether real or not. You’ve probably heard it referred to as the “fight-or-flight” response. This is the moment when heart rate accelerates, breathing gets faster, muscles begin to tighten and blood pressure may increase. Your body is saying “I’m ready to protect us from whatever is a threat”. For small amounts of stress this reaction is fine. The body reacts, you are safe and the body returns to a calmer relaxed recovery state. Great!

Stressors can come in many different forms and are a natural part of life. And, as you know, each person responds to things differently. What may cause one stress may not even be a blip on your radar. But as we’ve just found out, stress is normal, so it’s not the stress, but how we handle the stress that can cause concern. Prolonged stress levels can cause both physiological and mental health issues. From cardiovascular disease to depression and anxiety and health problems in between. Stress can take you there. So how do you prevent stress from becoming another thing of concern amongst a long list of concerning things? Great question. Enter mindfulness.

Mindfulness teaches us to be present. More specifically focusing on what you're feeling and sensing, but in a nonjudgmental, critical way. Mindfulness helps you develop a space where your mind can sit and basically just learn to relax. Through the use of breathing techniques, guided imagery, and body relaxation processes you can create a holistic approach to reducing stress. Broken down, mindfulness teaches you to move your focus from the stressors and negative thoughts and feelings to acceptance and a break in the overall downward spiral of overwhelming thoughts and feelings.

Mindfulness’ effect on the brain can be a game changer. For instance, an area in your brain called the amygdala is primarily responsible for how we make decisions, memory, and emotional responses like fear, anxiety, etc. Studies have shown that mindfulness can reduce the emotional responses in the amygdala and help bring about feelings of calm and well-being. Mindfulness also helps the areas of the brain that deal with attention, and parts of the brain that focus on the senses, feeling and decision making and logical thinking. These are just a few of the effects mindfulness can have on the brain. Add to that the ability to lower blood pressure, improve sleep, help with chronic pain, and other positive physiological effects and what’s there not to love.

So now that your curiosity is awakened, take a minute and try it for yourself. Think of it as a mini vacation in the middle of your day. Settle comfortably into your chair and let your gaze softly zone out in front of you. As your gaze softens begin to breathe deeply through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth. Envision a balloon expanding inside of you as you inhale and squeezing all of the air out of the balloon as you slowly exhale.

As you inhale and exhale for the second time, let your eyes slowly drift close. Let your breathing return to a gentle rhythm and feel the weight of your body begin to settle into the chair. Notice how you feel, sounds that can be heard, the temperature of the room. Now focus your attention on building the memory of a favorite place or activity. Do you see it? Remember the smells, the sounds, how it felt physically, was the temperature cool, warm? Focus on the picture and allow the image to fill you with those feelings of peace, joy, comfort, calm, happiness. Take a minute or two to relax into those sensations and allow your mind to rest.

Now slowly let the image fade and become aware of how your body feels sitting in the chair. Feel all of the spots where you connect with the chair, the floor. Notice the sounds and smells around you, any taste that may be on your tongue. Now take a deep breath in and slowly let it out. Take another breath and as you slowly let it out, let your eyes drift open and take a minute to savor the sensations and emotions as they gently flow through your body. Just accepting what you are feeling and letting it flow through you. Enjoy this moment……..breathe.

Let’s face facts. At normal times we can encounter moments of depression and anxiety. Fast forward to the reality of 2021 and we may feel those emotions times 100. That’s the time to pop on the headphones, cue up the mindfulness technique or app. Maybe light a candle or two and find that calming space. So be kind to yourself and let meditation transport you away. A moment to tune out and tune in….zen!

Woosaw…….. Namaste

To speak with a live therapist call at 215-922-5683 Ext. 100 or if you prefer quietly setting yourself up for an appointment, you can self schedule an inperson or virtual therapy appointment. For your convenience we have 5 physical offices and provide virtual therapy services in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New Mexico and Virginia.

• Ocean City Therapy Office
  360 West Ave, Floor 1, Ocean City, NJ 08226

• Mechanicsville Therapy Office
  9044 Mann Drive, Mechanicsville Virginia, 23116

• Society Hill Therapy Office
  233 S. 6th Street, C-33, Philadelphia PA 19106

• Art Museum / Fairmount Therapy Office
  2401 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 1a2, Philadelphia PA 19130

• Santa Fe Therapy Office, 2204 B Brothers Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87505

• Telemedicine: We have therapists who are licensed to work in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Virginia New Mexico and Pennsylvania

You deserve the best therapist possible. Our special sauce for helping you achieve your goal, begins with matching you with the right therapist. Check out our GUARANTEE.

Therapy Services Offered:

• Individual Counseling and therapy

• Couples Counseling and marriage counseling

• Teen Therapy and Adolescent Therapy and tweens and child counseling

• Family Therapy and multi-generational counseling

• Art Therapy and Counseling no art skills needed

• ADHD Therapyand ADD, Dyslexia, Autism, Tourettes counseling

• Anxiety, Panic, OCD Therapy and worry and fear support

• Breaking the cycle of Codependency and being your own person

• Overcoming Chronic Illness and Chronic Pain

• Depression Therapy and sadness, gloom, and upset support

• Grief Therapy and loss, End of A Relationship, rejections, pregnancy loss and therapy

• Mindfulness Based Therapy and spirituality based therapy

• Sex Therapy and sexual function & dysfunction, sex addiction, sexual orientation and gender identity support

• Shame and Blame

• Trauma Therapy both emotional and sexual abuse, complex trauma, PTSD counseling

• Divorce support

• Affairs, Infidelity, Unfaithful, Cheating counseling

• Parenting therapy

• Personality disorder treatments

• Anger Management Therapy

• Setting Boundaries and identifying ones own Core Beliefs

• Just name some of the Mental Health issues that we work with. Our goal is to help you Change and Achieve Your Dreams

COMPUTER GENERATED ANSWER TO WHY YOU SHOULD TRY MINDFULNESS THERAPY . . . .

Mindfulness therapy is a type of therapy that teaches individuals to focus their attention and awareness on the present moment, without judgment. This approach can help individuals to better understand and manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Here are a few reasons why you should try mindfulness therapy:

1. Mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety: By focusing on the present moment, individuals can learn to let go of worries about the future and regrets about the past. This can help to reduce stress and anxiety and improve overall well-being.
2. Mindfulness can help improve mental health: Mindfulness practices have been shown to be effective in treating a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
3. Mindfulness can improve physical health: Regular mindfulness practice has been found to improve immune function, lower blood pressure, and reduce chronic pain.
4. Mindfulness can improve self-awareness: Mindfulness practices can help individuals to better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, which can lead to greater self-awareness and personal growth.
5. Mindfulness is easy to practice: Mindfulness practices can be incorporated into daily life and can be practiced by anyone, regardless of age, physical ability, or religious beliefs.

It's important to note that mindfulness therapy should not replace traditional therapy, it can be an effective complement to it. It's also important to seek the guidance of a licensed therapist or counselor if you're dealing with a mental health condition. They can help you understand if mindfulness therapy is a good fit for you and teach you the techniques in a proper way.