Mindfulness

Mindfulness has become a powerful addition to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), with scientific research showing numerous psychological benefits of mindfulness-based interventions.

Mindfulness stems from an ancient Buddhist meditation practice and although originally a spiritual practise, the current use of Mindfulness in psychotherapy adapts the most powerful components to treat everything from depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, chronic pain, and many other psychological problems. This has resulted in the increased effectiveness of CBT treatments.

Mindfulness techniques focus on awareness of thoughts and feelings without attachment or judgment. When experiencing intense emotions, it is often because we get caught up in our catastrophic interpretations. The more we become entangled in the thoughts about the situation, the worse it feels, and the more intense our emotions become.

Mindfulness can help to distance ourselves from our distorted thought patterns and connect to the actual situation. This enables us to more skilfully address difficult situations with less emotional reactivity and psychological suffering.