Posts tagged with 'mindfulness'
Autogenic training: sixth session
21st September 2009
Here are the handouts, recordings, and reflection/record sheets for the sixth Autogenic training session. There are four overlapping themes to this 'lesson'. Obviously a key issue is the next Autogenic Training step - the focus on the abdominal area. I usually initially get trainees to put a hand or both …
Four aspects model & some associated evidence for relaxation, meditation & imagery
13th September 2009
Relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, hypnosis, imagery and other associated methods form a complex, loosely interlinked field. The "Four aspects of helpful inner focus" model, that I've put together to help me make more sense of this territory, looks like this: For a downloadable copy of this diagram click here. There is …
Autogenic training: fifth session
7th September 2009
Here are the handouts and other materials for the fifth Autogenic training session. Start this exercise once you have worked through the first four lessons. Take your time. If you have conscientiously worked your way through to this fifth session, you're doing really well. Congratulations. Don't feel you have to …
Recent research: six studies on positive psychology, goals, relationships, caregiving, mindfulness & nature
27th August 2009
Here are half a dozen studies that one could loosely put under the broad umbrella of positive psychology. Zorba the Greek said "Take what you want and pay for it, says God." and Niemiec et al's study, on the effects of achieving different kinds of goal, supports this statement (for …
Autogenic training: third session
17th August 2009
Here are materials for the third session of the Autogenic Training classes that I've taught for many years. Please read the introductory remarks and take time to work through the first and second Autogenic Training exercises before starting on this third Limb Warmth focus. Once working with the Warmth exercises, …
Autogenic training: second session
10th August 2009
I usually encourage people to practise the first Autogenic Limb Heaviness exercises twice daily for at least a week before getting them to consider moving on to this Neck & Shoulders exercise. There are several important points that I try to get across in this second lesson. One is that …
Autogenic training: first session
27th July 2009
Here are handouts and Autogenic relaxation exercises from the first "lesson" of an eight session Autogenic Training (AT) class. This first "class" concentrates on relaxation of the voluntary muscles of the arms & legs. It is probably sensible to stay with this focus for at least a week or two …
Autogenic training: an introduction
20th July 2009
Autogenic Training (AT) is a method of producing deeply relaxed, peaceful states of mind and body. AT can accurately be viewed as both a form of relaxation and a form of meditation - the "Four aspects of inner focus" chart illustrates mechanisms of action. Autogenics is often taught as a …
Recent research: two papers on mindfulness, two on insomnia & two on antidepressants in pregnancy
25th June 2009
Here are six recently published research papers. Barnhofer and colleagues report on encouraging results using mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for sufferers from chronic-recurrent depression while they are still depressed. The three major studies published already have used MBCT for recurrent depression while the sufferers are reasonably well. The next step …
Stanford psychophysiology lab: social anxiety, mindfulness with kids, & loving kindness
7th June 2009
Emotional reappraisal (changing the way we see a situation) and emotional suppression (inhibiting our already present emotional response) have very different effects on our feelings, relationships and wellbeing. As a generalisation, reappraisal tends to work well, while suppression comes at higher cost. I wrote about this last month in a …