It's been so successful in the outpatient treatment part of TLC that we're slowly expanding it into the halfway houses. One day we hope to have it as a regular part of the peer counseling we offer our 700 halfway house clients.
But what is mindfulness? One of my favorite definitions is "being fully aware of present experience with acceptance."
It's simple to learn how to meditate - but it's more difficult to practice it. The simplest instruction is to focus on our breathing, following our breath as it enters and leaves our nostrils. Or we can follow the rise and fall of our chest, or our stomach, as we inhale and exhale.
Most of our clients say it's difficult to stay focused on the breath. And that's true. The mind is like a monkey. It jumps all over the place. Mindfulness happens when we notice our thoughts, accept them non-judgmentally, then let them go. And we practice this over and over each day.
What's the point? What are the benefits?
Over 10,000 studies over the past 30 years show that mindfulness brings us more clarity, less depression, and a state of well- being. The benefits are too numerous to list here so I'm providing links for those who have an interest in this practice.
Mindfulness Solutions
