SIUE Student Affairs Mini-Conference 2019 Starting Your Day w/Mindfulness

1. SIUE Student AffairsMini-Conference 2019Starting Your Day w/Mindfulness Courtney R. Boddie, Ph.D.Licensed & Board-Certified Fellow in CounselingDirector, SIUE Counseling Services

2. I believe everyone has everything they need. They may not know this. They may not know how to access what is needed when it matters most.Mindfulness helps to bridge these gaps. CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

3. What is Mindfulness?

4. Mindfulness is… • A way of being from Buddhist traditions… • “Paying attention, on purpose, in the present, and non-judgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment-by-moment.” • Curious observation vs. walking against the tide What? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services (Kabat-Zinn, 1990)

5. Mindfulness is… • A form of brain hygiene… • Living mindfully  Being present • Mindfulness meditation  Skill-building • An element of self-compassion… What? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

6. Self-Compassion • Definition • Self-Kindness • Common Humanity • Mindfulness What? (Neff, 2003)

7. Self-Compassion • Definition • Sensitivity to your experience of suffering, coupled with a deep desire to alleviate that suffering by: • Acknowledging the presence of pain, which requires: • Pausing • Stepping out of your usual frame of reference • Viewing the world from the vantage point of another What? (Goetz, Keltner, & Simon-Thomas, 2010; Neff, 2003a)

8. Why Incorporate it?

9. Self-Compassion ↑ Subjective well-being ↑ Sense of self-worth ↑ Coping ↓ Anxiety ↓ Depression ↓ Aggression ↓ Impulsivity ↓ Social comparison ↓ Body dissatisfaction Why? (Neff, 2003a)

10. Balance Why? (Yerkes & Dodson, 1908)

11. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness

12. Mindfulness-in-Action Attitudes of Mindfulness Non-Judging Patience Beginner’s Mind Trust Non-Striving Acceptance How? Letting Go CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services (Kabat-Zinn, 1990)

13. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness “Be here now…” How? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

14. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness “Be here now…” • Example  Physical: • Walk mindfully by paying attention to your steps as you take them. • Eat breakfast mindfully by removing distractions and observing each bite you take, noticing how it satisfies hunger etc. How? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

15. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness “Be here now…” • Example  Physical: • Walk mindfully by paying attention to your steps as you take them. • Eat mindfully by removing distractions and observing each bite you take, noticing how it satisfies hunger etc. • Notice, wonder, and breathe: • I notice that I walk fast and eat at my desk while listening to music. • I wonder how this is serving me? How? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

16. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness “Be here now…” • Example  Social: • Respond mindfully by pausing and honestly reflecting your feeling state when asked, “how are you?” • Interact mindfully by limiting the number of times you check your phone or look away. How? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

17. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness “Be here now…” • Example  Social: • Respond mindfully by pausing and honestly reflecting your feeling state when asked, “how are you?” • Interact mindfully by limiting the number of times you check your phone or look away (e.g., nonverbally disengage) during conversations. • Notice, wonder, and breathe: • I notice that I check my phone repeatedly while conversing with others. • I wonder how my conversation partners are affected by this? How? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

18. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness “Be here now…” • Example  Emotion: • Attune mindfully with self by attempting to name feelings as they arise. • Reflect mindfully by pondering function/purpose of these feelings. How? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

19. Examples of Incorporating Mindfulness “Be here now…” • Example  Emotion: • Attune mindfully with self by attempting to name feelings as they arise. • Reflect mindfully by pondering function/purpose of these feelings. • Notice, wonder, and breathe: • I notice that I have difficulty naming my feelings and therefore struggle to connect them to a purpose. • I wonder how being emotionally disconnected in this way is serving me? How? CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

20. Note Mindfulness is not for the faint of heart • This may not be easy. • This may not always be pleasant. • For things that are pleasant, turn towards them with gratitude. • For things that are unpleasant, lean in with curious questions. CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

21. Resources on Mindfulness • Therapist Assisted Online (TAO) • Mindfulness Elevator • Videos on YouTube • Tedx • Meditations • Tutorials • Books • Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn • The Mindfulness Workbook for Anxiety • Apps • Calm • Headspace CRB, Ph.D. Director, Counseling Services

22. Thank You!