When clients contact me through my website contact form, they usually state that it’s for one of five reasons; stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues and grief. Why these five issues cause the most distress, is because the client’s attention is either fixed on the past or the future; not on the present moment. Mental health, clarity and calm exist only in the present moment. So how does Mindfulness contribute to our health and well-being?
Many studies have shown that mindfulness practices enhance our quality of life, improve our focus and decrease stress. Unfortunately, many of us tend to resist putting aside even a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness. Our time is often divided between the demands of our families, career pressures, general life stress and the constant distraction of our smartphones and other devices which all consume our precious time. The price we pay for not practising mindfulness is more stress, dissatisfaction and an overall decreased quality of life.
Mindfulness practice helps us to direct our attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental, compassionate way. The benefits of Mindfulness on our overall health and well-being are well-researched and documented. Mindfulness doesn’t have to involve more than a few minutes of your time and here’s a time-efficient, effective mindfulness technique that works extremely well.
Although studies have shown that a mindfulness practice of 30 minutes per day can change our brain and improve our emotional state, even 30 seconds of mindfulness practice in any setting, can provide us with notable benefits. Phil Boissiere, a therapist and coach practising in the USA, came up with a unique mindfulness technique which he paired with a popular breathing technique and voila; ‘The 3 x 3 Method’ was created.
In the video at the bottom of this post, Phil Boissiere explains the 3×3 method of mindfulness
Here are some other suggestions for Mindfulness for Mental Health and Well-Being that may help to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and feeling overwhelmed https://sydneyhillscounselling.com.au/counselling-services/anxiety-depression/
The Center for Healthy Minds also has an excellent app called ‘The Healthy Minds Program’ which can be downloaded from the App Store and also available for Android devices. This program provides a helpful assessment to see where you are currently, concerning your Awareness (your ability to notice your thoughts, emotions and impulses), Connection (your ability to have healthy relationships with others), Insight (your ability to see how your thoughts and emotions influence the way you see the world) and Purpose (your ability to see the bigger picture and focus on the most important things in our lives)
Mindfulness is a skill that can help to alleviate distressing symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues and grief. Working with a registered, professional counsellor can help you to cope better with these challenging symptoms. Counselling can also provide you with strategies and techniques to help you navigate the distressing symptoms of overwhelm these mental states can create. For further information, or to schedule a counselling session, contact us today on (02) 9159 6277 for a confidential chat on how we can help you, or you can email us at [email protected].
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