Meditation Is Not Easy For Me

I love meditation.  If only I could do it easily.

I advocate for anyone who will listen to do it.  Try it.  Learn how and use it on a regular basis or when you can, create a random moment.

I like it from the concept to the practice.  Meditation in essence is focus, being in the here-and-now, non-judgmental, forgiving, gentle, and above the minutia of routine life.  To have discipline and a sense of priorities all while finding peace and centeredness sounds amazing, right?

I know many people who do this and my clients who have tried are making leaps and bounds in their treatment with me.  I have the hardest time meditating.  So in conclusion, I'm going to keep trying! 10 minutes a day has been my motto.  

I stop what I'm doing and breath for 10 minutes. Counting my breaths 1 to 10 and then I start again.  I set a time for the 10 minutes.  I haven't been able to stay focused for more than a few seconds but I keep going back to the focus.  10 minutes every day.  Now you try.

Response to Out-of-State Question on Negative Thinking

Negative thinking is a way to PROTECT yourself. Figure out what you are protecting yourself from FIRST (https://twitter.com/AnatSamid)

 

After I posted that yesterday, I got the question from North Carolina about an interest in finding a therapist and learning about self from negative thoughts.  I responded...

You can always find someone local. A lot of therapists like me do videoconferencing and phone sessions too. A therapist is great to guide you but you can also take time to look at what was the first thing that came to your mind when you read the comment and also pay attention to what comes up in your body, thoughts and emotions when a negative thought surfaces.

"If I think this negative thought (i.e, nothing ever works for me) then I am protecting myself from experiencing......" (vulnerability, hurt, fear, etc). And then you try to think of the original hurt/emotional trauma. By noticing it you bring it from the unconscious to the conscious. And then you can start challenging it.

It's powerful stuff!

Can You Do It Walking? - "Walk and Talk" Sessions

Therapeutically speaking, movement releases trauma. Movement triggers a surge of endorphins. And movement gets your brain working in ways that can facilitate creativity and reflection.

Clients connecting to their thoughts and emotions is the name of the game.  So whether it's in-office, videoconferencing, phone sessions or even the "Walk and Talk" session, I am open to whatever works and is clinically relevant for each client's individual journey of self-growth.

I believe, the "Walk and Talk" is a fun twist on the Freudian/psychoanalytic technique of expressing yourself without having to look at the therapist.  So you aren't searching for reactions, just emoting.  

After an initial in-office session, we start thinking outside the box. 

Check out this TED talk.