| Depression and anxiety are very prevalent | | | | Therefore, after Recognition comes Relationship, |
| problems in today's society, affecting almost all of | | | | the acceptance of the right of our inner thoughts |
| us at some time in our lives. For many, and | | | | and emotions to exist, which is the foundation of |
| estimates are as high as 40% of adults, | | | | love and compassion. Ultimately, nothing can resist |
| depression can be a chronic problem that severely | | | | this powerful presence, and everything becomes |
| impacts the quality of life, happiness and personal | | | | free to change and heal itself in the light and |
| relationships. However, there are many things that | | | | warmth of mindfulness. Quite simply, mindfulness |
| we can do to manage depression and one of the | | | | heals because it is about caring and learning how |
| most important approaches is to work on | | | | to care for the suffering that lies within. This is |
| changing the underlying patterns of negative | | | | not abstract love, but love directed at the detailed |
| thinking at the core of depression. Mindfulness | | | | “mess” that is the turmoil of our mind. |
| Therapy is one of the most effective tools for | | | | We choose, as the hunter chooses, to bring this |
| doing this, because it helps us tune in at a very | | | | healing spaciousness to each fragment of the |
| detailed way into the whole process of habitual | | | | mind; each negative thought, belief and emotion. |
| reactive thinking. Mindfulness also provides the | | | | We choose to “sit” with each and give it |
| right kind of inner space, the therapeutic space as | | | | the space in which to unfold, unwind and release |
| it is called in mindfulness psychology that | | | | its grip. In this therapeutic space of mindfulness, |
| promotes the transformation and healing of the | | | | painful emotions, anger, hurt, guilt or fear are at |
| trapped emotional energy that fuels negative | | | | last allowed to heal in their own unique way. They |
| thinking. | | | | need the freedom to complete their dance, which |
| Mindfulness Therapy is, in some ways, like a | | | | is called cultivating the “mindfulness of the |
| cat-and-mouse game in which you develop the | | | | existence of that which has arisen.” |
| finely tuned attention of a cat, forever watchful | | | | Suffering and the depression that results from |
| and patient, as it sits in front of a mouse hole, | | | | chronic suffering is caused by not allowing inner |
| waiting for its prey to emerge. In our case the | | | | pain to complete its dance and to do whatever it |
| prey are not mice, but the countless negative | | | | needs to do to attain resolution, and bring about |
| thoughts and emotional reactions that emerge | | | | the release of emotional energy that has become |
| from the shadows of our conditioned mind. In | | | | trapped and frozen in place. Completion requires |
| Mindfulness Therapy and Mindfulness Meditation, | | | | inner freedom, which is the conscious awareness |
| we train our senses, continually refining them so | | | | and presence that we call mindfulness. Mindfulness |
| that we become expert hunters, able to see the | | | | is the stage on which experience can complete its |
| impulse to react before it takes hold. This is much | | | | dance and come to a close. This is called |
| better than staying stuck as the victim, which of | | | | cultivation of the “mindfulness of the |
| course is one of the major contributing factors in | | | | cessation of phenomena.” When we train in |
| depression. Rather than feeling helpless and waiting | | | | mindfulness, we learn to do this from moment to |
| for suffering to grab us by the throat, we choose | | | | moment, cultivating mindfulness of the arising of |
| to face it by teaching ourselves how to become | | | | experience, the dance of experience and the |
| an expert hunter, and this means learning to | | | | cessation of experience. When we allow this to |
| become experts at recognizing the impulse to | | | | proceed without interruption and resistance, then |
| react before it is converted into unskillful action. In | | | | we can sublimate depression, anxiety, fear and |
| mindfulness psychology, we call this cultivating | | | | worry, and release that trapped energy back into |
| “mindfulness of the arising of mental | | | | the psyche where it becomes available to |
| phenomena.” | | | | produce action and change in our daily life and in |
| Depressed people often feel unable to cope with | | | | our relationships. |
| their emotional reactions to life events and tend | | | | This is not metaphysical speculation, not New Age |
| to feel continually overwhelmed by them. Feeling | | | | idealism, but something that can be directly |
| overwhelmed leads to inertia and fatigue, which | | | | experienced and felt. I invite you to learn more |
| makes us less able to cope. Depression is a | | | | about mindfulness, mindfulness meditation and |
| response in which the mind literally closes down | | | | Mindfulness Meditation Therapy, and apply these |
| and contracts, and withdraws from the world. But | | | | teachings to transform and heal your depression |
| it is important to realize that this is not immutable, | | | | or anxiety. |
| not truth, but simply the result of some pretty | | | | Today, many psychotherapists, counselors and life |
| powerful conditioning that has caused us to | | | | coaches recognize the widespread need for |
| become enslaved by our emotional reactions, | | | | education in the field of emotional management |
| negative thinking and beliefs. Beliefs, thoughts and | | | | and self-help, and are offering this in the form of |
| emotional reactions can all be changed, but first | | | | personalized coaching online, particularly through |
| we must learn to become a hunter and take the | | | | email correspondence and Skype sessions. Online |
| initiative to train ourselves to catch our negative | | | | coaching offers many advantages to the client, |
| thoughts “in the act.” | | | | and convenience has to be one of the greatest |
| What next, after we have caught our reactions? | | | | reasons why Online Counseling is becoming more |
| This is the crux of the matter. Developing the art | | | | and more popular. Another very important |
| of mindfulness of the arising of reactions is | | | | advantage of Online Counseling is that it |
| immensely important, but what you do next will | | | | empowers the client, allowing him or her to direct |
| define whether the reactivity will be able to | | | | the process in a way that works for them. The |
| change, transform and resolve itself, and whether | | | | very process of writing down ones thoughts and |
| you will be able to break free of its grip. | | | | feelings and preparing for a Skype videocam |
| For those who follow the path of mindfulness, we | | | | session is therapeutic in itself. The Online Therapy |
| choose to actively greet the reaction, the impulse | | | | process also helps both client and therapist focus |
| that is stirring, the emotion or thought that is | | | | on designing specific solutions to specific problems. |
| trying to take control. We literally greet it with, | | | | Often this will involve exercises and |
| “Welcome. I acknowledge you. You are most | | | | “homework” assignments that the client |
| welcome here, please take a seat.” We learn | | | | can experiment with at home. |
| not to run away from the impulse, and not to | | | | Mindfulness Meditation Therapy is proving to be a |
| react to it with aversion to the emotions stirring | | | | very effective approach for online counseling, |
| inside. We watch very carefully for the secondary | | | | because it teaches clients how to work with their |
| impulses to become involved in the reaction or | | | | emotions using a very structured and individualized |
| emotion, to become caught up in the story and | | | | approach. |
| identified with the contents of thinking. Mindfulness | | | | Besides face-to-face Mindfulness Psychotherapy |
| is not thinking about things; it is the direct | | | | sessions, Dr Peter Strong offers the ever-popular |
| awareness of things as they are, without an | | | | Online Psychotherapy and Counseling service, in |
| observer, without an ego evaluating, judging and | | | | which he teaches clients specific strategies for |
| commenting. This is what we call the Response of | | | | working with emotional stress through a |
| Mindfulness, the choice to be fully present and | | | | combination of email correspondence and Skype |
| aware without becoming reactive. Reactivity is | | | | sessions. Peter also offers teaching seminars for |
| enslavement and leads to more of the same; it | | | | groups, and companies with an interest in stress |
| inhibits change. Responsiveness is freedom from | | | | management. If you want to learn Mindfulness |
| thoughts and emotions and this promotes change, | | | | Meditation, you can do this through email |
| transformation and healing. Reactivity closes the | | | | correspondence and Skype. Visit |
| mind; mindfulness opens both the mind and the | | | | Your email enquiries are welcome. |
| heart, and it is in this therapeutic space that real | | | | You can purchase a copy of his book ‘The |
| change can take place. | | | | Path of Mindfulness Meditation' through Amazon. |