Mary NurrieStearns, Rick Nurriestearns – 3-Day Experiential in Mindfulness, Yoga & Meditation: Applications for Mental Health Clinical Practice

Outline

Reduce Anxiety, Depression, and Unworthiness

Neuroscience – Psychoeducation and Practices

• Neuroplasticity – your brain’s ability to organize and learn
• The triune brain
• Primary emotional motivators
• Negativity bias of your brain
• Savoring the good and affiliation system of the brain
• Social brain: causes and conditions
• Default mode network, salience network and central executive network of the brain
• Neuroscience exercises for clinical use
• Use of art expression to personalize learning
• Use of small group sharing (not therapy) for learning
• Exploration of emotional motivators, social brain and savoring the good to personalize learning and small group sharing

Reduce Feelings of Overwhelm, Dissociation and Shame

Lead Clients to Emotional Stabilization

• Emotional stabilization skills
• Body scan and sensory input for stabilization
• Mindful breathing practices
• Impact of yoga on nervous system
• Emotional Freedom Technique
• Mindful walking
• Clinical examples of emotional stabilization skills
• Practice emotional stabilization skills

Teach Clients to Observe and Choose Thoughts

Experience the Impact of Thoughts

• Nonjudgmental observing of thoughts
• Naming – write thoughts down
• Recognize, distance and dis-identify from narrative of self-identity
• Relate to the voice of the inner critic
• Address negative thoughts regarding chronic pain
• Store consciousness/mind consciousness and therapeutic implications
• Use of chants, mantras, songs for healing
• Nourishing wholesome thoughts – use of repetition and concentration
• Habit tendencies and neuronal pathways
• Accessing beneficial memories
• Clinical examples of relating to thoughts therapeutically
• Exploration of observing and choosing thoughts to personalize learning and small group sharing

Help Clients Approach and Alleviate Distressing Emotions While Cultivating Emotional Aliveness

Treat Distress with Mercy

• Be there for grief
• Comfort pose and self-love mantra
• Emotional Freedom Technique for client self-care
• Yoga for emotional trauma/anxiety
• Yoga for depression
• Clinical examples of treating distress with mercy
• Activity to personalize the client’s experience
• Exploration of approaching and alleviating emotions to personalize learning and small group sharing

Promote Self-Compassion and Increase Emotional Resilience and Self-Acceptance in Clients

Why Kindness to Self at Times Cause Distress

• Who has seen your goodness? – restoring trust
• Teachers of compassion
• The voice of the inner friend
• Three-part self-compassion note
• Offering loving kindness to any inner aspect that feels not deserving
• Compassion for the inner critic
• Tonglen practice – receiving suffering and sending compassion
• Clinical examples of utilizing self-compassion
• Exploration of compassion practices to personalize learning and small group sharing

Resources to Regulate Nervous System and Restore Self-Worth in Clients

Causes of Unworthiness and Shame

• Impact of shame on brain – default network and pain system
• The physiology of shame
• Differentiate among shame, defiance, and noble posture
• Simple yoga for healing the physiology of shame
• Narrative of unworthiness
• Create a new narrative of self
• Life review/eulogy to discover true values
• Clinical examples of treating unworthiness and shame
• Write eulogy to discover true values and small group sharing

Mindfulness Applications for Specific Clinical Use

Mindfulness Communications Process for Conflict Resolution and Emotional Bonding

• Mindful eating practice and research on mindfulness for overeating
• Learn and practice leading mindful exercises and yoga for emotional trauma/anxiety and depression