Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an “inside” job. As Abraham Maslow suggests, the challenge is to change awareness of oneself, in other words, to develop self-insight.
You may have heard this before but it bears repeating: the only person we can change is… ourself. I wish we had all learned this in grade school. It’s challenging to turn our attention inward to develop self-insight. As self-awareness deepens, however, you may find that the process brings a wonderful sense of self-mastery and accomplishment.
In our work together, we’ll engage in “no-fault therapy.” You’ll learn to be kinder to yourself. And, ultimately, you’ll discover how to take more responsibility for the course of your life, to become the director of, rather than the actor in, your own script.
Where do we begin? By learning to turn attention inward, to breath, emotions and thoughts. This process will help to quiet the anxious, thought-a-second mind with what is called mindfulness practice. With this foundation, you’ll enhance practices such as meditation, conscious breathing and cognitive behavioral techniques that lead to self-directed growth.
As you learn to slow the pace of your thoughts, you will begin to better notice the repetitive, unhelpful thoughts that can lead to unsatisfying behaviors. This is the work of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
When we quiet the mind, we open the pathway to the heart. This is where compassion, self-acceptance, joy, spaciousness and graciousness can take root and grow.
Quieting the mind is the first step to change an unsatisfying behavior .
