Mindfulness is something that everyone can incorporate into daily life.  Mindfulness involves observing and accepting the things around and within us, without judgment.  In therapy, Johanna may involve mindfulness skills to build awareness of various issues and to develop coping strategies.  Johanna also runs a six-week mindfulness group.  If you are interested in the next group cycle for mindfulness, please call the office.  The exercise below is not individualized to your needs as it may be in therapy, but is rather intended as a general exercise that you may find useful.

November’s mindfulness exercise:

At your next meal, start by taking one mindful bite.  Pick up the bite of food and first observe it visually.  What does the texture look like?  What colors do you see?  What is the overall shape?  Notice how it looks.  Next, smell the bite of food.  What flavors do you notice when you inhale?  As you bring it close to your nose, notice if it seems hot, cold or neutral.  Next, consider how this food came to be on your plate.  Did it start off as a plant or an animal?  Who cooked it?  What went into the preparation?  Finally, place the bite of food in your mouth.  Notice the temperature and the flavors.  Pause a moment to notice this before you chew.  Notice the texture as well, and how chewy it is.  Finally, after you finish eating this bite of food, take a moment to notice the residual taste of the bite and consider this bite of food traveling to your stomach.

NOTE: This is not intended to replace therapy.  Please contact Johanna at (585)406-3012 if you are interested in individual or group therapy.