Therapy

• What is the therapy of the positive approach?

  Mindfulness
• Aims of mindfulness

  To allow people to be in control of their own mind by paying attention to their present thoughts and emotions.
• Main components of mindfulness

  Gaining control of thoughts

  Meditation and mindful breathing

  Informal practices of mindfulness
• Gaining control of thoughts 


  Focus on present thoughts, emotions and feelings.

  Avoid thinking about the past (which can lead to feelings of guilt, remorse, etc) and the future (worry, anxiety, etc).

  Bringing focus to the present allows greater awareness of negative thoughts, allowing them to control them.

  Helps individual’s recognise when negative thoughts are occurring and alter their response.
• Meditation and mindful breathing

  Meditation is learned through guided instruction and personal practice.

  Involves the client sitting comfortably, spine straight, focusing on their breathing, paying attention to their body’s sensations, thoughts and emotions. This prevents the intrusion of negative thoughts.
• Informal practices of mindfulness

  Once learned, can be practiced informally during everyday life.

  Informal mindfulness is the opposite of multitasking.

  When the mind begins to wander must bring their attention back to their breathing and the sensations they are experiencing.
• Ways of practicing mindfulness

  Basic mindfulness meditation - sit quietly and focus on your natural breathing or on a word or mantra that you repeat silently. Allow thoughts to come & go without judgement and return focus to breath or mantra.

  Body sensations - notice subtle body sensations without judgement and let them pass. Notice each part of your body in succession from head to toe.

  Sensory - notice different senses, name them (eg ‘sound’ ‘smell’) without judgement let them go.
• Mindfulness based programme

  Mindfulness in schools project (MiSP):

  For 11-18 year olds in schools.

  10 lessons between 40mins-1hr.

  Intro - why it is worth doing.

  L1 - paying attention.

  L2 - taming the animal mind.

  L3 - recognising worry.

  L4 - being here now.

  L5 - moving mindfully.

  L6 - stepping back.

  L7 - befriending the difficult.

  L8 - taking in the good.

  L9 - pulling it all together.
• Williams et al (2013)


  Found that MBCT is as effective at reducing the recurrence of depression as antidepressants.
• Reibel et al (2001)


  Reported that MBSR decreased levels of anxiety and depression in 136 patients who participated in an 8 week mindfulness programme, involving 20 mins of meditation per day. The results were maintained after a 1 year follow up.
• Weare (2013)


  Schemes such as MiSP have been demonstrated to have positive outcomes in terms of reducing anxiety and distress as well as improving behaviour.
• Kuyken (2013)


  Evidence suggests that children who used mindfulness practices more frequently reported higher well-being and lower stress scores.
• Mindfulness issues of effectiveness

  Was not developed to help people with mental illnesses. Free from traditional Buddhist meditation.

  Does not get to the root cause of mental illness.
• Mindfulness is ethical


  Does not require reliving past trauma.

  Compared to CBT, no patient blame.

  Compared to psychosurgery & drug therapy, no side effects.
• Mindfulness is not ethical


  Often delivered by untrained practitioners.