Mindfulness Training, Therapy at Thriveworks Amherst—Therapists and Counselors
It’s been a long day, and it’s time for some Netflix. Along the way to the couch, you pick up a bag of Doritos. Just a few, you think. But two hours later, you have two other empty bags of chips laying around you, and one halfway gone in your lap. What happened? You think as shame overwhelms you.
9 a.m. the next morning and the traffic is awful. You’re almost late to work. Someone cuts you off. You slam your car horn and veer out to pass him. You’re still speeding when you fly by a cop, who pulls you over and gives you a ticket. It wasn’t even my fault. You mutter as you finally pull away.
Finally, you made it through the workday and have only one more social dinner in the way between you and some much needed down-time. You’re nervous as you walk up to your boss’s house. There’s a lot of people at this dinner, and crowds were never really your thing. You walk in and your heart races. Your palms are sweaty and what if you have to shake someone’s hand? You haven’t even said hi to one person before you’re in the bathroom having a panic attack. Why does this happen to me?
***
Not being fully aware of what’s going on around and in us happens to everyone. We could be fully aware and focused one second, but then a trigger occurs, or too much happens all at once, or something new pops up, and we lose our touch with control and awareness. We’re suddenly at the mercy of our instincts, emotions, and habits.
How can we push past these human barriers and remain centered all the time? The answer is deceptively simple- mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a core habit of many of the Thriveworks Amherst counselors. It helps us live happy, balanced lives, and we’re excited to share it with you! Call a mindfulness therapist or counselor today at 413-634-4805
What Is Mindfulness?
Thousands of years ago, Buddhist monks really put mindfulness to wok in their pursuit of enlightenment. In the more present times, mindfulness has been researched and proven to be a method that positively impacts mental health.
The basics of mindfulness are becoming more aware of your current physical, mental, and emotional condition. It’s about fighting to live in the “now”. It’s a difficult fight though, and Thriveworks Amherst always practices being nonjudgmental. Mindfulness is not easy to get on the first, or second, or third tries! It can be easy to just identify everything that’s wrong in our “now” and not move past it. Identifying is just one step in mindfulness. Then, we’ll work on moving past it.
Becoming aware means asking a lot of questions. Mindfulness is about exploring questions like: What are you feeling? Smelling? Touching? How are your emotions and thoughts? What’s a possible reason behind them?
How Can Mindfulness Be Helpful?
Research has shown how mindfulness can increase the productivity in the brain. It’s been linked to lower levels of depression, anxiety, and anger. It’s also proved helpful in combatting different mental health issues such as addictions and eating disorders.
Thriveworks Amherst meets you where you’re at. What we do with mindfulness will depend on our unique situation and personality. We’ll practice living in the moment and riding the choppy waves life brings. Of course, we can’t always be in the present. Planning ahead is crucial for success and survival, but there are ways we can do it mindfully. We’ll practice all this and more in a mindfulness session at Thriveworks Amherst!
What Does Mindfulness Look Like at Thriveworks Amherst?
Mindfulness is versatile, and our Amherst counselors are flexible, so nearly any issue can be brought up in a mindfulness session! If you’re unhappy with an area of your life, you don’t have to just deal with it. There are ways to overcome your hardships and live a happier life.
A few of the issues we talk about include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Eating behaviors/disorders
- Addiction
- Stress
- Insomnia
- Anger
- Decision making
Our client-first mentality means we adapt to you, not the other way around. What could change in your life if you decided to address it head-on, with the help of a professional counselor?
Mindfulness could have been applied to any of the situations mentioned at the beginning and changed the results. With mindfulness, you might have realized late-night eating was a trigger for a binge and chosen a different location or activity. You could have caught yourself getting angry and calmed down before the cop pulled you over. Panic attacks will always remain difficult to catch and stop. It takes a lot of strength and self-awareness. With mindfulness though, it becomes possible!
Close your eyes and imagine a life where you were in full control of your reactions. In fact, you were more proactive than reactive. That life is possible with mindfulness, and Thriveworks Amherst is here to provide the coaching and support you need to realize it. So, call a therapist or counselor from Thriveworks Amherst today at 413-634-4805.
