Online Therapy in Michigan: Mindfulness

With my online therapy practice with high-achievers, I give clients tools that they can use to improve their quality of life. I blog about different tool such as behavioral activation, journaling, and 3 Good Things. In this blog, I’ll be discussing what mindfulness is, some techniques that you can use, and some challenges that people face.

My definition of mindfulness is being aware of what is. That’s it, short and sweet. Mindfulness is being aware of what is occurring. You can be aware of what is occurring inside of you, as well as what is happening around you. The way I like to use mindfulness in my practice is as a tool. It’s a tool to recognize how a person is feeling and thinking. It’s also a tool to help people get grounded when they are activated or feeling emotions. It helps people be focused on the present. It can be used as a coping mechanism. 

4 Mindfulness Techniques

Belly Breathing

Another name for the belly breathing technique is called diaphragmatic breathing. Instead of breathing into the chest, we breathe deeply into the belly. We put one hand on our chest and one hand on our belly. We take a slow deep breath in through our nose and breath to our belly so it moves against our hand. Our chest should remain as still as possible. Focus on the air coming into the body. We exhale slowly through our mouths while our chest remains as still as possible. Focus on the air leaving the body.

Here’s a youtubes video of diaphragmatic breathing

Box Breathing

With box breathing, imagine breathing around a box. Inhale as you count to 4 and visualize going to the top of the box. Hold your breath to a count of 4 as you visualize going across the top of the box. Exhale to a count of 4 as you visualize going down the side of the box. Hold your breath to a count of 4 as you visualize going across the bottom of the box. Throughout the exercise, focus on your breath.

Here’s a video of Box breathing relaxation technique: how to calm feelings of stress or anxiety

Body Scan

A body scan mindfulness exercise is when you scan your body for tension, pain, or anything out of the ordinary. You tune into your body to notice any type of sensations at all. Focus on what you are physically feeling.

Here’s a short 3-minute body scan meditation video

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

A muscle relaxation exercise is where you tighten a specific muscle for a short amount of time, followed by relaxing the muscle. This is another technique to be in tune with your body. The goal is to notice the tightening and relaxing of the muscles.

Here’s a progressive muscle relaxation video

The Common Challenge

The common challenge occurring when doing these mindfulness techniques is having your mind wander. It’s perfectly normal and natural. When your mind wanders, once you catch your mind wandering, bring it right back to the mindfulness technique. These are mindfulness practices. Mind wandering is completely in line with mindfulness practices. Remember, the point of mindfulness is to be aware. If your mind wanders, it wanders.

Mindfulness practices are a technique that I use with my clients regularly. Mindfulness helps with well-being and can reduce anxiety and depression. My clients find it helps them be present in the moment and be aware of the way they are thinking and feeling. Try out these 4 mindfulness techniques.

Reach Out for Online Therapy in Michigan

When you’re ready to build your base of emotional intelligence, reach out for a free 15-minute consultation. I’m Chris Rabanera. I provide online therapy in California, online therapy in Michigan, and online therapy in Las Vegas. I provide therapy for men, as well as work on issues such as physician burnout, grief counseling, anxiety, depression, and individuals dealing with relationships.