Mindful Therapy Revealed
When people look for a mindful therapist in Chicago, they usually are looking for someone to who can teach them skills on how to stay more present. In other words, a counselor who can help them live in the here and now.
But what does “being more present really mean?”
In the general sense, being more present is all about learning to observe your thoughts instead of getting caught up in them. When we observe a thought, we simply acknowledge their presence without judging them or taking any action.
If this sounds easier said than done, you wouldn’t be alone. The truth is mindfulness-based skills take time to acquire and practice. For example, if you struggle with meditation because your mind tends to wander, learning how to work through can be challenging.
What Mindful Therapists Teach
A good mindful therapist will teach you the necessary skills on how to stay more centered through a variety of techniques. You may be wondering what kind of skills. Well, here are a few examples:
- Breathing techniques
- Radical acceptance
- Personal affirmations
- Creative visualization
- Being with thoughts
- Narrative approaches
- Physical activities for grounding purposes
- Self-hypnosis
Is Mindfulness Natural?
One of the many benefits of mindful therapy, particularly when combined with something like CBT, is how holistic it is. Long story short, this means mindfulness is one-hundred percent natural.
In this way, mindfulness is a tool that you can call upon to help cope with anxiety, depression, negative thinking and even addictions. That word tool is important because this form of therapy isn’t designed to be the end all – be all treatment. In truth, some people combine mindful therapeutic approaches with other modalities and medications as prescribed by their psychiatrist.
Mindful Counseling
If you are looking for a therapist who practices mindful counseling and therapy, it is best to find a professional who takes a skill-based perspective. In other words, a person who wants to teach you coping strategies for being more centered and focused on the present.
If you are looking for this type of therapy, send us a note via our contact page.