Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a hot topic at the moment. Although Mindfulness seems to be a new thing in the Western world it is an ancient practice found in a wide range of Eastern philosophies, including Buddhism, Taoism and Yoga. So what is it?

Mindfulness is a type of meditation that helps us to live in the moment, wake up, connect with ourselves. To be mindful is to be aware of your thoughts and actions in the present, without judging yourself. It is the art of conscious living.

"Paying attention in a particular way:on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally." Jon Kabat-Zinn

“Bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis.” Marlatt &Kristeller

“Consciously bringing awareness to your here-and-now experience, with openness, interest and receptiveness.” The Happiness Trap

How to Try Mindfulness Meditation

1. Find a quiet and comfortable place. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your head, neck and back straight but not stiff.

2. Try to put aside all thoughts of the past and the future and stay in the present

3. Become aware of your breathing, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body as you breathe. Feel your belly rise and fall, the air enter your nostrils and leave your mouth. Pay attention to the way each breath changes and is different

4. Watch every thought come and go, whether it be a worry, fear, anxiety or hope. When thoughts come up in your mind, don't ignore or suppress them but simply note them, remain calm and use your breathing as an anchor

5. If you find yourself getting carried away in your thoughts, observe where your mind went off to, without judging, and simply return to your breathing. Remember not to be hard on yourself if this happens. Just notice that the feelings change overtime

6. As the time comes to a close, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where you are. When you are ready get up gradually

Mindfulness helps people to see their situation, thoughts and feelings in a non-judgemental way so they can stop themselves from reacting impulsively. It gives them time and space to consider a new way of acting, to break a negative cycle of thinking and doing, and to feel more in control of their actions.

Try it now and see the benefits for yourself.

Hypnotherapy, CBT & NLP can hep you to become more aware of yourself and your feelings. To find out what else this amazing combination of therapies can help please click here.

By Erika Keat

Erika offers Hypnotherapy, CBT & NLP at Waterloo Therapy Rooms on Wednesdays all day, please contact Erika for more information.

© EKTherapies

Psychotherapy & Counselling at WTR!

Hello!

My name is Lucy Corbally, I am a professional counsellor and psychotherapist and I have a practice here at the wonderful Waterloo Therapy Rooms.  I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce myself and what I do, and hopefully answer any questions you might have about therapy.

I’ll be blogging on various subjects that I know touch my life – and perhaps yours too.  I hope you find it a useful starting point; if you have any questions, you can always visit and contact me via my website, I’d love to hear from you!

I MUST BE CRAZY!

For a long time, therapy has held a stigma.  Thankfully those times are changing and more and more of us are open to the idea of exploring our own minds and what leads us to being the ‘us’ we are today.  We can all identify with times in our lives when we’ve felt stuck – not knowing what to do next for the best, not knowing which way to turn.  We feel lost in the dark and no one is coming to our rescue.  Sometimes, things become clear and sort themselves out.  But sometimes, as is the way when certain patterns present themselves time and time again, or when the issues at hand feels just too big or foggy to see clearly, speaking with someone who is professionally dedicated to listening to your story, your worries and issues, can help you to find your direction again.

People come to therapy because they want to find new, positive, more effective ways to live their lives in a fulfilling way, because they don’t want to feel lost and stuck any more, or because they are curious and open to exploring the complexity of life and all it has to offer.  Does that sound crazy to you?  I wouldn’t say so!

COUNSELLING OR PSYCHOTHERAPY? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Generally speaking, the terms are fairly interchangeable.  But you could say that counselling tends to focus on one specific issue, such as with grief or particular habits, and generally lasts for a set number of sessions – this would be discussed in your first meeting with your counsellor.  Psychotherapy can refer to longer, more in depth work which may look to address the causes and effects of a number of issues that might be affecting you.

INTEGRATIVE THERAPY? HUH?!

I use an integrative approach in my practice, which means that I draw from many therapeutic theories as and when appropriate so that we can best focus on you as an individual and the issues you bring with you.  This is not a one size fits all approach – this is about you as the unique individual that you are.

BUT I’M SO EMBARASSED ABOUT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY!

Don’t worry about that!  The most wonderful thing therapy offers is a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space for you to be you.   Empathy is one of the key attributes of good therapy – not sympathy, not critical – empathy describes a position whereby the therapist goes with you on your journey of self-discovery; it is accepting, understanding, respectful and as far as is possible, experiencing alongside you what you are going through.  I’ve never known of a good therapist being shocked yet!

SO WHAT CAN I ACTUALLY EXPECT?

The first thing is to email me – I’ll then get in touch with you and we can have a chat on the phone or over email about you and what you think therapy can help you with.  We can then arrange a time to meet for an initial consultation session where we can discuss in more depth the areas of your life you’d like to look at.  After that, if we both decide it’s the right thing for you, we set up a regular time to meet, usually one 50 minute session per week, and take it from there.  We will usually review our progress every few weeks.

You can expect a confidential, comfortable space; a friendly welcome and professional guidance.  Therapy is about learning, accepting and growing.  It can be painful, but also deeply rewarding.  It is about positive lasting change, and all you need to bring with you is willing.   It is a space for you to be honest, to express yourself, to speak as freely as you wish to, to feel things that perhaps everyday life doesn’t afford you the time or place to do so.....a truly freeing and liberating experience in itself!  Therapy is all about you – making time to understand who you are, be curious and explore your potential.  Life is the greatest adventure of all – I believe that everyone has a right to, and is capable of living a happy and fulfilling life.  I hope that we can work together to explore and discover what that means to you.

By Lucy Corbally (Adv dip psych; dip hyp; MCS Acc)

Lucy is a professional counsellor and psychotherapist and runs a practice at Waterloo Therapy Rooms on Tuesday evenings - please contact Lucy for more information.  She is accredited by the National Counselling Society.  In her spare time, she loves spending time with her chocolate Labradors and makes a mean Spaghetti Bolognese.

 

Website: www.one2onetherapy.co.uk

Happy Boxing Day!

This is my 49th blog of the year ( click here to see them all ). I started on the 13th January 2011 and have managed to write a post a week, publishing every Monday at 9am. Writing the blog has made me look more deeply into the wonderful world of hypnosis, looking at how it is portrayed in the news, how people’s  perception of it is changing, celebrities that have used hypnosis, different areas where hypnosis can be used, and approaching people with new ideas.

On a personal level it has also made me realise that I can write. Having dyslexia, I never felt that writing was my strong point, but I let go of the fear of failure and started to write.
I feel extremely lucky to do my job. I love the challenges I come across and find myself humbled by the people I meet and the strength they manage to find as they work with me to help themselves. I have worked with wonderful people this year, helping them to see that they can change the way they think and approach a situation to turn their life around. Many times I have walked out of the clinic with the biggest smile on my face, feeling very lucky to have been able to help someone help themselves. 

I am looking forward to the clients I will work with in 2012 and to continuing on this wonderful journey.

Thank you! Enjoy the rest of the Christmas break and have a brilliant new year. Make 2012 the year that you start working with the most powerful tool you will ever be given, the power of your mind.

“Erika has helped me more than you can imagine possible. I came to her in the middle of a nervous breakdown suffering from deep grief and traumatised by my loss. She helped me work through all the pain, the complex issues, build on all the positives in my life with a calm gentle manner that has within months enabled me to look forward to Christmas with a smile on my face and genuine happiness. But more than this she has left me not needing her anymore!! – That’s what I call a good therapist!” M, London


"Erika has helped me to regain my positive outlook on life! I've gone from being stressed and confused a month ago to now feeling more focused and confident. With Erika's help I've become decisive enough to make some big changes that have set up an exciting future for me. The results of our sessions have been better than I could've expected!" A, London


“I haven't touched a cigarette!! Today is my 16th day as a non-smoker - I'm so proud of myself but don't want to get complacent. The first few days were really tough, but since then it has got easier and I think about it less and less. I've even been out with people at work or pub and have just stood with them whilst they smoked and it’s actually been fine. I'm starting to feel better in myself, have a bit more energy and plan to start jogging next week. So thank you very much! I'm still taking it one day at a time but those days are getting easier.” L, London


"I just wanted to say thank you for all your help and excellent advice. I’m certainly feeling a lot better generally and couldn’thave done it without you. Thank you!" G, London


By Erika Keat

Erika offers Hypnotherapy, CBT & NLP at Waterloo Therapy Rooms on Wednesdays all day, please contact Erika for more information.