Mindfulness meditation is a practice of intentional present-moment awareness, particularly with a spirit of equanimity and non-judgment. I use mindfulness often in psychotherapy, as it can be a powerful tool to process or heal past pain, trauma, anxiety, depression, complicated grief, insecurity, patterns of reactivity, and other difficult mental and emotional states. In modern culture, mindfulness has become a relatively common practice for improved concentration and stress reduction. Although these are legitimate byproducts of mindfulness practice, I often underscore with new clients that the aim of mindfulness as I employ it in therapy goes beyond goals of relaxation or stress reduction to create more genuine change and relief from unresolved emotional material.
Beyond applications in therapy, I’m particularly passionate about working with people who are establishing, developing, or expanding their own mindfulness practice. This includes everyone from newcomers through Dharma veterans and experienced practitioners. I support others in navigating the various challenges that can arise through introspective work: spiritual experiences, difficult emotional material (including trauma), or feeling stuck in some capacity. In recent years, I have expanded this offering to include both preparing for and integrating psychedelic experiences.
For more resources on mindfulness, see the books and audio section.