.png)
MINDFULNESS BASED THERAPY
Mindfulness based Therapy will build awareness and support you to shine a light onto the contents of your mind. You will learn the skills needed to discover the real and authentic you. Be at peace in the here and now!
Tamika is an experienced meditation and mindfulness teacher and has been practicing daily meditation, as well as facilitating groups and retreats for over 15 years. Tamika is a fully accredited Mindfulness and Meditation practitioner and trainer, having completed her studies with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach at the Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP).
Being well versed as a mindfulness therapist and trainer, Tamika is able to work eclectically using a range of different modalities so you can heal from any past hurt, trauma or pain.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is becoming aware of yourself and your environment in the present moment. Being aware and noticing any thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations in a nonjudgmental way. The mind can take you off into the past with rumination and going over history, or off into the future, worrying about what might happen. It is said that the mind is a dreadful master, but a good servant. When you are mindful, you are able to become aware of how active the mind is and how it is directing you in relation to your thoughts. It allows you to be in the present moment – right here right now with a moment by moment awareness of what is happening NOW.
What is Mindfulness Based Therapy?
Mindfulness-based therapy is psychotherapy that uses mindfulness to promote present centred awareness, as well as good mental, emotional and physical health. Even if you are new to mindfulness and meditation practices, mindfulness based therapy can help anyone. It can help people who have experienced trauma, with mental health issues like anxiety, depression, addiction, and other mental conditions. It can also help you if you have physical pain and psychosomatic problems that are causing mental health issues.
​
Meditation is a formal practice of sitting and quietening the mind, whereas mindfulness offers you the tools and skills to apply mindfulness to specific anchors, such as mindfulness of the breath, to any sensations, to what you can hear, what you can see. This allows you to be more focused in the present moment to whatever is occurring in the NOW. Mindfulness allows you to take your meditation practice off the mat and into your everyday life.
​
Research has shown that some of the benefits of mindfulness based therapy are:
-
Improvement in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and decreased pain.
-
Decrease in negative emotional states
-
Being more responsive and less reactive
-
Able to regulate emotions
-
Feel more centred and calm
-
Improved sleep patterns
-
Engages the rest and digest (parasympathetic) nervous system
Whilst you may feel calmer and more relaxed, mindfulness based therapy is not focused on relaxation, but more on increasing awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and actions that stop you from living your life in peace. When we are aware of self limiting beliefs, negative thoughts or behaviours, you have the capacity to make conscious choice towards change.
Techniques used in Mindfulness Based Therapy?
Tamika is a fully qualified Gestalt Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist, Resource Therapist and utilises somatic techniques when working with clients. Adapting the Mindfulness based therapy into her sessions; you will experience some of the following techniques:
-
Guided visualisation and imagery
-
Breathing exercises
-
Progressive muscle relaxation
-
Becoming aware of the senses of your body
-
Somatic experiencing – what are you noticing right here right now
-
Gentle mindfulness movement
-
Engaging the relaxation response in your body
-
Body awareness – posture
-
Zones of your awareness – inner (what you are sensing), outer (what you are seeing) and middle zones (your thoughts)
-
Experimenting with trying something different, or some new behaviour in a safe and supported environment
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION SESSIONS AND CLASSES
Mindful meditation is a present moment technique, where you sit still and notice whatever comes to you in a non judgment way. You have the ability to notice any feelings, thoughts, physical sensations or memories that may come
up for you. Rather than pushing away any feelings, thoughts, physical sensations or memories, you notice them and let them pass.
Mindful body scan is often used in mindfulness meditation. This is often done lying down; however, it can also be done sitting or even standing. Starting the scan by focusing on any sensations in your head and then continuing down your body, one area at a time, until you reach all of the toes and then the whole body. This body scan allows you to feel calm and focused.
Tamika facilitates fortnightly meditation and mindfulness classes, as well as offering personal one to one sessions. Please contact Tamika to find out more.
Mindfulness based Therapy will build awareness and support you to shine a light onto the contents of your mind. You will learn the skills needed to discover the real and authentic you. Be at peace in the here and now!