The Heart of Therapy
Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally focusing one's attention on the present moment while acknowledging and accepting one's thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment without judgment. It involves being fully engaged in whatever is happening in the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. At its core, mindfulness is about cultivating awareness and presence in everyday life. ​ The term 'mindfulness' in its contemporary form was popularised in the West mainly through the work of Jon Kabat-Zin,  a molecular biologist, after exploring various meditation traditions such as Zen Buddhism and Vipassana meditation.  He studied under several teachers, including Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen master and Philip Kapleau Roshi, a Zen Buddhist teacher. Gautama Buddha is famously known to have used mindfulness during his quest for enlightenment; however, it is thought that the concept of mindful awareness has roots that go even further back than that. Anyone can practice mindfulness, regardless of their philosophical and religious beliefs, as a valuable tool for enhancing mental and emotional well-being in profound ways. If you have any more questions, please feel welcome to ask us.
Research using brain imaging techniques like MRI shows that mindfulness practice can cause physical changes to the brain in a very positive way. This includes the areas of the brain involved in regulating emotions, attention, learning, memory, and self-awareness. Research has shown that regular mindfulness practice can have numerous benefits for mental and physical well-being, including helping you to better handle tough emotions and feelings, and growing your self-compassion and acceptance. It helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improve focus and attention, enable an increased sense of connection and resilience, and greater overall life satisfaction. With sincere, consistent practice, we have found that mindfulness can help you tap into an inner reservoir of peace and contentment that remains accessible through even the most difficult times.
Mindfulness can be a challenging practice because it invites us to sit with our thoughts and feelings without distraction. Our minds are often busy focused on the past or the future, and when we try to focus on the present moment, it can feel uncomfortable or even overwhelming. It's normal to find it difficult, especially at the beginning, and that's why having gentle, supportive guidance from an experienced practitioner is so important in making mindfulness feel more safe and manageable.
At The Heart of Therapy, we teach mindfulness in an embodied way, drawing from the experience of our own consistent practice rather than merely from textbooks. We understand that mindfulness is a challenging skill to learn, and we've experienced first hand that the benefits are worth the effort. Are we perfect at it? Of course not—far from it. But perfection isn't necessary to experience the considerable benefits of mindfulness.
Please feel welcome to take a look at the following source list, which includes compelling research evidence on the benefits of MIndfulness practice. The compilation of this list is still in progress. Thank you for being patient with us as we complete this. Germer, C. K., & Neff, K. D. (2019). Teaching the mindfulness self-compassion program: A guide for professionals. The Guilford Press. Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57(1), 35-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00573-7 Hofmann, S. G., Sawyer, A. T., Witt, A. A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 169-183. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018555. Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T., & Lazar, S. W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006 Hölzel, B. K., Lazar, S. W., Gard, T., Schuman-Olivier, Z., Vago, D. R., & Ott, U. (2011). Mindfulness, well-being, and psychological flexibility: A neurocognitive framework. The Neuroscientist, 17(2), 154-171. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073858410388990 Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Delacorte Press. Luders, E., Toga, A. W., Lepore, N., & Gaser, C. (2009). The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter. NeuroImage, 45(3), 672-678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.12.048 Rogers, H. B., Christopher, M. S., & Sun, J. (2020). The mindful way through the semester: Evaluating the impact of integrating mindfulness into a first-year experience course on college students’ stress, well-being, and resilience. Journal of American College Health, 68(6), 563-571. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2019.1583657 Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2004). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: A new approach to preventing relapse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(1), 31-40. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.72.1.31 Shapiro, S. L., Oman, D., Thoresen, C. E., Plante, T. G., & Flinders, T. (2008). Mindfulness practice and its effects on psychological well-being. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64(7), 840-862. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20491
"Every step taken in mindfulness brings us one step closer to healing ourselves and the planet"
~Thich Nhat Hahn
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We would love to assist you on your mindfulness journey. To get the process started, you are welcome to use our online booking system to view our therapists' schedules and choose a time that best suits you.
We look forward to meeting you!