Rick Tabor, Program Coordinator at Seattle, Washington’s Sound Mental Health’s Community Networks Program, King County. Rick has been at SMH since 1989. Rick has been in the mental health field since 1975. He is a licensed mental health counselor, certified youth & adult developmental disabilities specialist & a child, adult mental health professional. Rick is also a Veteran with a history of counseling active duty military soldiers, dependents and Vets. He currently coordinates a program that offers mental health, vocational, behavioral, stabilization recovery and CD services. & just for fun, once a Quarter he Dee Jay’s the CNP Dances [Quarterly Therapeutic Events]. & don’t tell anyone, but he’s also been a Seahawk Season Ticket Holder 12th Man since 1999. Today, he’s your presenter. Hello Folks, Hope I pass the Audition… Let’s have some fun learning. Are you ready?

Let’s Be Mindful of Today’s Discussion

1) We’ll open with an Inspirational Slide Show

While listening to an Uplifting Music Playlist.

2) We’ll do a Progressive Relaxation Exercise;

Breathing, Muscle & Imagery.

3) We’ll play Mindfulness Jeopardy; Coping Skills, Emotional Regulation & Mindfulness.

JEAPORDY GAME Guidelines;Three Game Categories;

1) Coping Skills2) Emotional Regulation

3) MindfulnessLET’s PLAY JEOPADY

- The facilitator selects a participant/team.- Player choses a category.

- And the participant selects the value/points- Facilitator reads the selected question.

- Discuss the answer, diagraming or showing the corresponding Power Point Slide.

- This is followed by brief discussion of the concept.

Mindful Jeopardy Game has Three Categories;

Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation & Coping Skills;

9 Coping Skills;1) Deal with your feelings2) Adjust your attitude3) Discover your choices4) Accept imperfection5) Give yourself a break6) Take one step at a time7) Treat yourself kindly8) Plan ahead9) Ask for help

Nine Coping Skills

1. Deal With Your Feelings. Feelings are important because they can tell us what we need to do. To deal with our feelings, we must; name them, realize it’s ok to feel them & express them in a safe way. Then you can decide what to do to feel better.

2. Adjust Your Attitude. What we tell ourselves about the situation will determine how we feel about it. Looking at the good side of things (having a positive attitude) can help us feel better.

3. Discover Your Choices. In every situation there are things that can & cannot change. We help ourselves when we choose something that can be changed & working toward that goal (remember, our attitude can always be changed).

4. Accept Imperfection. No person or thing is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. We can help ourselves by remembering this & then adjusting our attitude & discovering our choices.

5. Give Yourself a Break. When you get tired, physically or emotionally, we can help ourselves get our energy back by relaxing & taking a break from what we are doing. Taking break can help us feel better.

6. Take Things One Step at a Time. When we have too much to do of think about we can feel overwhelmed. We’ll feel better if we slow down, prioritize & take things one step at a time.

7. Treat Yourself Kindly. When we are angry at ourselves, or push ourselves too hard, it can make us feel worse. If we use patience & gentle affirmations we can feel better.

8. Plan Ahead. When we have a lot to do or think about, planning ahead can help prevent problems before they arise. Planning ahead helps us to have enough time, energy & tools to complete the task.

9. Ask For Help. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try or how many coping skills we use, we still can’t solve our problem. That is when it is time to ask for help.

MindfulnessBeing Very Present In The Moment

MINDFULNESS derives from the Sanskrit word Meaning;

AWARENESSMore recently translated to;

“To Come Back To AWARENESS”In today’s fast paced world

MINDFULNESS emphasis is on the;The Journey / Process

Instead of the Destination or OutcomeMINDFULNESS Cultivates;

Positive Attitudes, Patience, Trust & Wellness

So, what is mindfulness? “Paying attention: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally."

The simplicity in mindfulness focusses on; Stress Management, Emotional Regulation, Personal Growth & Wellness.

To be mindful we must choose to be an observer of our own life as it unfolds in the present moment without judging what we see.

To do this we must find the quiet place within us that exists between our thoughts, and then develop an "observing self" that can detach from the drama of our life and just "see," in a manner similar to how seasoned journalists calmly and nonjudgmentally report the facts of a dramatic story unfolding.

This would be a novel concept in today’s media driven sensationalistic reporting.

“

”

Pro’s & Cons of MindfulnessYou can be in ‘the moment’ & Everything changes in a flash.

Never Give up Your Power. That moment becomes a Memory, relished

during the hard times.

Another Moment will come again If You Believe.

Mindfulness allows us to see things as they are

without filtering them through our defenses, biases, prejudices, and expectations.

Mindfulness does not mean we necessarily like or condone what we see;

It simply means we refuse to deny or filter what we see. Mindfulness is about seeing what is, so we have the

most accurate information possible upon which to base our decisions.

Mindfulness replaces denial and distortion with the clarity of acceptance, which leads to wisdom and

better choices for ourselves.

Core Mindfulness, Three Primary States of Mind; by Marsha Linehan

1) Reasonable Mind; is approaching knowledge intellectually, is thinking rationally and logically, attends to empirical facts, is planful in her/his behavior, focuses her/his attention & is calm in their approach to problems.

2) Emotion Mind; thinking and behavior are controlled primarily by one’s current emotional state. In “emotion mind,” cognitions are “not”; reasonable, logical thinking is difficult; facts are amplified or distorted to be congruent with current affect; and the energy of behavior is also congruent with the current emotional state.

3) Wise Mind; the integration of “emotion mind” and “reasonable mind.” It also goes beyond them: “Wise mind” adds intuitive knowing to emotional experiencing and logical analysis. The Quite, Calm one must reach to be in the zone needed to function during a chaotic situation.

REBT [Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy] ABCs

A - Activating EventB - BeliefC - ConsequenceD - Dispute the BeliefE - Effect (put the new belief into effect) F - Find out if the new belief is working. If not; repeat the ABC’s Albert Ellis’s format for a positive reframe

Being In The Zone;

The Past = Depression Unless We Learn From It.

Being In The ZoneLearning from the Past, While Planning for

the Future

The Future = Anxiety (Worry) Unless We Use Our Past Lessons & Apply them to Our Future Plans.

By over-valuing and over-identifying with our thinking minds,

We have come to believe that everything we think is true and important, but that is not the case. Our thinking mind constantly generates thoughts. That is just what it does. Some thoughts are helpful, and some are not. The trick is to figure out which thoughts to pay attention to and which ones to detach from. A basic rule of thumb is this: Our thinking mind is most helpful when we are analyzing from a calm or neutral emotional state, and it is least helpful when we are analyzing from an upset emotional state. Therefore, it is rarely helpful to try to think our way out of emotional upsetness. Instead, it is much more helpful to intentionally switch from analyzing to a mindfulness calm presence so we can "see" what is going on and respond more appropriately by utilizing the wisdom of our organism (self) in response to the situation. The Solution vs. The Problem.

• Mindfulness is to be aware of what is going on within yourself, switching energy (and your attention will follow).

• Wise mind is a balanced place of creativity, inspiration, intuition, and letting go.

• I go to wise mind so that I can switch to another state of mind.

• A certain sensation occurs in wise mind – it has a quality of calm and peacefulness about the moment. Being very present in the moment.

• Sometimes I have to let go of emotional action temptations and use all willingness shift to a different place so that I can anchor myself.

• Mindfulness isn’t so much a change in thoughts and images, it’s a change in awareness of thought.

The Practice of Mindful Meditation & Positive Self Talk

Over time, increases concentration so that when PTSD memory images come, I can separate from them like I would with thoughts.

• When the image or thought or emotion comes in, do deep breathing to stay in the moment and tell yourself that the reaction was appropriate in the actual situation but not appropriate at this moment.

• After mindful concentration, if the flashback continues, go to distraction,then radical acceptance.

• Suffering is about fighting the pain. When I observe and describe the experience of the moment, suffering makes the pain seem bigger because I’m always saying, “I can’t stand this. It never goes away.”

But if I stop telling myself negative things and stop fighting the pain, then I could view it from a mindful perspective, without judgments. The pain comes, I acknowledge it, don’t fight it, accept it, forgive it. Give the pain permission to dissipate without continued suffering.

• I can intervene between stimulus and response in order to enter wise mind if I practice finding wise mind using mindfulness meditation. Achieving intervention (thus changing my mind state) can become an option, a choice in the way I respond to certain situations. But if my history is such that I have no experience for alternative ways of responding, then there is no option because I have no frame of reference for it.

• I’ll Need to build Mindfulness skills to have more options.

• Mindfulness continues to build in layers. For instance: first, maybe I become mindful of the sounds around me. Then, I become mindful of the sounds and the descriptions I use to describe the sounds. So, I observe them both. Next, I may become aware that I am making judgments. Finally, I become nonjudgmental.

A spiritual master received a learned manWho came to gain deeper insight into mysteries of life.

The master prepared tea.While serving the tea he began to explain,But the learned professor kept on interrupting with his own opinions.So the master poured his visitor’s cup full; and then kept on pouring.

The learned man watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself,“It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” the master said,” you are full of your own opinions & speculations.How can I show you anything unless you first empty your cup?”

A Famous Zen Saying

6 Simple Mindfulness Practices1. Presence (be in the here & now) 2. Architect of your life (build it)3. Personal time (make time for solitude)4. Ask “Why?” (Learn)5. Know your food and appreciate meals6. Understand the impact of your actions

Six Steps to Living in the Moment;1: To improve your performance, stop thinking about it (unselfconsciousness).2: To avoid worrying about the future, focus on the present (savoring).3: Enhance time with your significant other, friends & family, by inhabiting the present (breathe).4: Make the most of time; lose track of it (flow).5: If something is bothering you, move toward it rather than away from it (acceptance).6: Know that you don't know (engagement).

Having a Sense of Purpose 1) Leads to Happiness 2) Helps with Stress Management3) Leads to a Healthier Life4) Improves Mood Regulation5) Increases a Lifespan by 15%

Mindfulness Skills Are the vehicles for balancing “Emotion Mind” and “Reasonable Mind” to achieve “Wise Mind.”

There are Three “What” Skills;1) Observing, 2) Describing and 3) Participating

and Three “How” Skills; 1) Taking a nonjudgmental stance, 2) Focusing on one thing in the moment, and 3) Being effective

Ostrich EffectAvoiding Negative Information

The Ostrich buries its head in the sand. The (lack of) logic, presumably: “If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.”

Mindfulness

• Typically developed through Progressive Relaxation /Meditation

• Practicing Nonjudgmental and Acceptance

• Moment-to-Moment Awareness of Immediate Experience,

• Without Judgment and with Acceptance

• Participant-Observer on Thoughts, Feelings, Memories

• Thoughts come and go, without being grasped or avoided: “Letting Go”

• “Sitting with” emerging emotions

Interpersonal Effectiveness; Effective communication by being assertive.Includes Emotional Regulation.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

In DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), Interpersonal Effectiveness refers to the skills which help us to1) Attend to relationships 2) Balance priorities versus demands 3) Balance the 'wants' and 'shoulds' 4) Build a sense of mastery and self-respect

http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/interpersonal.htm

Exercises & Games People Play

1. Make your ownInspirational Slide Show

with an Uplifting Music Playlist.2. Do daily Progressive Relaxation Exercises

3. Think about the Mindfulness Jeopardy Game’s; 9 Coping Skills, Mindfulness & Emotional Regulation

4. Make a List of ‘Things That Make You Happy’5. Make a Deal with Yourself, to Do Everything on Your List.6. Repeat above periodically.

Suggested Readings

Kabat-Zinn , J.(2005). Whereever You Go, There You Are. (10th Anniversary Edition). & any other Kabat-Zinn, J. book.

Jamie Marich, Ph.D. Creative Mindfulness ; 20+ Strategies for Wellness & Recovery & dancing Mindfulness; Live (DVD) (2013)

Mark S Schneider, Ph.D. , Change Your Attitude; Positive Intervention (CD) (2013)

Germer, C.J., Siegel, R.D., & Fulton, P.R. (2005). Mindfulness and psychotherapy. New York: Guilford Press.

Kornfield, J. (2008). The wise heart: A guide to the universal teachings of Buddhist psychology. NY: Bantam.

Matthew McKay, PH.D, Jefferey Wood, Psys.D, Jeffery Brantley, MD Practical DBT exercises. (2007), The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook

Tony Atwood’s Emotion Regulation (aspersers) & Emotional Tool Box

Briere, J., & Scott, C. (in press/2012). Principles of trauma therapy: A guide to symptoms, evaluation, and treatment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Briere, J. (2012). Compassion and mindfulness in psychotherapy for trauma survivors. In C.K. Germer and R.D. Siegel (Eds.), Compassion and wisdom in psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.

Briere, J. (in press). Mindfulness, insight, and trauma therapy. In C.K. Germer, R.D., Siegel, & P.R. Fulton (Eds.), Mindfulness and psychotherapy, 2nd edition. NY: Guilford.

Julie Brown Skills Curriculum instructor guide

Buron & Curtis The incredible 5-point scale (2012)

Williams & Shellenberger How Does Your Engine Run

Mindfulness Research Monthly; http://www.mindfuleperience.org/newsletter.php

Pinterest.Com, https://www.pinterest.com/explore/developmental-disabilities/