Chapter 6

Ch6Exercise1.pdf

Mindfulness Exercise 1: Be-Still Mindfulness

(Approximately 5-10 minutes)
Therapist: I  would like everyone to start this exercise, as usual, by placing your feet squarely on the ground and sitting up in your chair so that your back is straight but not rigid. Assume the posture that we always take in these exercises. Lets begin by first noticing or paying attention to the fact that your body is actively sensing the environment. Notice that you can feel yourself sitting in the chair and you can feel your feet on the ground. Now, gently close your eyes. I would like you to place your attention at the tip of your nose and begin to notice the sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils, paying attention to your breathing Allow yourself to just gently be with breathing, paying attention to the gentle, easy air as it passes in and out You may also notice the rise and fall of your chest. Be aware of the expansion and contractionbe your breathing If you become distracted by your thoughts, just take a moment to notice where your thoughts took you, notice where your mind went, and then, without judgment, let go and return your attention to your breathing. If you get distracted a hundred times, bring yourself back to your breath a hundred times. Now lets just take the next few minutes to focus completely on breathing. (Allow a few minutes for focused breathing.) Now I would like you to turn your full attention to your body. Starting with your toes, scan up your body, following the scan right to the top of your head Notice the position you are sitting in and the way your body feels in the chair. As you pay attention to your body, I would like to you to practice remaining perfectly still except the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe. You may notice that you have an itch or a desire to move. You may notice some discomfort, but your only task at this time is to notice those desires, discomforts, and itches without any effort to make them different. Stay still Watch as your body and emotions and thoughts ask you to do something and notice too that you can remain perfectly still despite these requests. (Allow time for clients to remain still.) Continue to remain still as you notice the different sensations in your body. Also be aware that you do not need to react to sensations, you can simply observe them You can simply watch them come and go. (Allow time for clients to remain still. Then, continue with a few comments about being aware of the body while asking clients to remain still. Remember to remain still yourself as you guide the exercise. Some clients may have difficulty and will continue to move; you can have them practice this at home for shorter periods of time to help them see that they can observe body, emotions, and thoughts without reacting.) Now, releasing your attention from stillness, gently focus on just the rise and fall of your breathing and then on your body and how it feels to sit in the chair. Notice the placement of your feet, your arms, and your head. Picture what the room will look like and, when you are ready, rejoin the room by opening your eyes.

Robyn D. Walser & Darrah Westrup/New Harbinger Publications 2007

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & Trauma-Related Problems