Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction – MBSR

Access your own resources with mindfulness

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) sounds more complicated than it actually is in practice. MBSR is a stress management program with the main element of "attention". This is how mindfulness develops over time. It eases stress in our everyday lives and promotes well-being.

"At the private clinic MENTALVA in Cazis, we offer the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction MBSR. Many of our clients use the program. They find a way to reduce stress in their everyday life and to handle stress elements more effectively. MBSR provides access to one’s own resources.  Mindfulness involves making contact with oneself, with one's body and mind but also being a little kinder to oneself, being less perfect, looking after oneself.

We work with smaller groups, but also offer individual coaching. However, the group exchange is also valuable. The participants notice that almost all of them have to fight with the same and similar problems. With the initial concentration, for example. When breathing, exercising or feeling a part of the body, mindfulness is a learning process in people who experience a lot of stress in their daily lives. One focusses thoughts entirely on oneself, perception of body, mind and also feelings.

Core elements of MBSR are mindful body preservation and bodywork, meditation while sitting and walking, as well as mindfulness exercises for everyday life.

 

Sitting and walking meditation

 

We meet for the MBSR session in a beautiful room at the therapy house. The mindfulness meditation session consists of alternating sitting and walking meditation exercises. The duration is adapted to the clinical setting and lasts about 15-20 minutes per sequence. As with yoga, we sit on a pillow and draw our attention to our breath and practice being present at the present moment. How does it feel to sit here? Is the breath fast, slow, where does one feel the breath?

During walking meditation, we move slowly, walk step by step through the room. We feel our feet, how they touch the ground, the movement, how this slowness actually affects everyone.

In our everyday life, everyone has to move fast. We usually run at full speed, even though it would be so important to allow oneself to slow down at times.

 

An invitation

 

Working with mindfulness is an invitation to our clients to discover new spaces in themselves, to open up. However, it is also an invitation to come into contact with one’s own restlessness. It is completely normal to get annoyed and stressed at times. However, many have forgotten to rest, take care of themselves, and learn how to deal with life challenges in a more skilful and loving way.

Whoever is a "Speedy Gonzales" will remain that way. It's not about changing fundamentally, it's just about learning to change gears, to pause, to get in touch with oneself. This is a learning process. MBSR is a mental training. One can safely engage with these new experiences and feel a change happening in oneself over time: a little more relaxation, a little more mindfulness towards oneself and others. One soon realizes that we all have a lot of potential to pick oneself up, and we give our patients a tool which will work well at home.

 

Becoming more vigilant and stronger

 

In this process, the vital thing is to be aware of the source for the stress, the triggers. This again leads to greater consciousness, to a connection with oneself. One becomes more alert and stronger. We hear this from our patients who have trained their mindfulness with us. They recognize that they are also allowed to acknowledge difficult situations. It is a prerequisite to finding the way to serenity.

The MBSR program is a beautiful platform for new experiences, to take care of yourself, to come to life, and to live.

 

Taking time, giving space

 

If one regularly makes time for mindfulness training in one's personal life, the awareness of one's own state of mind grows, and the mind calms down. That's a great feeling. If you train mindfulness for a few minutes every day, you will soon notice that there is health and many whole parts in you. MBSR requires initiative and practice. There are many small elements that one can incorporate into the daily life: consciously walking and eating slowly, watching oneself shower or applying creme afterwards. Is it all happening fast, or am I doing it consciously?

 

Mindfulness opens windows and doors

 

Mindfulness opens all windows in me, opens soul, mind and body. However, it requires a certain amount of goodwill towards myself. Often, one treats other people with more care than oneself. Try to change that. Continuity is the key to change. Parts of the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Program are used in various behavioural therapies and psychodynamic psychotherapy.

MBSR is taught at clinics in an eight-week program with two and a half hours of group sessions and a final day of practice in silence. At the MENTALVA Clinic, all exercise elements are used, but not the full course is offered. MBSR training has a proven effect on the overall psychosomatic health. MBSR courses help in the treatment of chronic pain conditions, common infectious diseases, headaches, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, skin diseases, sleep disorders, stomach problems and burnout syndrome.

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction is well researched. Studies show that MBSR can reduce mental suffering of chronically ill».

 

Tinnitus | Depression | Burnout & Exhaustion | Pain & Discomfort |

Personality Disorder | Anxiety & Panic | Schizophrenia