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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».

A full body wrap for new vital energy

Alternative medical applications at the private clinic MENTALVA, Cazis

First, our nursing specialists wrap the whole body of our patients with cold, wet cloths. In the following 40 minutes, the body warms up very quickly, body, soul and mind begin to regenerate. After the towels have been taken off, one feels refreshed.

Because: A full body wrap counteracts inner restlessness and relaxes body and mind, among other things. It helps to be aware of inner blockages in the body by focusing more on oneself. And the psyche also finds kind of a feel-good mode.

The effectiveness of the full body wrap was be supported by studies. People suffering from burnout, depression, tension, reduced efficiency, numbness, tinnitus, anxieties and mental and psychosomatic illnesses in general, are usually struggling to let go of their thoughts and to feel their bodies.

The full body wrap, which releases tensions, allows sufferers to be aware of their body landscape (once more). Some tell us that they initially perceive their body as asymmetrical and at the end of therapy as symmetrical. This effect occurs together with the experienced state of well-being. The method can initiate such and other processes and support recovery.

Patients at the private clinic MENTALVA in Cazis may lose their initial scepticism about this alternative medical therapy already after the first application: because they feel that the wrap is beneficial. By the way, this method is also perfectly suitable for top-heavy people.

We recommend the full body wrap every week for five to six sessions. It is essential to draw the inner attention to one’s body. One learns this with regular training. The effectiveness of the full body wrap increases in combination with other medical and complementary medical therapies, such as phytotherapy or traditional Chinese medicine TCM.

How it works

A linen cloth and a terry cloth are soaked in ice water and wrung out. The upper body is first wrapped with the terry cloth. Then, the lying patient is wrapped in the wet and cold linen cloth. This is topped with a dry linen cloth, a dry wool blanket and then a duvet. After the initial little cold shock, pleasant warmth sets in. Wrapped like a mummy, the 40-minute relaxation phase begins. Mentalva patients never feel constricted despite the tight wrap. On the contrary, they feel truly protected.

With the intense cold and wet stimuli, the awareness is directed to the body. This way, one can sense inner "black blockages" and sharpen the awareness of the here and now state. Thus, the therapy supports deep relaxation in mentally stressed patients. Body, soul and mind experience tranquillity. This creates, as initially described, new vital energy.

Indications summarized:  A full body wrap is beneficial in times of stress, with burnout, depression, reduced efficiency, numbness, a heavy body and even with tinnitus, etc.

 

Therapists on four hooves or with four paws

Relax, develop courage, overcome fears, build trust

Animal-assisted therapy - what exactly is it? Who benefits from it, how does it offer support? My therapy team includes the Freeberger mares Lady and Calia, as well as the poodle Jasco. The animal-assisted therapy I offer aims at teenagers and adults with mental impairments such as burnout, depression, trauma or anxiety disorder. Therapy with animals can be used as a complementary therapy to psychotherapy.

Everyone benefits

 

With animal-assisted therapy, the focus is on the contact with the horse or dog, with oneself and with nature. Animals offer many possibilities. When patients "work" with animals, this process (even preventively) has a health-promoting effect. Contact with animals reduces especially anxieties and stress. It also influences the own self-image in a positive way.

With the two trained horses or my therapy dog, I accompany patients who want to experience this special way. Animals don’t judge, they are very sensitive and open towards humans.

Building relationships with animals  

Our animal-assisted therapy is divided into different phases. In the beginning, I help the patient to build a relationship with the horse and/or the dog. It is important to know how to deal with animals and to understand their behaviour in certain situations. One part also concerns the understanding and interpretation of the animals’ body language.

While walking, we observe the animals, perceive their behaviour and needs, caress them, talk to them, give them orders, interact with them. This way, we build trust and reduce our own fears.

This phase is followed by the deepening in which I respond (goal-oriented) individually to the needs of the patients. Every hour, I design individually, there is no scheme apart from the welcoming and grooming of Lady or Calia at the beginning of the therapy with horses. At the end, we say good bye to them. This last phase is very important, since the patients have established a relationship with the respective animal. I like to give them a lot of space to say goodbye to Lady, Calia or even Jasco..

Suggestions and inputs

My poodle is lively, playful, attentive and loves to cuddle. Often, patients choose him if they have grown up with dogs themselves or currently have a dog at home and have had pleasant experiences with dogs. I suggest different exercises, which they then test in their own rhythm. In doing so, I support the patients and motivate them to reflect on the common activity in order to get a better idea of their actions.

During the sessions, I make suggestions to the patients or give them input for exercises. Some patients are reluctant at the beginning, sometimes a little anxious, and hardly dare to touch the animal. Over time, this changes a lot. I have often observed at our final ritual that the patients lovingly hug the horse.

 

Horses hold the mirror in front of us

Horses, including Lady and Calia, hold a mirror in front of us – that way, patients become aware of themselves. Horses understand us humans much better than vice versa. They are able to interpret the finest signs of body language. Are you anxious? Are you a daredevil? Are they on top of their lives, or not? How direct is one, how shy, how insecure? For example, if the client is nervous, the horse reacts accordingly.

The horse always demands clarity, it wants clear instructions. If someone is unsure, the horse doesn't know what the person wants from him. That way, patients learn to communicate their wishes clearly. This shows me again and again that the contact to the horses also gives the patients more confidence.

Sometimes, we work on the lead from the back of the horse, sometimes from the ground. We do perceptual, concentration and coordination exercises, as well as confidence and relaxation exercises. Thus, the horse becomes a real partner. The warmth and movement of the horse soothingly appeals to the emotional area of the patients. These can be very valuable experiences. The processing of negative experiences can also be supported.

Many beautiful moments

I always make sure that our therapy hours are animal- and human-friendly. It is very important that everyone involved is always looked after. This is how my patients and I experience many little and beautiful moments in nature during animal-assisted therapies.  

Many people become aware of what was buried in them during animal-assisted therapy. People show that they still have many resources, despite the impairment. These are beautiful and often even healing experiences for all of us. What counts for me in the therapy is always the human being and not a diagnosis. I am happy when patients sometimes succeed in implementing the experiences they had in the equestrian therapy to their everyday lives.

After completing a therapy session, the respective wards receive my therapy report. On request, or if necessary, I also exchange information with the treating psychiatrist.