for Social Workers MASSW Annual Conference October 2105 Jen - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

MASSW Annual Conference October 2105

Jen Rapanos, LMSW, SSW, RYT-200 jenrapanos@wellbeankidsyoga.comwww.we llbeankidsyoga.com

Mindfulness & Yoga Practices for Social Workers

Objectives

Differentiate between what mindfulness is, and what it is not. Define where mindfulness originated? Identify how mindfulness is being used as an evidence-based practice in

• ther settings.

Become familiar with and practice three mindfulness exercises. Demonstrate knowledge of current research on mindfulness and yoga practices with children. Identify how mindfulness may be used as tool for reducing stress. Learn and identify 3-5 mindfulness exercises that can be used with children. Select mindfulness and yoga practices that can be implemented personally. Select mindfulness and yoga practices that can be implemented professionally.

Inspiration & Research

Jon Kabat-Zinn Daniel J. Siegel Thich Nhat Hanh Jack Kornfield Christine Freeman Bruce Perry Bonnie Badenoch Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction MindUp Conscious Discipline Insight Meditation Society MBSR Research https://youtu.be/tCbhbFc5vME The Science of Mindfulness

What’s the Buzz?

Where did mindfulness begin?

• History—

Vipassana, 2,500 year old tradition; cultivating the capacity to pay attention.

• Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD.—

MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) in 1979. University of Mass. Medical

• School. Brought a secular

practice of Mindfulness to American mainstream.

Mindfulness

Paying attention in a particular way;

• n purpose, in the present moment,

and nonjudgmentally.”

• Jon Kabat-Zinn

https://youtu.be/KDxIBQT7F54

Mindfulness

• Switching from auto-pilot to awareness.
• Being present with whatever is going on (thoughts, body,

emotions) inside and outside experiences.

• Cultivating wisdom. Clearly see our reactions, triggers,

habitual patterns, mind/body disconnect

• Not something you have to get. It is innate within everyone.

A basic human quality.

• Not “the answer” to life’s problems. Rather, life’s problems can

be seen more clearly through the lens of a clear mind

Neurologist, physiatrist and Holocaust survivor

Are You STRESSED?

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How do you relate to stress?

Throughout history, humans have sought ways to decrease suffering and alleviate it. Mindfulness is a way

• f relating to all experience that can

reduce suffering. Mindfulness teaches how to pay attention to our stress

• reactions. From this place of

awareness we can choose how we relate to stressful and challenging situations, how to relate to life more skillfully.

Mindfulness PRACTICE teaches us how to pay attention to the present moment. From this space we can choose HOW to relate to our experiences. WHAT DID YOU NOTICE?

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

Techniques for children:

Awareness vs. Auto Pilot

• Mindful eating activities—clementines
• Breath meditation
• Bell meditation
• Body Scan

Mindfulness Practice

• Meditation
• Body Scan
• Yoga
• Walking Meditation

Bringing mindful awareness to daily living and experiences:

• brushing your teeth
• eating
• cooking
• reading to your child
• greeting your partner
• walking into work
• checking in with your body or breath

throughout the day

• noticing how you feel during a social

interaction

FORMAL INFORMAL

The Brain

• The Brain (Hand Model)
• Amygdala (Limbic System
• Prefrontal Cortex
• Autonomic Nervous System
• Sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze)
• Parasympathetic

Stress & the Brain

• Our “watch dog” can’t differentiate between a real or

perceived threat.

• Brain does not distinguish between psychological or

physiological danger, activating the same physiological response in either case.

• Emotions and thoughts can cause the same physiological

response as if threatened by a woolly mammoth.

• Anything that threatens our sense of well being can trigger

the survival reaction of the amygdala to some degree.

Mindful Awareness & the Brain

• Mindful awareness teaches us to notice when our

parasympathetic nervous system has been activated. From this awareness we can then learn how to calm our bodies and minds so that they are better able to access the PFC which helps manage emotions and solve problems more skillfully.

• Mindfulness practice strengthens areas of the brain related to

self-regulation, decision making, focus and attention.

• Neuroplasticity “…the latest brain research indicates that we

can change the way the brain functions. The ability to change

• ur neural connections in response to our experiences.”

–Dr. Daniel Siegel (2007)

• The Science of Mindfulness: Dr. Dan Siegel, MD

https://youtu.be/yqUNtLbwoj4

Techniques for children:

brain education

• MindUP Curriculum
• Getting to Know and Love Your Brain Poster:

MindUP http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/mindup /pdfs/MindUP_3-5_Sample_Poster.pdf

• Well-Bean BLOG:

Meet Wise Owl and Watch Dog www.wellbeankidsyoga.com/blog/getting-to- know-your-brain-meet-wise-owl

• The Mind Jar
• Well-Bean BLOG: The Mind Jar Meditation

www.wellbeankidsyoga.com/blog/mind-jar- meditation

Awareness of Thoughts

Awareness of Thoughts

• “Our minds are constantly thinking about the past, projecting into the

future, worrying about things that may never happen, blaming

• urselves for things that couldn’t be helped and otherwise remaining

stuck in a mental state that is unrelated to the truth of the present moment…” Little Flower Yoga for Kids

• We are so immersed in our thoughts and non-stop chatter that we are

hardly aware that they are there. Monkey Mind!

• We tend to take our own thoughts as gospel truth, as fact.
• With our minds we make a big deal out of ourselves, out of our pain

and out of our problems. We create images of “who we are.”

Unskillful Thinking Patterns

• Non-Stop Chatter
• What is the quality of your thoughts? Self-Talk
• Catastrophizing
• Mind Reading
• The “should”
• Overgeneralizing or worrying
• Rehearsing and Rehashing

There are certain thoughts and feelings and situations that the mind seems to want to hold on to. If pleasant we try to prolong thoughts, feelings and experiences. Stretch them out, wish for more, conjure them up again and again.

CLINGING

We often let our thinking and beliefs about what we “know” prevent us from seeing things as they really are. We strive for an

• utcome or attach to how things

“should be.” We resist thoughts, feelings and experiences that we view as unpleasant and try to get rid of or prevent them

RESIST

In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few. What if we learned to observe as an impartial witness? What if we learned to “let go” of judging thoughts. How refreshing to see things through the lens of a “beginner’s mind”

Mindful Awareness & Thoughts

• Being aware of the mind that thinks it knows all the time is a

major step toward learning to see through your opinions and perceive things as they actually are.

• Jon Kabat-Zinn Full Catastrophe Living
• Mindfulness allows us to see our own experiences and thinking

patterns more clearly

• We become more aware of what may be causing us stress

and suffering.

• When we become aware of our stress reactions and thinking,

we can choose to respond more skillfully.

ARE YOU SURE?

Seated mindfulness breathing exercise; using breath as an anchor.

Mindfulness Practice

Techniques for children:

Curiosity & Beginner’s Mind

Uses senses

• Mindful eating
• Mindful smelling
• Listening activities

BLOG: Mindful Lessons With an Avocado http://www.wellbeankidsyoga.com/blog /mindful-lessons-with-an-avocado

Body Awareness

• We spend a lot of time living outside of our

bodies preoccupied with thought.

• We often ignore, discount or are just

unconscious to what our bodies communicate to us, though the body has its own wisdom.

• We often suppress or repress feelings.
• We are out of touch with what feelings really

feel like in the body.

The left brain is western civilization’s favorite tool when analyzing an issue. While helpful on one level, it neglects the often untapped wisdom found in the right brain, the center of intuition, instinct and emotion.

Logical Emotional Integration

Emotions

• Emotions are transient.
• Last in consciousness in not reinforced with thought for

about 90 seconds.

• Awareness and acknowledgement often helps dissipate

emotions.

• Gives us insight into triggers and patterns.

“Felt Sense”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4abiHdQpc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icDGQ-jrWD8

URGE SURFING—Arises then passes

When dealing with difficult emotions or situations it’s important to remember the principle of Impermanence—that is everything changes and is in constant motion. This is the nature of our existence. However, we are constantly scrambling for certainty, predictability and for things to go as we think they should go or as planned.

IMPERMANENCE

R.A.I.N

• Recognize: an emotion or experience that needs our

attention.

• Allow: or acknowledge. (Doesn’t mean you have to like it).

Labeling it can be helpful.

• Investigate: the body, emotions, thoughts. Be curious. What is

my energy like? Attention to the physical side of an emotion helps avoid getting caught up in a story with the mind.

• Non-Identify: you are larger than whatever emotion is blowing

through you. Grant you freedom to look at the situation differently and choose a response.

Mindfulness of the Body

• Tuning in to the body takes us away from our thinking mind.
• Being more mindful and in tune with our bodies allows us to be

with an experience.

• It allows us to see how we are responding to experiences, we

then have more clarity to respond more skillfully.

• Body Scan, Walking Meditation, Yoga Practices

Mindfulness of the Breath

• Scientific research has proven that slowing and deepening the

breath can activate the parasympathetic nervous system triggering a relaxation response.

• When our bodies are calm we can access our PFC and deal

with “life” more skillfully.

• You can use the breath a an anchor for meditation,

strengthening your capacity for sustained presence by returning your attention to it again and again.

• The breath is always present and can be accessed at anytime.

Techniques for teaching children:

body awareness

• Tree Freeze

https://youtu.be/96elAFXLmew

• Adults can have fun too!

https://youtu.be/Hj2xmwzzc_k

• Yoga
• Guided meditations
• Walking Meditation

Techniques for teaching children:

breath awareness

• Use props (consider age)
• Guided meditations

Well-Bean BLOG: Teaching Children to calm their bodies with their breath www.wellbeankidsyoga.com/blog/- just-breathe-teaching-preschoolers- to-calm-their-bodies-with-their-breath Well-Bean BLOG: The Breathing Ball www.wellbeankidsyoga.com/blog/th e-breathing-ball

Techniques for children:

feelings & emotions

• Mindful Listening (various genres of

music)

• Impermanence with Buddha Board

(construction paper, water, paint brushes)

• Weather Report Activity Sitting Still

Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents) by Eline Snel

• Connect and Redirect The Whole

Brain Child by Daniel Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson

Mindfulness is being aware

• f what is happening

RIGHT NOW without wishing it was different. ENJOYING the pleasant without holding on when it changes. BEING with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way…

Self-Compassion vs. Self-Esteem

3 Components of Self-Compassion (Dr. Kristin Neff)

• Self-kindness—treat self the way you would a friend.

Takes the perspective of an “other” towards ourselves. No longer totally identify with role of sufferer. Part of the human experience.

• Interconnectedness—to suffer with. Not self-pity. Part of the

human experience.

• Mindful of the suffering. Willing to be moved by it, to go there.

Aware of the present moment. Don’t avoid or over identify with it.

Self-Compassion

“The work of mindfulness is first to recognize the suffering and second to embrace it. A mother taking care of a crying baby naturally will take the child into her arms without suppressing, judging it, or ignoring the crying. Mindfulness is like that mother, recognizing and embracing suffering without judgment. So the practice is not to fight or suppress the feeling, but rather to cradle it with a lot of tenderness.”

Thich Nhat Hahn “No Mud, No Lotus” (pp. 26-27).

Techniques for children:

compassion

• Interconnectedness. Perspective-

taking activities

• METTA—Loving Kindness meditation
• Don’t fix feelings, instead

acknowledge & “name to tame” The Whole-Brain Child

• Games to connect

Mirror Game:https://youtu.be/2ab8sas3e Pg

Mindful listening

Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply.

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we care about, they will bloom like flowers.

• Thich Nhat Hanh

Techniques for children:

mindful listening

Meditation Bell or other Mindful listening to various sounds Listening in a group

Yoga

• The Yoga Sutras Patanjali Eight-Limbed Path
• Yamas-moral, ethical and societal guidelines relating to the

external world.

• Niyamas-ways to foster inner peace and harmony. Self-study.
• Asana-comfortable seated position. Postures.
• Pranayama-breathing practices.
• Pratyahara-inward focus by withdrawing the five senses.
• Dharana-concentration.
• Dhyana—meditation.
• Samadhi-union with a universal energy. Inner peace.

Yoga

• Mindfulness is a fundamental part of the yoga path. If yoga isn’t

mindful, it isn’t really yoga at all.

• Yoga is an instrument for becoming more familiar in the body and

with the workings of the mind and emotions.

• Yoga is the discipline of creating connection—revealing the deep

connection that is already there.

• Yoga is not about getting something out of the practice—you’re
• pening to where you actually are, in this moment. The time is now.
• https://youtu.be/J7OV-Etbg0s

Yoga

"The yoga practice is rooted in a philosophical tradition that sees human suffering as the result of our own minds constantly thinking about the past, projecting in the the future, worrying about things that may never happen, blaming ourselves for things that couldn't be helped, and otherwise remaining stuck in a mental state that is unrelated to the truth of the present moment. Yoga is designed to be a path toward a place of integration where your mind, your heart, and your body are healthy, connected to each other, and tuned in to the world around you. It's designed to be a path toward the very best version of yourself.” Little Flower Yoga for Kids by Jennifer Cohen Harper

Yoga Practice

Techniques for children:

yoga

Consider the setting Yoga Cards Use Books Use as a tool to connect with the body Make it fun!

Being Mindful at Work

• How do you start your day?
• Half-smile before getting out of bed—Thich Nhat Hanh
• Check in. Set an intention.
• Be aware of your inner state throughout the day.
• check-in moments
• where is my attention?
• do I feel tension in my body?
• how is my breathing?
• Use breath to calm body and mind.

Being Mindful at Work

• Be mindful of your interactions with others.
• The Mirror Neuron system doesn’t just create the human capacity to

imitate behavior, it allows for simulation of another’s internal state. (Interpersonal Neurobiology)

• Calm – Connect – Teach
• When children are in a state of calm and feel connected they are

most available to learn a new skill and create new neuropathways.

• Look at your students
• Safe touch
• Be emotionally present.
• Attunement. Empathy. Compassion.

Being Mindful at Work

• Incorporate attitudes of Mindfulness
• Beginner’s Mind
• Curiosity
• Letting- Go
• Impermanence
• Incorporate informal daily mindfulness practices

throughout your day.

• Incorporate formal daily mindfulness practices into

your day (even 3-10 minutes)

4 Ways I can relate differently to stress by incorporate Mindfulness & Yoga Practices into my life.

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