Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the act of acknowledging unwanted thoughts and allowing them to pass without judgement or emotional reaction. It is known as acceptance skills. We often integrate it with Biofeedback Training to raise awareness of breathing; muscle tension and heart rate, which enables you to change your physiological responses to stress. It involves a change in a client’s reaction to stressors, which in turn changes physiological response to stress. It includes (but is not limited to) techniques like:
- Visualization;
- Breathing skills;
- Muscle relaxation;
- Meditation: Mindfulness in mediation is a 3-phase technique eg (i) Concentration, which is a focussed awareness of daily practices eg breathing, walking; connecting with others etc; (ii) Open awareness which extends your awareness to feelings in your body and emotional reactions without getting caught up in them; (iii) Loving kindness and compassion.
It is often used in combination with Neurofeedback and Biofeedback; or it is also available as an online counselling and home-based service.
Mandala Art Therapy
Do you struggle to “”switch-off” and to stay in the moment? Are you always trying to resolve future problems at the cost of your own well-being? Art therapy was part of psychological practice long before the term Mandala Art therapy was coined. Today, it is widely used to assist with symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, anger management and other psychological issues. It guides clients through a variety of artistic processes (using geometric patterns) to restore a sense of healthy mental balance.
It is both therapeutic and symbolic. While the circle in the centre of Mandala is believed to ground oneself, the shapes, design, colours and symbols reflect the inner realms of the person who is making it. While colouring-in, you make sense of a wide variety of signs and symbols. Subconsciously the act of “making sense” may provide new order or direction. It mirrors your life and assists to restore balance to your life; to change your focus and to redefine aspects of your life; and to stabilize and re-order the inner life. Mandala Art is for everyone:
- Children
Because the mandala isn’t a literal representation of reality, children can fully enjoy their creativity. Coloring-in is an excellent way to help children unwind; - Adults
Coloring a mandala may help you calm down. By focusing only on the pattern and colors, your mind may become wonderfully empty. You come to rest for a little while; - Elderly
Coloring mandalas help to keep your mind in shape. Remaining focused on a creative activity of this sort may keep your mind sharp;
It is often used in combination with Neurofeedback and Biofeedback; or it is also available as an online counselling and home-based service.
Visualization
Do you feel that something is holding you back? Is fear preventing you from doing what you really want to do? Visualization is mental rehearsal techniques. It supports clients to optimize their potential and to reach their goals by creating mental images of the desired outcomes. The subconscious mind cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. Thoughts precede the creation of a visualization and it guides energy into the real world in order to create certain behaviours. The 3 requirements for effective visualization are the:
- Desire to create what you have decided to visualize;
- Belief in what you have chosen to attain through your visualization and the certainty that you will attain it, and;
- Acceptance of having whatever you have visualized as your goal;
It is often used in combination with Neurofeedback and Biofeedback; or it is also available as an online counselling and home-based service.
Do you feel tense, with body pains, head-aches, neck spasms etc? Progressive muscle relaxation is a commonly used relaxation technique. It is based on the notion that it is impossible to be tense in any part of the body in which the muscles are completely relaxed. This technique is taught by tensing a muscle before relaxing it. Passive muscle relaxation involves the release of tension while focusing on muscle groups. Muscle relaxation techniques generate a relaxation response which normalizes the blood support and oxygen consumption by the muscles, the heart rate and respiration, skeletal muscle activity, while it increases alpha brain wave activity, typically associated with relaxation.
It is often used in combination with Neurofeedback and Biofeedback; or it is also available as an online counselling and home-based service.
