Mindfulness

1. Full Awareness (Opened Mind): Being aware of the present moment (thoughts, emotions, physical sensations) without judgement and without trying to change it.

2. Attentional Control (Focused Mind): Staying focused on one thing at a time (the opposite of multitasking).

Why Practice Mindfulness?

• Gives you more choices and control over your behavior. It helps you slow down and notice emotions, thoughts, and urges (increases self-awareness), and helps you choose a behavior more thoughtfully, rather than acting impulsively or making a salutation worse.

• Reduces emotional vulnerability and increases your pleasure and sense of well-being.

• Helps you make important decisions (and balance overly emotional or overly logical decisions).

• Helps focus your attention (i.e., be in control of your mind rather than letting your mind be in control of you) and therefore make you more effective and productive.

• Increases compassion for self and others.

• Lessens your pain, tension, and stress, and in turn can even improve your health.

Reference: From DBT® Skills Manual for Adolescents, by Jill H. Rathus and Alec L. Miller. Copyright 2015 by The Guilford Press.