Terry Fralich – 2-Day Intensive Mindfulness Training Course

Outline

MASTER THE CORE SKILLS OF MINDFULNESS

Treatment Concepts

• Introduction of mindfulness to clients
• Mindfulness as self-directed neuroplasticity
• Mindfulness as a skill-based path
• Reconsolidation of neural networks through mindfulness practice

Experiential exercise: self-regulation techniques

Strengthening Therapeutic Presence

• Benefits of therapeutic presence: presence, attunement, resonance, trust
• Stabilize the mind: the foundation of focus
• Self-regulation: the foundation of settledness
• Spaciousness: the foundation of openness

Five Core Skills of Mindfulness

• Clarify, set and re-affirm intention
• Cultivate witnessing awareness: metacognition
• Stabilize attention
• Strengthen self-regulation
• Practice loving-kindness for self and others

Experiential exercise: stability of attention and awareness

Neuroscience and Mindfulness

• Effective drivers of neuroplasticity
• Interpersonal neurobiology: importance of early experiences
• Formation of mental models: core negative beliefs
• Neuroception and the operation of the brain’s survival mechanisms
• Explicit and implicit memories
• Adaptive safety strategies: negative side effects

Experiential exercise: cultivate an inner refuge

Mindfulness Practices

• Themes in beginning mindfulness practice
  • Am I focused or distracted?
  • Am I settled/grounded or tight/churning
• Mindful transitions: a practice for new clients
• Stop-breathe-reflect-choose practice
• Development of client self-talk, scripts and mantras
• Positive visualization practice
• Cultivate a new vision of self: transform core negative beliefs

TRAUMA, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, RELATIONSHIPS, ANGER, STRESS AND SEX

Mindfulness for Trauma

• Cultivate safety and groundedness
• Retrain the dysregulated nervous system

Experiential exercise: positive visualization

Mindfulness for Anxiety

• Witness the anxious mind
• Get unstuck from anxious rumination

Experiential exercise: self-regulation practices for anxiety

Mindfulness for Depression

• Transform core negative beliefs that power depression
• Cultivate motivation and action

Experiential exercise: develop behavioral plans with the client

Mindfulness for Relationships

• Clarify intentions that work in relationships
• Transform unhealthy patterns

Experiential exercise: cultivate positive experiences/exchanges

Mindfulness for Anger

• Understand the source of anger energy
• Identify the anger storm
• Clarify the practice when anger arises

Experiential exercise: rehearsal of the Stop-Breathe-Reflect-Choose practice

Mindfulness for Stress

• Educate the client about the impact of stress
• Change the stress reaction through practice

Experiential exercise: strengthen awareness of stress response, shifting to relaxation response

Mindfulness for Sex

• Create conditions for healthy and mutually satisfying sex
• Open to the full power of sexual intimacy

Mindfulness In-Session

• Avoid compassion fatigue
• Approach each session as meditative practice
• Counsel “in the flow”

Experiential exercise: path to enjoying our work more meditation practice

Research, Limitations and the Potential Risks of Mindfulness in Treatment

• Current state of research on mindfulness
• Limits of the current research
• Mindfulness-Based treatments – potential risks and limitations
• The importance of client evaluation
• Practices beyond your training and experience