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MINDFULNESS PROGRAMS FOR TRANSITION TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Nadine Marty, Ed.D Rider University- Counseling Center
MINDFULNESS AND ACCEPTANCE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS: WHY IT MATTERS
• Transitions are NOT easy!• Higher education is designed to
create life-changing experiences• Higher education facilities may be
limited to maximizing the opportunities to shape and develop student growth
• Cultural changes
GOALS OF MINDFULNESS AND ACCEPTANCE TRAINING
1. Increase psychological openness and flexibility
2. Increase ability to be centered in the “now” and fully conscious
3. Increase engagement in meaningful value-based actions
• These targets counter the difficulty in finding peace and purpose in the word
ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT):
WHAT IS IT?
• Mindfulness-based behavioral therapy• Attempts to unravel maladaptive patterns of
responding to situations• Eg. Student driven to study incessantly or
student procrastinates, avoids studying• Both behaviors are meant to control anxiety,
worry, stress, and/or anger• These behaviors often perpetuate the
negative thoughts and feelings
ACT MODEL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY
• Assumes that psychological pain is a normal part of living- not to be avoided
• Efforts to avoid pain lead to a core pattern of troublesome behaviors
FusionExperient
ial Avoidanc
e
Maladaptive
behaviors
SIX BEHAVIORAL PROCESSES THAT MAINTAIN
NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS
1. Fusion2. Experiential Avoidance3. Attachment to the conceptualized self4. Inflexible Attention5. Disconnection from personal values6. Inaction, impulsivity, avoidance
persistence
• Not always maladaptive
ACT: INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
1. Basic Counseling skills (i.e. reflective listening, empathy, psychoeducation, metaphors)
2. Experiential Learning• experiential exercises• mindfulness practices
3. Increasing Psychological Flexibility • “The Hexaflex” - Six components of
Psychological Flexibility
BEGINNING THERAPY
1. Develop “Creative Hopelessness”1. Help students uncover maladaptive
patterns of experiential avoidance2. Assess the workability of these
strategies3. Identify the consequences of these
strategies and patterns2. Let go of the struggle between
control + avoidance and acceptance
THE 6 CORE PROCESSES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY
1. Acceptance: tolerate negative thoughts, feelings, and worries2. Contact with the Present Moment :bring attention to the present
moment3. Defusion: notice the thought, distance from it, how does the
thought influence behavior4. Self as Context: understand the “self” as a container of
experiences5. Values : chosen direction for living6. Committed action: doing what it takes to bring values to life
MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR)
• Mindfulness- Jon Kabat-Zinn• The awareness that emerges through
paying attention on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment to moment
• Treatment consists of focusing on the breath to ground the mind in the present• Generalizes to sound, smell, touch,
movement• Generalizes to all that is happening in
the present moment• Well documented positive effects on
physical-psychological health
MBSR GROUP 8 WEEKS
1. Location: no special facilities, learning to meditate and minimize distractions is essential
2. Screening Interview1. Is psychological issue appropriate for the
group?2. Degree of disturbance3. Contraindications, like dissociation, psychosis4. Motivation: openness, attendance, homework
(CONSISTENCY)5. Education: format and content of the groups,
not a therapy group for personal issues, and individual counseling may be supplemental
3. Group Facilitators: trained in mindfulness meditation and actively practicing it.
MINDFULNESS EXERCISE
RESOURCES
• Langer, E. J. (2000). Mindful Learning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(6), 220-223.
• Orsillo, S., & Roemer, L. (2011). The mindful way through anxiety: Break free from chronic worry and reclaim your life. New York: Guilford Press.
• Pistorello, J., (Ed.). (2013). Mindfulness and acceptance for college students: Theory and practical applications for intervention, prevention and outreach. Oakland, CA: Context Press.
• Teasdale, J., Williams, M., & Segal, Z. (2014). The mindful way workbook: An 8-week program to free yourself from depression and emotional distress. New York: Guilford Press.
• Williams, M., Teasdale, J., Segal, Z., & Kabat-Zinn, J. (2007). The mindful way through depression: Freeing yourself from chronic unhappiness. New York: Guilford Press.
• Palousemindfulness.com – free, online MBSR 8-week program• http://herohealthroom.com/2014/12/08/free-guided-meditation-resources/• Insight Timer – free application featuring:• 3863 free Guided Meditations• 971 of the world's best meditation teachers• 3970 Groups• 1.5m meditators
WHAT’S HAPPENING ON LOCAL CAMPUSES?
• ACT programs
• MBSR programs – 8-week program
• Mini-mindfulness workshops – drop-in style to learn a technique; 20 minutes in length
• The Mindful Way Workbook – 8-week program
• Campus psychoeducational programming that incorporates information and skills to promote resiliency
• Varieties of skill-building workshops – addressing anxiety and depression, mood-management, attentional issues, relationship-building
• Mindfulness meditation workshop – drop-in style at noon, 3 times per week