Become More Sensitive to Others with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “as we pay attention to our breath, our body, our lives, in this simple and gentle way, a natural consequence is the opening of the heart.” – Matthew Brensilver Humans are social animals. This is a great asset for […]
Improve Emotion Regulation with Emotional-Based Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Mindfulness enables you to become a more cognizant observer of your experience, allowing you to become more “tuned in” to what you are feeling inside. When emotions feel confusing, overwhelming, or paralyzing, they are not serving the healthy and productive function that […]
Reduce Worry and Rumination and Improve Emotion Regulation Lowering Anxiety and Depression with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “The practice of mindfulness teaches us a different way to relate to our thoughts, feelings, and emotions as they arise. It is about learning to approach and acknowledge whatever is happening in the present […]
Improve Mental Health in Older Adults with Online Meditation Practice By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “The good news is that there are steps we can take right now to make the goal of “aging gracefully” more attainable. Mindfulness training is one of those steps; research has clearly shown that regular meditation comes […]
Reduce Anxiety and Depression with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Being unwilling to experience negative thoughts, feelings, or sensations is often the first link in a mental chain that can lead to automatic, habitual, and critical patterns of mind becoming re-established. By accepting unpleasant experiences, we can shift our attention to […]
Mindfulness Improves Depression by Affecting Trait Anxiety By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “When you become aware of the present moment, you gain access to resources you may not have had before. You may not be able to change a situation, but you can mindfully change your response to it. You can choose a […]
Meditation’s Reduction of Pain is Independent of Brain Opioid Systems By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Bit by bit, as I sat noticing my breath and body sensations, I began to feel the deep knots of pain in my body start to untie themselves.” – Avi Craimer We all have to deal […]
Improve Social Anxiety Disorder with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Using mindfulness, we can begin to notice what happens in the body when anxiety is present and develop strategies to empower clients to “signal safety” to their nervous system. Over time, clients feel empowered to slow down their response to triggers, […]
Improve Mental Health with Yoga Nidra and Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Yoga nidra promotes deep rest and relaxation that isn’t found in your average meditation practice. The stages of body scan and breath awareness alone can be practiced to calm the nervous system, leading to less stress and better health.” […]
Increase Pain Tolerance and Spirituality with a Brief Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Bit by bit, as I sat noticing my breath and body sensations, I began to feel the deep knots of pain in my body start to untie themselves.” – Avi Craimer We all have to deal with pain. It’s […]