Increase Positive Emotions and Decrease Emotional Disturbance in Adolescents with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Adolescence is a time of change and growth. It is the period of life reserved for rebellion and self-discovery, but as the demands in life increase for teens, this time is often fraught with confusion, anxiety […]
Meditation Practice Produces Unpleasant as well as Pleasant Consequences By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “More than a quarter of people who regularly meditate have had a ‘particularly unpleasant’ psychological experience related to the practice, including feelings of fear and distorted emotions.” – University College London People begin meditation with the misconception […]
Improve Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Symptoms and Lower Rumination with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “mindfulness-based practices have proved to be helpful in promoting mental well-being, especially by reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety in various populations.” – Han Ding Over the last several decades, research and anecdotal experiences […]
Reduce Anxiety with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Self-compassionate people tend to have lower levels of social anxiety—perhaps because self-compassion includes mindfulness, which soothes the stress associated with anxiety.” – Jill Suttie It is a common human phenomenon that being in a social situation can be stressful and anxiety producing. Most people can […]
Alter the Brain to Deal with Stress with Meditation and Yoga By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Brain researchers have detected improvements in cognition and emotional well-being associated with meditation and yoga, as well as differences in how meditation and prayer affect the brain.” – Michaela Jarvis There has accumulated a large […]
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 […]