Mindfulness Practice Quality not Quantity Predicts Psychological Improvement By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Ultimately, engaging in mindfulness meditation cultivates our ability to both focus and broaden our attention, which is a practical way to elicit psychological well-being.” – Jennifer Wolkin Over the last several decades, research and anecdotal experiences have accumulated […]
Mindfulness Area Research: Effects of Mindfulness with Adolescents Adolescence is a time of mental, physical, social, and emotional growth. It is during this time that higher levels of thinking, sometimes called executive function, develops. But adolescence can be a difficult time, fraught with challenges. During this time the child transitions to young adulthood; including […]
Improve Parenting and Reduce Stress with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “We can practice ‘mindful listening’ by simply being present for the other person, and giving them space to talk without imposing our own agenda. As one person in a family consciously practicing mindfulness in this way, you may find that […]
Improve Acute Respiratory Infections (Colds) with Mindfulness and Exercise By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “A recent study . . .has found that exercising or practicing meditation can be an effective way to reduce acute respiratory infections. These infections, such as influenza, are incredibly common and can account for millions of doctor visits […]
Improve Depression in Overweight Adolescent Girls with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “By practicing meditation, you’re able to gently develop a capacity to witness pain as it happens inside you without letting the stories your mind tells you cause you to act self-destructively. Meditation teaches us to wake up from the […]
Mindful Independence Day By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “If today is a celebration of freedom, I think we as a nation, as a people, have squandered an opportunity. We have sought outer freedoms and ignored inner freedoms. We have pursued these freedoms with scandal, exploitation, and domination. Today, instead, I urge you […]
Mindful Fatherhood By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Mindful Fathering is the act of consciously checking into your life as a father. It’s about staying present in your life as a father, observing the dreary, ugly, and painful parts of fathering with acceptance and non-judgement, and honoring those parts with our full attention, […]
Manage Stress in Cancer Patients with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “For many people who have been diagnosed with cancer — or have been diagnosed with advanced cancer and are facing end-of-life issues — their mind is so full of worries about the future… that they can’t fully be aware and […]
The Middle Way in Mindfulness Practice By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Monks, these two extremes ought not to be practiced by one who has gone forth from the household life. (What are the two?) There is addiction to indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is low, coarse, the way of ordinary people, unworthy, and […]
Improve Sleep in Breast Cancer Patients with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “That MBSR [mindfulness-based stress reduction] can produce similar improvements to CBT-I [cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia] and that both groups can effectively reduce stress and mood disturbance expands the available treatment options for insomnia in cancer patients,” – Sheila Garland […]