Reduce Anxiety by Coloring Mindfully By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Researchers have discovered that coloring activities help relax the amygdala – the section of the brain that is activated in situations where you feel stressed or scared. Simultaneously, coloring activates the parts of the brain that support creativity. . . those who […]
Improve the Regulation of Emotions in Social Anxiety Disorder with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “One way to do this . . . is mindfulness meditation, in which you observe your thoughts and feelings with the objectivity of a disinterested, nonjudgmental witness. This form of mental training gives you the wherewithal […]
The Variety of Meditation Experiences By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “One can have almost any type of physical sensation during meditation in any area of the body. . . The ticklish sensation in your heart just means that some normalization is occurring there, allowing for a more full expression of your emotions. […]
Improve Multiple Sclerosis with Meditation and Yoga By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Studies show that for some people with MS, chronic exposure to stress is associated with worsening neurological symptoms and increased brain lesions. Researchers believe that mindfulness may help people better respond to stress by fostering healthier coping strategies. Mindfulness practice […]
Reduce Opioid Treated Low Back Pain with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “When your focus is on the pain, obviously that increases the pain. For people who meditate, their muscle tension and heart rate drops, their respiration slows and breaths gets deeper. All those things have impact on the pain.” – […]
Reduce the Stress of Aging and Improve Quality of Life with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “if we can delay the onset of memory loss by five years, we can reduce an individual’s chance of developing Alzheimer’s by 50 percent. Moreover, if you can keep your memory strong and vital 10 years […]
Improve Brain Systems Underlying Mental Well-Being with Gratitude Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “benefit of meditation. Or, rather, some ancient benefit that is just now being confirmed with fMRI or EEG. The practice appears to have an amazing variety of neurological benefits – from changes in grey matter volume to reduced activity in […]
Improve Emotion Regulation, and in Turn, Anxiety, and Depression with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “With mindfulness meditation training or practice (even a little practice has been shown to make a difference), we become more able to allow disturbing emotions and thoughts to pass through awareness. We develop the ability to […]
Meditation Can Produce Uncomfortable Effects By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “While the benefits of mediation are being recorded in scientific journals, what’s not discussed as often are the negative meditation side effects. It can be a frustrating, sometimes agonizing process that will bring you into contact with your limitations and inner conflicts. […]
Meditation Can Reduce the Age-Associated Degeneration of the Brain By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “The brain begins to decline in the 20s, and continues to decrease in volume and weight through old age. Meditation, in addition to boosting emotional and physical well-being at any time in life, may be an effective way to […]