Decrease Stress Hormones with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Individuals who scored high on the mindfulness questionnaire also had low levels in cortisol, both before and after the retreat. Subjects whose mindfulness score increased after the retreat also showed a decrease in cortisol.” – Tonya Jacobs Stress is an integral […]
Reduce Anxiety with Mindfulness and Aroma Therapy By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “If you have unproductive worries, you can train yourself to experience those thoughts completely differently. “You might think ‘I’m late, I might lose my job if I don’t get there on time, and it will be a disaster!’ Mindfulness teaches […]
Improve Personality and Well-being with a Meditation Retreat By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Even if you’re terrified, even if you have no interest in being a monk and you’re not an extremist by nature, I know that sitting in silence for 10 days will blow your mind.” – MeiMei Fox Retreat […]
Relieve Trauma Symptoms and Stress in Prisoners with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Ever since a kid, I’ve just been miserable being myself. After just one month of meditating, I’ve felt so much energy, it’s amazing how good I feel.” – Geoff, prison inmate serving life sentence Around 2 ¼ million […]
Reduce Test Anxiety with Mindful Breathing By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Mindfulness training for students gives you tools to help you remain calm, sustain your attention, and be able to focus. It does this by helping you to pay attention to the present moment through simple breathing and meditation practices which increase […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “research is beginning to show how mindfulness decreases depression and anxiety during pregnancy and boosts positive emotions.” – Mindful Depression occurring after delivery of a baby is well known, documented and discussed. Less well known but equally likely is intense depression and anxiety during pregnancy. But, between […]
Improve Control of Emotions with Meditation Practice By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “meditation may result in enduring, beneficial changes in brain function, especially in the area of emotional processing.” – Gaëlle Desbordes Mindfulness practice has been shown to produce improved emotion regulation. Practitioners demonstrate the ability to fully sense and experience […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “With growing pressures at work coupled with smartphone technology, it is really difficult to ‘switch off’ because you continue to receive work-related messages in the evening. Meditation programs such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) have been shown to be effective in treating anxiety, insomnia, and other psychological […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “For some people with chronic pain, mindful meditation is an appealing pain management option because it has an unusual benefit; it is something that you personally control. Unlike pain medications or medical procedures, meditation is not done to you, it is something you can do for yourself.” – Stephanie Burke Pain can […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “But for many patients dealing with depression, anxiety, or stress, yoga may be a very appealing way to better manage symptoms. Indeed, the scientific study of yoga demonstrates that mental and physical health are not just closely allied, but are essentially equivalent. The evidence is growing that […]