Improve Bipolar Disorder with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Bipolar disorder can be complicated by stress, and having bipolar disorder is stressful in itself. Relaxation techniques such as meditation can reduce the stress you experience from bipolar disorder, which can help you keep your mood in check.” – Timothy […]
Activate the Brain and Synchronize the Cerebral Hemispheres with Kriya Yoga By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Kriya yoga in Sanskrit means “to move.” The yoga combines all the energy in the body of the mind and to increase the concentration and the awareness in the body. It helps in energizing all the parts […]
Yoga Changes the Brain to Improve Body Awareness, Attention, and Present Moment Awareness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Similar to the effects of meditation, yoga is a neurological vacation – but it also awakens parts of the brain that are typically inactive during normal day-to-day activity. . . The mind becomes deeply […]
Meditation Reduces the Brain’s Empathetic Response By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “mindfulness’s most profound benefit may not be the one that’s most often touted—adapting to a stressful, competitive, even unkind 24/7 world. Instead, meditation might fundamentally alter how we treat those around us.” – David Destino Humans are social animals. This […]
Improve Working Memory in Adolescents with Mindful Movement By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Mindfulness meditation causes structural changes in the brain. It actually alters connections between brain cells. That is how adults end up with an enlarged cortex. And that may explain why meditation improved memory in the teens.” – Alison Pearce […]
Improve Major Depressive Disorder with Psilocybin and Mindfulness Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “mindfulness training enhances the positive effects of a single dose of psilocybin, and can increase empathy and permanently reduce ego-centricity. This opens up new therapeutic avenues, for example for the treatment of depression.” – Franz Vollenweider Psychedelic substances […]
Improve Emotion Regulation and Reduce Pain with Mindful Acceptance By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Individuals with minimal mindfulness meditation experience can quickly learn how to moderate their brains’ responses to painful experiences and negative images using a technique called mindful acceptance’” – Christopher Berglund There is an accumulating volume of research findings to demonstrate that mind-body […]
Improve Mood with Tai Chi or Qigong Practice By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “adding a mind-body exercise like tai chi that is widely available in the community can improve the outcomes of treating depression in older adults. . . With tai chi, we may be able to treat these conditions without exposing […]
Mindfulness is Associated in Improved Emotion Regulation with Mothers By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “With [Mindfulness Meditation] training or practice . . we become more able to allow disturbing emotions and thoughts to pass through awareness. We develop the ability to NOT act or react to every emotion or thought we have.” […]
Improve Emotion Processing by the Brain with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Alterations in key brain circuits associated with emotion regulation can be produced by mindfulness meditation.” – Richard Davidson There has accumulated a large amount of research demonstrating that meditation practice has significant benefits for psychological, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. It […]