Social Mindfulness is Reduced in Patients with Psychosis By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “There is increasing evidence that specially adapted mindfulness techniques can be used safely and effectively in the management and treatment of severe mental health problems, such as psychosis.” – Carly Samson Psychoses are mental health problems that cause […]
Change the Brain for Greater Well-Being with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Meditation provides experiences that the mind can achieve no other way, such as inner silence and expanded awareness. And as the mind gains experience, the brain shows physical activity as well—sometimes profound changes.” – Depak Chopra There has […]
Improve Creativity with Cyclic Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found.” – Eckhart Tolle Problem solving most frequently involves logic and reasoning, sometimes along with mathematics. In this case focused attention is the key. The mind wandering off topic interferes with the concentration required […]
Improve Brain Connectivity with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “The meditation-and-the-brain research has been rolling in steadily for a number of years now, with new studies coming out just about every week to illustrate some new benefit of meditation. Or, rather, some ancient benefit that is just now being confirmed with fMRI […]
Change the Brain to Reduce Anxiety with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “In mindfulness practice you have an opportunity—the mental time and space, if you will—to see more elements of the story, a richer picture. “You may see more clearly as you anticipate a difficult encounter what the underlying emotion is […]
Improve Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Survivors with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Participation in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program yields robust and sustained improvement in cancer-related cognitive impairment, a prevalent and potentially debilitating condition that affects attention, memory and executive function in survivors.” – ScienceDaily Receiving a diagnosis of […]
Meditation Alters Brain Responses to Negative Stimuli By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “meditation facilitates strengthening the Assessment Center, weakening the unhelpful aspects of the Me Center (that can cause you to take things personally), strengthening the helpful parts of the Me Center (involved with empathy and understanding others) and changing the connections […]
Mindfulness is Associated with Different Brain Responses to Angry Faces By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Being mindful of anger means not suppressing, denying or avoiding it and also not acting out in harmful ways. Instead, connect with the direct experience of the anger, and then decide what action you want to take.” — […]
Improve Cardiovascular and Cognitive Function with Tai Chi By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “A growing body of carefully conducted research is building a compelling case for tai chi as an adjunct to standard medical treatment for the prevention and rehabilitation of many conditions commonly associated with age,” – Peter M. Wayne […]
Alter Brain Electrical Activity with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “the most general and consistently observed EEG correlate of meditation is an increase in the power of lower frequencies between 4 and 10 Hz corresponding to the theta band (4-8 Hz) and the lower end of the alpha band (8-10 Hz).” […]