Lecture 1 - Introduction PDF

👋🏻 Lecture 1 - Introduction No textbook chapter Mindful vs Mind Full What happens when our Mind is Full? See without knowing Hear without listening Eat without tastin...

👋🏻 Lecture 1 - Introduction No textbook chapter Mindful vs Mind Full What happens when our Mind is Full? See without knowing Hear without listening Eat without tasting Touch without feeling Speak without connecting Lecture 1 - Introduction 1  What is Mindfulness? Definition: Moment-to-moment purposeful attentiveness to one’s own mental processes with the goal of cultivating clarity and compassion How does mindfulness manifest in today’s modern world - what do people who practice mindfulness have? 1. Psychological wellness a. Reductions in worry, state anxiety (anxiety that is temporary and occurring in reactance to something), depression and alexithymia (inability to identify and describe emotions) 2. Attention and awareness a. clarity in personal life and work 3. Stress reduction a. Mind-body balance, regulation of the busy mind 4. Neuroanatomical changes a. Increase in cortical thickness and grey matter The umbrella of Mindfulness 4 aspects are cumulative and build on each other 1. Paying attention to experience in the present moment 2. Relating to experience without judgement or resistance (mindfulness) 3. Relating to the experiencer with the desire to alleviate suffering (compassion) 4. Distinguishing the unique interdependent nature of the experience and the experiencer, and understanding your own capacities and limitations in alleviating suffering (wisdoms) a. E.g. Understanding that as a practitioner, you can’t stop the suffering of your patient completely - understanding that you are not god What are the 3 core elements of Mindfulness? Lecture 1 - Introduction 2  Mindfulness and plasticity of the mind Meta-analysis by Khoury et al. in 2013 Reviewed 209 studies on mindfulness-based therapy 12,145 participants Findings Robust effects of mindfulness interventions on mental health lower depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress levels Meta-analysis by Boccia and colleagues in 2015 Reviewed 100 fMRI studies and 10 MRI studies 3,100 participants Findings Meditations lead to activation in brain areas involved in Processing self-relevant information Self-regulation Focused problem-solving Adaptive behaviour Interoception - sensing internal signals from your body; hunger, faster beating of heart Lecture 1 - Introduction 3  why is this important? understanding our internal states helps us regulate ourselves and leads to increased well- being in general Benefits of Meditation 1. Reduces pain and enhances body’s immune system 2. Reduces feelings of depression, anxiety, anger and confusion 3. Increases blood flow and slows heart rate 4. Provides a sense of calm, peace and balance 5. Helps reverse heart disease 6. Helps control thoughts 7. Increases energy 8. Reduces stress Ethical Mindfulness How do we practice mindfulness as professionals in the field? Why is it important? What does it allow us to do/display? 1. Stance of clarity, non-reactivity, focuses attention in the present moment a. allows us to be present without being overwhelmed b. allows us to accept things as they are in the moment c. allows us to notice judgement and reactivity to an experience 2. Allows us to listen differently a. lets us truly connect with patients b. takes discipline and practice 3. Attentiveness to experiences of others’s and one’s reaction a. Active observation of self and others Lecture 1 - Introduction 4  b. Peripheral vision to see what is unseen c. Helps us see situations with fresh eyes d. Willingness to let go of assumptions 4. Humility a. lets us be curious and open to learn from others b. gives us the capacity to be aware of our areas of confusion or incompetence 5. Helps us discover what would serve/be the best in certain circumstances 6. Helps us let go of self interest, position and outcome a. Releasing thoughts, feelings and situations that the mind seems to want to hold on to b. Do i continue to act out of duty and reverence for the moral law/good even if it gives me no personal benefit 7. Gives me courage to do actions that preserves my integrity a. Principled moral outrage and conscientious objection i. standing up and speaking out for what’s right Mindfulness training for health & social care professionals The practice of mindfulness is so important that big institutions are incorporating them into the curriculum for practitioners in training Lecture 1 - Introduction 5  Death Studies: Thanatology Definition: The scientific study of death and the practices associated with it, including the study of the needs of the terminally ill and their families. The promotion of death literacy and grief literacy is a major component of Thanatology. Origin of Thanatology Greek Mythology - Thanatos Thanatos; the personification of death Twin brother of Hypnos (sleep) What are the areas studied in the field of Thanatology? Lecture 1 - Introduction 6  Practice considerations for professionals in Thanatology Lecture 1 - Introduction 7  Contextual and Theoretical Considerations in Thanatology Lecture 1 - Introduction 8  Association for Death Education and Counselling (ADEC) History of ADEC Oldest interdisciplinary organisation in the field Established in 1976 Primary goal enhance the ability of professionals and laypeople to be better able to meet the needs of those with whom they work in death education and grief counselling Non-profit made up of > 2000 professionals from all human service disciplines around the world ADEC Mission Envisions a world in which dying, death and bereavement are recognised as fundamental and significant aspects of the human experience Committed to being the forefront of thanatology Lecture 1 - Introduction 9  provide a home for professionals from diverse backgrounds to advance the body of knowledge and promote practical applications of research and theory ADEC Professional Certification ADEC Publications ADEC Annual Conferences Lecture 1 - Introduction 10 Lecture 1 - Introduction 11