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Join us for a special meditation and mindfulness group focused on cultivating gratitude in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Together, we will explore practices that help us appreciate the simple joys, deepen our sense of gratitude, and find peace in the present moment. Through both a guided meditation and a reflection exercise, we’ll open our hearts to the abundance already present in our lives. This will be a calm, reflective space to embrace the spirit of appreciation and ways to carry it with you as we begin the winter holiday season.
Enter your information below to register for our upcoming Mindfulness and Meditation Group!
Do you find anxiety prevents you from feeling present in daily life? Does depression make you feel disconnected from yourself? If you are struggling with these or other intense emotions, meditation can help you reconnect and ground yourself. Our meditation groups focus on learning to calm the body and quiet the mind by putting attention on a selected object, such as your breath or a sound. By coping with anxiety and depression through this healing practice, you can free yourself to live a more present, aware life.
Meditation is the practice of intentionally training your attention in order to achieve a state of calm stillness and relaxation. Mindfulness is a one method of meditation. When you practice mindfulness, you focus on the present and allow yourself to experience thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations without judgment. For example, you might feel the wind on your face and notice it simply for what it is. You might think a self-critical thought, notice it, and let it pass.
Although each group session is a little different, you can expect some combination of learning, guided meditation, and group reflection, with a focus on the theme for that group. With each session, my aim is to introduce accessible meditation practices in an inclusive and supportive environment.
Practices that cultivate compassion and self-compassion appear deactivate our ‘threat system’ (associated with feelings of disconnection, defensiveness, and autonomic arousal) and activate our ‘caregiving system’ (associated with feelings of secure connection, safety, and, calm). In doing so, we are often able to enter a state in which we feel relaxed, connected to ourselves, and open to connecting with others.
This is the group for you! This group is best suited to beginners or those who have fallen out of practice but need help coping with anxiety and depression. We will go over the fundamentals of meditation, including how to sit in a supportive posture, release unwanted thoughts, and let go of tension in body. We will also teach about breathing techniques, somatic sensations, and more.
If your mind wanders during a session, that is completely normal. You may get distracted over and over again, spin off into thoughts/fantasies/day-dreams, notice itches or aches, or be “distracted” by sounds – and that’s all okay! There is no right or wrong way to meditate and my aim is to help you to discover what works for you.
For some, closing your eyes can feel scary or disorienting. You are not alone in this. In fact, for many people (and especially those who have experienced trauma), it is normal for mindfulness meditation to bring your awareness to distressing thoughts or feelings. You will never be required to do anything you do not want to do in this group and can always opt to sit out on the exercise or make an appropriate adaptation, such as keeping your eyes open. As a trauma-informed therapist, I can help you adapt the exercises to feel safe and supportive for you.
The Meditation & Mindfulness Group is free of charge and anyone can attend!
Use the form above to sign up for the group!
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