Information gathered and prepared by H. Wiens MSc., RP.
Registered Psychotherapist Portage Medical Family Health Team
What is Mindfulness?
Wheel of Awareness (Dr. Dan Siegel):
– Mindfulness began as a Buddhist tradition. Mindfulness is the state of being conscious by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations without judging them or believing that there is a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment.
– The mental benefits of mindfulness include the following: helps to regulate emotions, fights depression and anxiety, assists with memory, fights PTSD, and improves academic performance.
– The physical benefits of mindfulness include the following: reduces inflammation, fights chronic pain, reduces arthritis, and heart disease risk factors, helps with irritable bowel disease, assists with weight loss, improves sleep and the immune system.