Stress Relief
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Posted: February 11, 2016
Read more »Researchers from Nova Southeastern University examined the impact of a one-week, at home, mindfulness meditation training, as compared to an active control condition, on improving working memory, decreasing mind-wandering and reducing the impact of stress on working memory.
The results suggest that mindfulness meditation does not increase working memory or decrease mind wandering, but it does prevent stress related working memory impairments.
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Posted: November 10, 2015
Read more »We got this query from a certified hypnotherapist working in an addiction house for men. She's been creating her own guided imagery to help with stress reduction and self-esteem. Not surprisingly, the men have histories of abuse and trauma along with chemical dependency. Here is her question:
Question:
Greetings, BR. I am a certified Hypnotherapist working in an addiction house for men.
I use guided imagery for stress reduction and self love. The gentlemen have been abused, addicted to drugs and or alcohol and other unfortunate things.
I make up my own imageries but could use some helpful ideas. Is there a book you'd suggest for ideas on the subject? The feedback has been gratifying, my intentions are for their hearts to heal and bodies to follow.
My resources are limited and I could use some references. Perhaps you've written something I could use or you have an idea of something helpful. Your reply is appreciated greatly.
Katrina
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Posted: September 08, 2015
Read more »Question:
Dear Belleruth,
I would like some CD recommendations for your meditations that don't deal with a favorite, peaceful place.
My interests are relaxation and peace, self love and acceptance. I experience some constant low level anxiety and fear that periodically spikes due to situations I cannot control. Shame and guilt seem to be part of the package.
Although I have done inner work for many years, I have found some additional insight from your book: Invisible Heroes.
I am enjoying the Wellness Meditation which doesn't use the favorite place.
Any help much appreciated,
Mario
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Posted: August 02, 2015
Read more »This lovely note is a great reminder of how important self care is for those giving care to others, and what an important part mind-body resources like guided imagery can play in delivering self-nurturing during a difficult and exhausting time....
Thank you. When my elderly father fell ill and I was caring for him, my Kaiser doctor recommended your guided imagery and affirmations for sleep, anxiety and stress management.
My headphones and Tablet with your programs became as vital a part of my travel kit as my toothbrush and plane ticket as I raced back and forth the 600 miles from his place to mine.
He passed away a year ago and your meditation on grief was a vital part of my healing.
So often, it seems, caregivers believe that caring for themselves will somehow deprive their loved one of care. Of course just the opposite is true!
Thanks again.
M. R.
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Posted: July 17, 2015Tags: stress relief
Read more »Dear BR,
This is a shoutout for your materials, especially the Relieve Stress, Confidence and Affirmations - I use one of them every day and have been doing so for the past month.
I work in a high stress environment with a boss who is a complete head case. She critiques me and micromanages everything I do from the second I arrive to the time I leave.
I cannot say anything back to her because she's fragile and starts crying and hyperventilating. The woman truly needs help.
I am a problem solver and I have tried every sensible tack that I, my friends and my personal coach could think of. After a series of failed attempts at changing the dynamic, we determined that I have two options left: to quit, or tune her out and keep on doing my job to please myself and meet my own standards.
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Posted: January 01, 2015Read more »
Investigators from University College in Dublin, Ireland, evaluated the effectiveness of the computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT) program, MoodGYM, for the reduction in symptoms of general psychological distress (the primary outcome), depression, anxiety, stress, and impaired daily functioning.
Participants for this randomized controlled trial, with a waiting list control condition, were 149 public mental health service users (aged 18-61 [M = 35.3 years; SD = 10.3]) waiting for interventions.
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Posted: November 20, 2014Read more »
Researchers from the University of Siena in Italy and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School studied the neuro-anatomical and psychological impact of an 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction program (MBSR) on 23 subjects who were new to meditation.
The investigators analyzed several morphometric indexes at both cortical and subcortical brain levels, as well as multiple psychological dimensions, before and after the 8-week training, comparing the meditators to age-gender matched subjects.
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Posted: October 16, 2014Read more »
Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong's school of public health investigated the impact of mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) on the mental health of caregivers looking after chronically ill family members.
Caregivers of persons with chronic conditions who scored 7 or above in the Caregiver Strain Index were randomly assigned to an 8-week MBSR group (n = 70) or a self-help control group (n = 71).
Validated instruments were used to assess the changes in symptoms of depression and anxiety, quality of life, self-efficacy, self-compassion and mindfulness. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention and at the 3-month follow-up.
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Posted: May 17, 2014Read more »
Ms. Naparstek,
My name is Janie. My 6-year-old daughter is currently being seen by clinical psychologist. My daughter has been diagnosed with social anxiety and possible ADHD [attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder]. These things bring out some negative behaviors on a daily basis that can be very stressful for me to experience. My therapist thought that some of your audio imagery might be very useful to me.
As a full-time mom I am with my daughter most of the time. Therefore the stress can be prolonged on bad days. I have tried psychotherapy to help cope with feelings of impatience, frustration, and sometimes anger. The psychotherapy helped up to a point. Then I took up yoga and found it also helped, particularly the attention to breathing techniques. I love yoga but cannot often attend.
I viewed your CD selections on healthjourneys.com and was unsure which to begin with. Basically I am seeking help to cope with the frustration and stress that I experience before they build up into anger, yelling, and so on. I adore my daughter, and naturally I want to not only restrain myself from getting angry and yelling at her, but also to be a good role model.
To add to my situation, I am peri-menopausal, so my roller-coaster hormones are a complicating factor. Even on a low-dose contraceptive pill to regulate moods, I find my moods varying, based on where I am in my monthly cycle. This often makes it more difficult to remain calm in the face of highly negative behaviors when they occur.
Is there a particular CD that you recommend I begin with?
Thank you in advance for your help. I am ready to dive in.
Sincerely,Janie D.
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Posted: May 11, 2014Read more »
Researchers from UCLA conducted a randomized controlled trial of a web-based, self-guided, multimedia stress management and resilience training program (SMART-OP) with a stressed but healthy sample.
Sixty-six participants were randomized to SMART-OP or an attention control (AC) group that received marketed videos and published material on stress management.
Participants were evaluated on self-report measures and the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Analyses were based on study completers (N = 59).The SMART-OP group reported significantly less stress, more perceived control over stress, and rated SMART-OP as significantly more useful than the attention control arm. In addition, the SMART-OP group showed greater within-task α-amylase recovery at post-assessment.
