Meditation and Mindfulness: Benefits and Methods
As we work with clients, therapists often recommend various techniques to help manage behaviors, emotions, or thoughts. We live in a fast-paced, instant gratification world which often leads to stress in our work and personal lives. Mindfulness can be a helpful tool to de-stress and bring focus to our lives.
Benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness
Meditation, or mindfulness, has vast benefits for mental health. While we may not have time to become yoga masters or visit the idyllic mountains of Nepal to meditate, we all have time to practice simple mindfulness techniques. Jeffrey Brantley, the author of Five Good Minutes, reminds us that we do have time because meditation can be done within a few minutes.
When used regularly, meditation can be beneficial to our mental health and physical health and can bring the following results:
Improved attention span
Help with self-awareness
Stable emotional health through regulation
Reduced anxiety
Better stress management
Promoted brain growth
How to Meditate and Practice Mindfulness
There are various ways to meditate and it may be helpful to try a few to find what works for you. One method that works well from Brantley’s book Five Good Minutes is called operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is the process by which you can modify behavior through negative or positive reinforcement.
Here’s an example of operant conditioning from the popular TV Show “The Office.” During one of the early episodes, Jim continually restarts his computer. Every time it reboots, it plays the classic Windows jingle, and each and every time this jingle plays, Jim gives his co-worker Dwight a mint. After a while, Jim restarts his computer and Dwight holds his hand out instantly for a mint and states, “Hmm… I now have a horrible taste in my mouth.”
The technique below avoids sounds and mints, but it does condition your brain to have a positive response when you need it most. This specific technique uses positive reinforcement to train your brain to have a positive emotional response to happy healthy memories through touch. This technique can be done when you are calm or when you are having a stressful time to regain control of your thoughts and relax.
Here’s how to do it:
Choose an object to use for this technique. You can also use your fingers, because you always have them with you! As you practice this technique, you will be thinking of pleasant memories. Try to capture the feeling and essence of the memory as you practice, rather than simply running through the memories themselves.
First, touch the object you have chosen. If using your hand, you can touch your index finger to your thumb. While doing this, remember a time you felt a healthy sense of satisfied exhaustion, such as from physical exercise or work. For example, you’ve worked all week on a huge work project. It has taken you’re entire focus and has had you work late every night. When the project was finally completed, you probably were mentally and physically drained. You are probably very exhausted, but at the same time feel an incredible sense of accomplishment.
Second, touch your middle finger to your thumb, and remember a time when you felt truly connected with someone important to you. This can be when you felt trust, love, or empathy with that individual.
Third, you will touch your ring finger to your thumb. While doing this, think back to a memory when you received a special gift or a kind gesture. Imagine how you felt.
Last, while touching your thumb to your pinky, think about a time when you witnessed the most beautiful place you have seen or pictured. Remember how breathtaking it was. Think about the scenery, sounds, and feelings.
You do not have to perform these steps in order or do every step. To begin, just start with one memory. As you regularly practice this mindfulness technique your body and mind will become conditioned to relax during this meditation. Doing it consistently can help improve your mental health and help you control your thoughts through meditation.
Resources for Mental Health
When this or other meditation is not enough, please schedule an appointment with a therapist at Wasatch Family Therapy. Schedule your initial visit by texting or calling 801.944.4555 or filling out this form.
References
Brantley, J. (2011). Five good minutes: 100 morning practices to help you stay calm and focused all day long. Readhowyouwant.com.Seppala, E. (n.d.). 20 Scientific Reasons to Start Meditating Today. Retrieved March 18, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/feeling-it/201309/20-scientific-reasons-start-meditating-today
*This post was originally written by a therapist at Wasatch Family Therapy in Utah and was updated by the Wasatch Family Therapy team in 2024.
