Mindfulness Exercises      

Mindfulness skills are taught as techniques used to help people decrease their suffering and manage painful experiences.  The goal is to learn how to control our attention and become fully aware in the moment rather than being preoccupied with the past or the future.   As a DBT therapist, we cultivate our own daily mindfullness practice and our clients are encouraged to develop a daily practice.  The following are some exercises that you can try during your days.

1. Rub the area between your upper lip and below your nose and focus on the sensation.
2. Press your hands together and then focus on the sensations.
3. Try to focus your attention on an activity that you would normally do during the day such as driving, taking a shower, eating a meal, fully participating in the experience.
4. Focus your attention on an object that is in the room around you.
5. Take your shoes off and focus on the feeling of the floor beneath you.
6. Pet your animal.
7. Brush your hair.
8. Drink a new coffee or tea.
9. Mindfully walk around your neighborhood.
10. Sit in a comfortable position and focus on your breath.