Mindfulness Meditation & Positive Psychology Practices for Stress Reduction, Resilience & Self-Compassion

Using Mindfulness, Meditation & Positive Psychology Techniques

A n d r e a P e n n i n g t o n , M D , C . A c .

HOW TO BUILD

RESILIENCE&

SELF-COMPASSION

www. AndreaPennington .com

I n t h e Tr e a t m e n t o f P r o c e s s A d d i c t i o n s

Welcome!Andrea Pennington, MD, C.Ac. Pennington Empowerment Media

@DrAndrea

Empowering you to embrace ageless vitality through mindfulness, meditation and positive psychology

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Our Agenda

1. Neuroplasticity & the Neuroscience of

2. Q & A

3. Experiential Exercise -

Mindfulness, Meditation & Positive Psychology

The Attunement Meditation TM

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Objectives

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3. Experience and learn the Attunement Meditation, a ‘portable’ stress-relieving mindfulness practice

Learn 9 resilience skills gained from mindfulness meditation practices

Understand the evidence of neuroplasticity in EDs and following mindfulness-based practice

TM

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{ }Change Your Mind - Change Your Brain1Neuroplasticity

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THE LIFELONG ABILITY OF OUR BRAINS TO

REORGANIZE NEURAL PATHWAYS BASED ON

NEW EXPERIENCES

Neuroplasticity

NeuroplasticityThe brain reacts and adapts in response to

challenges and learning.

The brain is capable of altering its

functional organization as a result of experience.

Capacity to be shaped or moulded by experience

Capacity to learn and remember

Ability to reorganize and recover after injury

Neuroplasticity

Neurogenesis: New neurons migrate to different areas

Synaptogenesis: An increase in the number of synapses between neurons.

Neuroplasticity

The Hebb Rule

When brain cells are active together synapses are strengthened and preserved.

The neurons & synapses that are activated repeatedly are preserved while those who aren’t are pruned.

“Neurons that fire together wire together”

The Mind Changes the Brain “What flows through the mind sculpts the brain”

• Increased blood/nutrient flow to active regions

• Altered epigenetics (gene expression)

• Increasing excitability of active neurons

Strengthening existing synapses Building new synapses; thickening cortex Neuronal pruning - “use it or lose it”

Brain Changes in ED

Limbic Neurocircuit

Helps people identify the emotional significance of events and stimuli and respond appropriately.

Limbic Neurocircuit

Altered insular activity could explain interoceptive dysfunction:

• Touch • Pain • Fullness • Air hunger

Limbic NeurocircuitDopamine dysfunction in striatal circuits might contribute to altered reward and affect, decision-making and executive control, as well as decreased food ingestion in subjects with AN.

Cognitive Neurocircuit

Cognitive NeurocircuitOrbital and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex regions develop greatly during and after puberty.

Increased activity in these cortical areas might trigger the excessive worry, perfectionism, and strategizing common to those with AN.

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CHOOSE AN OBJECT OF ATTENTION

PLACE ATTENTION ON THAT OBJECT

RETURN TO IT OVER AND OVER

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THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION

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INTENTIONAL NON-JUDGMENTAL

AWARENESS OF EXPERIENCES

IN THE PRESENT MOMENT

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Mindfulness defined

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Focusing on a meditative object such as:

• Thought constructs (prayers) • Internal image • Mantra (a repeated sound or word) • Specific body sensations (ex, the breath) • Various emotions (ex, joy, compassion)

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Concentration Meditation

Examples: • Breath awareness • Body scan & progressive relaxation • Transcendental Meditation • Lovingkindness “Metta” Meditation

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Concentration Meditation

GENERATE THE FEELING & EXPRESS THE

HEART-FELT WISH FOR THE WELLBEING

OF ONESELF & OTHERS

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Lovingkindness “Metta” Meditation

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As a mother watches over her child, Willing to risk her own life to protect her only child,

So with a boundless heart, should one cherish all living beings, Suffusing the whole world with unobstructed loving-kindness.

Standing or walking, sitting or lying down, During all one’s waking hours

May one remain mindful of this heart, and this way of living That is the best in the world.

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Lovingkindness “Metta” Meditation

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—from the Metta Sutta Nipata I.8

May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe.

May I be peaceful and at ease.

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Lovingkindness “Metta” Meditation

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First we direct wishes of wellbeing toward ourselves.

May they be happy. May they be well. May they be safe.

May they be peaceful and at ease.

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Lovingkindness “Metta” Meditation

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Next we direct wishes of wellbeing toward others - eventually the whole world.

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Evidence suggests that mindfulness practice is associated with neuroplastic changes in the:

• Anterior cingulate cortex • Insula • Temporo-parietal junction • Fronto-limbic network • Default mode network structures

Mindfulness: Mechanisms of Action

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Mathieu Ricard, a French monk who practices Tibetan Buddhism, demonstrated excessive activity in his brain’s left prefrontal cortex when evaluated at the Univ. of Wisconsin.

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A research study conducted by Dr. Sara Lazar at Harvard Medical School, showed 8 weeks of meditation resulted in a measurable increased thickness of the cerebral cortex and particularly the prefrontal cortex.

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Hippocampus:

Establishing context; inhibiting amygdala and cortisol

(Holzel et al., 2008; Luders et al., 2009)

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Increased gray matter:

✴ Insula - interoception • Self-awareness; empathy for emotions

(Holzel et al., 2008; Lazar et al., 2005)

✴ Hippocampus - visual-spatial memory • Establishing context; inhibiting amygdala and cortisol

(Holzel et al., 2008; Luders et al., 2009)

✴ Prefrontal cortex (PFC) - executive functions • Attention control

(Lazar et al., 2005; Luders et al., 2009)

Effects of Mindfulness on the Brain : 1

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Increased gray matter:

✴ Reduced cortical thinning with aging in insula and PFC (Lazar et al., 2005)

✴ Increased activation of left frontal regions (Davidson et al., 2003), which lifts mood (Davidson, 2004)

✴ Experienced meditators demonstrate decreased DMN activation during meditation. (Brewer et al., 2011)

Effects of Mindfulness on the Brain : 2

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Experienced meditators demonstrate decreased DMN activation during meditation.

Judson A. Brewer et al. PNAS 2011;108:20254-20259

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• Attention regulation • Body awareness • Emotion regulation • Change in perspective on the self

Functional Effects of Mindfulness

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• Reinforcing observing ego - Metacognitive awareness • Disengagement from mental material; de-automaticization

(Deikman, 1966); extinction through non-activation • Fresh perspective; de-habituation (Kasamatsu&Hirai,1973);

field independence (Linden, 1973) • Seeing the big picture; de-centering (Safran & Segal,1990) • Associating of neutral or positive perspective with negative

material; extinction through counter-conditioning • Recognizing the nature of experience: compounded,transient,

interdependent; disenchantment; equanimity

Functional Effects of Mindfulness

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✴ Dispositional mindfulness correlated with less depressive symptoms and amygdala reactivity (Way et al., 2010).

✴ In healthy populations, MBSR and related trainings: • Decreased perceptions of daily hassles,psychological stresses,

and nonspecific symptoms (Williams et al., 2001)

• Increased empathy for self and others (Shapiro & Izett, 2008)

• Enhanced sense of well-being,self-actualization and self-directedness (Shapiro et al., 2005)

• Meditation improved attention (Carter et al., 2005; Slagter et al., 2007; Tang et al., 2007) and compassion (Lutz, Brefczynski-Lewis et al., 2008).

General Effects of Mindfulness

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{ }2 Question & Answer

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{ }3 Experiential ExerciseThe Attunement Meditation

TM

12-Week IOP for BED30 Minutes of Acupuncture with breath awareness meditation each week

Positive Psychology practices taught and encouraged as homework

General education on eating disorders and nutrition

Behavior modification tips and education on body-brain-mind connection

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Increased positive emotion

Improved impulse control

Improved ability to handle stressful situations

Fewer binge eating episodes

After 12 Weeks Participants Noted

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Directing attention skillfully - the essence of mindfulness -

is a fundamental way to shape the brain, and one’s life over time.

~ Rick Hanson, PhD.

A ‘portable’ stress-relieving mindfulness

practice to enhance body and emotional awareness,

impulse control, self-acceptance and

self-compassion

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The Attunement Meditation

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TM

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The Attunement Meditation

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1. Allow

2. Attune

3. Align

5. Appreciate

4. Ask for & Act on Inspiration

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The Attunement Meditation 1. Allow

Allow your body and brain to relax as you shift toward neutral by taking 5 deep breaths - 6 seconds for inhalation & exhalation.

Scan your body and take note of tension in the body.

Breathe into the tension and allow it to release with your out-breath.

Becoming the non-judgmental witness is the key to releasing resistance and recovering from chaos

in the present moment.

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The Attunement Meditation 1. Allow

Take note of or witness any emotions or feelings present without judgment. Name the feelings.

Instead of stuffing the feelings away, allow them the permission to exist - even if only for a moment. Become open and curious.

By surrendering to this moment we allow all thoughts, judgments, and beliefs

to rise and then fall away.

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The Attunement Meditation 2. Attune

Connect to the heart-based healing of compassion.

Imagine tuning in to station W-LUV

Imagine the invisible waves of peace and love seeping into your body and mind to melt away tension and stress.

Feel your body relax into a wave of compassion. Imagine that you are surrounded by a warm caress of loving energy

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The Attunement Meditation 3. Align

Align your mind with the mind of Divine love and Compassion.

Repeat, “May my mind be guided by peace & love.”

Can you let go of me-focused thoughts and line up your will and mindset with the mind of compassion?

Decide to align your thoughts, feelings and actions with the Best You, your higher Self, the Divine in you.

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The Attunement Meditation 3. Align

Imagine yourself as an innocent child

Say to the child, “May you be truly happy.

May you be free from suffering.”

You may choose to imagine a nonjudgmental loving person saying these words to you.

Imagine a grandmother, saint, Buddha, Christ or and angel lovingly comforting you.

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The Attunement Meditation 4. Ask for and Act on INSPIRATION

Become open and curious.

What inspired action will lead you peacefully to your goals and dreams?

What does your gut or your intuition tell you is correct at this time?

Is now the time to be silent and still? Sometimes the best action is no action.

Make a decision to take only inspired action which is aligned with your values and goals.

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The Attunement Meditation 5. Appreciate the Good in Your Life

Find something in your environment or in your heart or memory to appreciate.

Find or search for a thing of beauty or one good, lovely, positive, joyful, funny thing to appreciate at this moment.

When we appreciate the things worth loving that are in our world, we raise and maintain our energy, thoughts, feelings and actions in a higher state of being.

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1. Non-judgmental awareness

2. Present moment attention

3. Acceptance

4. Self-compassion

5. Physiological stress reduction

6. Letting go/surrender

7. Emotional intelligence

8. Self-generated positive emotion and gratitude

9. Adaptability

9 Resilience Skills Gained

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THANK YOUDownload The Attunement Meditation & free guided meditations here:

www. AndreaPennington .com/StressLess

Contact me: [email protected]