DBT Core Skill: Mindfulness

The practice of “mindfulness” is a popular term in today’s culture- so popular, in fact, that we tend to lose touch on what it really means. By staying true to its core meaning- to be present in the moment- we can better utilize mindful behavior in our everyday life. As a core skill of DBT, mindfulness can be implemented into your daily life no matter where you are or what you are doing. This skill is also called a “practice” because it is something that is done on a regular basis and it is done in a compassionate, individualized, and non-judgmental way.

If you are pregnant or a new mom with a newborn at home, being more mindful in your experience will have a tremendous impact on your relationship with your body and your ability to care of your little one and for yourself.  DBT pulls from practices and skills presented in Zen Buddhism, with mindfulness being the main component. By being more aware of our own thoughts, emotions, and surroundings, we can better allow for those feelings to run through us in a non-judgmental manner.

There are a total of 10 mindfulness techniques presented in DBT, with each one meant to bring you closer to self-awareness and ultimately more positive thought and behavior patterns. Here, I will discuss 2 of the most helpful ones that I have used in my own life: Mental Body Scan and Mindful Breathing.

Both techniques presented below can easily be utilized within our lives during pregnancy, with a newborn or in the eating disorder recovery process.

Mental Body Scan

This practice can help you wind down through relaxing your muscles, recognizing what your body needs, and help you feel calmer and more refreshed.

To Begin:

·         Sit in a comfortable position- This can be seated on a cushion, lying flat on a blanket or bed, or sitting upright in a chair.

·         Lower Body Awareness- Become aware of your feet, the sensation of them on the floor, if they are throbbing from walking all day, or tense from stress.

·         Gradually become aware of your ankles and calves, then bring your awareness to your thighs and hip, noting how tight or tense they may feel .

·         Upper Body Awareness- Next, take note and be mindful of how your torso and abdomen feel, is your stomach upset? Welcome any and all sensations. Now, become aware of your arms, sense how each finger is feeling as well.

·         Shoulder and Head Awareness- This is where we tend to hold much of our tension and stress. Become aware of how the entire region of your neck feels, is it tense due to stress at work or school? Become mindful of your head, do you get headaches from staring at a screen all day? Take note of how your eyes, nose and mouth feel.

·         Write it Down- Use an outline of the human body to write down the sensations you experienced during this practice. As you do this more often, over time you will notice that you may repeatedly have tension in one part of the body you never knew of before, or that you no longer have it in another area.

Mindful Breathing

Being aware our breath is something that we don’t often take note of- simply because it is a part of our autonomic nervous system, like our heartbeat and digestion. However, when we are able to consciously take note of our breathing, we can control its pace, depth and intensity in order to reduce stressful, anxious moments.  Here are some breath work methods that are incorporated in DBT and can be utilized in a mother’s life when she is feeling overwhelmed (which is most of the time!):

Counting Breaths

·         Sit in a comfortable position.

·         Become aware of your mood that day- Are you stressed? Tired? Overwhelmed?

·         Set a timer for 10 minutes- Relax into your space.

·         Count your breaths slowly from 1 to 5.

·         Do this for 10 minutes and do not change your pace of breathing.

·         After 10 minutes, take note of your mood- Are you more relaxed? At ease? Less tense?

Sensations of Breathing

·         Take the same beginning steps as mindful breathing- Sit comfortably and take note of your mood.

·         With each breath, consciously feel the air enter your nostrils, feel the temperate of it, the sensation of it entering your lungs, how it feels as you exhale, your chest rising and falling.

·         After 10 minutes, take note of your mood change.

 

Diaphragmatic Breathing

·         Take the same beginning steps as mindful and sensation breathing- Sit comfortably and take note of your mood.

·         Position your hand on your belly, if you normally breath through your chest, this will be different and new for you.

·         Breathe through your nose and feel your hand move up with your belly.

·         As you exhale, you will feel your diaphragm muscle relax.

·         After 10 minutes, take note of your mood change.

 

 

 

 

Reference:

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/