CHRISTIAN MONKS, MA, RCAT, RCC • REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR & ART THERAPIST
MINDFULNESS
To be aware of the present is to have greater capacity to work with fears from the past and to work with anxiety of an imagined future. Being aware and open to the present moment requires accepting whatever arises free of judgement. Through a strong therapeutic alliance and the skill of mindfulness we can lean into the feelings of regret, shame, loneliness and fear. By leaning into these strong emotions we can become more familiar with their distinctive qualities and associated thoughts and notice them without automatically fusing with them. Mindfulness is a skill that anyone can learn and it allows us to experience life without reacting mindlessly—we notice rather than fight or deny what arises.
