meditation

by Sarah de Sousa, author and poet

On a good day, I have only failed a few times at the world’s most important job before I even head out the door to the job that pays my bills. As a full-time-working mother of three boys and lifelong overachiever, I have developed an intimate relationship with the voice that says: “It’s never enough, you are never enough.”

By Michael A. Rodriguez, author of Boundless Awareness

The illusion of an externally existent world rests largely on the sense of sight. When the eyes are open, there are no “gaps” in the visual field, which is primarily why the world appears to be so absolutely solid and independent. 

Editor’s note: The following interview is with Steven Alper, MSW, LCSW, a psychotherapist and mindfulness practitioner who has taught mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for twenty-four years. He is the author of Mindfulness Meditation in Psychotherapy: An Integrated Model for Clinicians.

To be a good mindfulness teacher, or even to use mindfulness effectively with your clients, it’s important that you have your own personal practice.

Luckily, the practice of psychotherapy has a number of built-in qualities that present clinicians with ample opportunities to do mindfulness in sessions.

Editor’s note: There are numerous factors to consider when leading a meditation practice. In this four-part series, clinical psychologist Greg Serpa, PhD, and physician turned mindfulness teacher Christiane Wolf, MD, PhD, answer some of the most noteworthy logistical questions about teaching mindfulness. Keep your particular population in mind as you go through their tips; it’s possible that you may have valid reasons to adapt or change the guidelines to suit the needs and experiences of your participants.