1. Mindfulness Jenna Plummer

2. What is Mindfulness?  With the increase in demands at work and at home, we lose site of the present moment.  Mindfulness is taking in the present external and internal moments, without judgment.  Mindfulness has gained recent popularity in American culture over the last decade.

3. Mindfulness improves:  Mental health  Well-being  Physical health  Focus  Relationships  Compassion  Anxiety and stress

4. Mindfulness Techniques  Always focus on breathing.  Notice internal moments:  Thoughts  Feelings  Notice external moments:  Sights  Sounds  Take in body sensations.

5. Skills to be developed by Kabat-Zinn  “Body Scan”: attention is directed along the body.  “Raisin Exercise”: focus all senses on a raisin.  “Walking mediation”: focus on every step taken.  “Loving-kindness meditation”: make a point to be compassionate to others.

6. Programs in Mindfulness  Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR)  Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)  Megan Cowan’s Mindful School programs  Nancy Bardacke’s Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP)