http://www.counselingfortransformation.com Counseling and Therapy for Individuals and Couples in Boulder, CO Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:00:39 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Most of us at some level assume or believe that we 'should' feel joyful. On the other side of this we probably believe that we 'should not' feel fearful. I am most interested when talking about feelings or emotions, such as joy or fear, in looking at the bodily ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2010/02/11/joy-and-fear/ A distilled message from Buddhism that is also shared by psychotherapy is that one must put your self before others. In our culture, we are spread so thin and are moving so fast, this message may seem decadent, impossible, or just plain selfish. I am writing to give ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2010/02/10/you-come-first/ This video from Shinzen Young, who has been an influential teacher in my meditation practice, demonstrates some of the insights he derived from his meditation practice early on, that he found profound and beneficial. This is a powerful commentary on the healing benefits of mindfulness meditation. http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2009/11/14/healing-awareness-from-meditation/ With our romantic partners, we often get caught in habitual ways of communicating. You may find yourself avoiding certain topics that you fear may cause conflict, or withholding information that may be emotionally charged or challenge our view of what our partner can 'handle.' It is true that relationships bring up ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2009/03/31/mindful-couples-dialogue/ Having the blues for a few days at a time is normal. Usually these feelings are temporary and will pass after a few days. If you experience low mood, sadness, and hopeless for weeks, or even months at a time, there is a good possibility you are dealing with depression. Some ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2009/03/17/how-to-know-if-you-are-depressed/ I feel afraid or anxious so what do I do? I run away from what I perceive to be the cause of it, do something to stop it, do something to distract myself from it. Maybe you have your own strategy. All of these ways of dealing ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2009/02/19/turning-towards-fear/ Quick mindfulness? Seems like an oxymoron, no? But it is true we can spend quick moments in our everyday life being mindful and it will increase our overall presence, awareness, relaxation, help to mitigate work related (or generalized) anxiety and tension and contribute to a greater sense of groundedness and ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2009/01/22/quick-mindfulness-practices-for-stress-relief/ See below for a streaming audio version of a guided mindfulness of breath awareness practice I've developed for my students and clients. This is also available here for download. This is the initial practice given to beginning students of mindfulness meditation to begin to build concentration, presence and stabilize the mind. ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2009/01/21/guided-mindfulness-of-breath-meditation-practice/ In the swirl of stimuli and the 150 mph culture that we live in we often lose track of our body. It takes both effort and intention to be in the present and one of the easiest ways to access this is through our physical body. I like ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2009/01/18/where-are-your-feet/ On this eve of the new year I've been thinking about intention. It is the tradition for many to set resolutions for the new year, which sounds a lot like goals - it seems like a bit of a set up for self-criticism and self-judgment if we fail to meet ... http://www.counselingfortransformation.com/2008/12/31/intention/