Neuro-Plasticity of the brain and benefits of meditation

• Client participated in a lecture and video presentations on scientifically proven evidenced based studies, about how the brain actually changes and new neuro- pathways are developed with consistent daily practices of meditation. We close the group with a guided meditation. Clients are encouraged to develop a simple daily practice.

• Part II The clients experience an extended guided meditation, a video presentation on meditation practices, concepts and evidenced based studies of mindfulness practices. We discuss the many ways that clients could use mindfulness practices throughout the day and share how they can be incorporated in life moving forward.

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Dialectical Behavior Therapy Life Skills training education classes.

Based on the teachings of DBT skills training by Marsha M. Linehan clients are taught through experiential workshops how to incorporate the DBT life skills of Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness and Emotional Regulation. DBT skills assist people in developing effective ways to navigate everyday life challenges and emotional disturbance so that clients can build a greater capacity to respond in healthier and wiser ways as opposed to reacting to challenges or disturbing emotions in ways that may not be effective or healthy and in the past have made a problem worse. 

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Meditation practices and techniques;

• Clients participated in a group lecture and discussion on the many different ways that one can practice. Clients are shown many different types and ways to practice and are encouraged to find techniques and practices that resonate with them. Clients are also encourage to develop a simple daily practice and to continue explore new ways. We close the group in a simple three step practice.

• Part II: Clients learn about many techniques and practices and have an experience of “mini” meditations in order to experience a few different ways. We discuss a simple three step practice that clients can create for themselves as a consistent daily practice, which may also include prayer, affirmations, and self-care etc.

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The End of Suffering as We Have Know it. Includes practices of "non- resistance", "Living in the Flow," and "Being With What Is."

• Through lecture, discussion, video presentations and guided meditation, we look at the causes of suffering which mostly arises from our resistance to listening fully to pain, discomforts that show up in our bodies, our emotions, patterns and ways of thinking about ourselves and life, and challenges that we all face in everyday life. We discuss in a forum what the difference between pain/discomfort and suffering may be. We focus on healthy approaches to listening to pain, challenges, disturbances or discomforts so that we may receive the message and insight within pain that is asking us to listen fully, and then tend to, and take care of what needs attention or what may need to change. We look at how the practices of meditation can help us to listen deeply which reveals great insight and can guide us to take care of ourselves in healthy and productive ways.

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Part II The End of Fear as we’ve known it: Like the above description we talk about listening to fear in a healthy and productive way. We discuss how like pain, fear is asking us to listen deeply, reach out if needed, take care of or change something, and then observe fears in a wiser way. Fear and pain can be a powerful motivating factor for change and growth if we listen and take action in healthier way.

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Creative Power of Clear Intentions. 

The topic and practices presented are about setting Intention for moving forward with greater clarity as client gets ready to step back begin a new era of living a sober life that works. Clients participated in a lecture, video presentation, and workshop process to assist client in becoming more clear on setting intentions for living a sober life moving forward. Client go through a workshop process of writing lists of things they find interesting, meaningful and that they truly enjoy.

Then client are encouraged to write ways and actions so that they could follow these interests in order to begin to live in the direction of living a fulfilling, meaningful and sober life. Clients are  encouraged to keep an ongoing journal on this topic and write action steps, affirmations and develop daily structures and practices in order to tend to their intentions so that they can come to fruition.  

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The Four agreements" introduction and practices. In this two part group workshop clients are introduced through lecture, video presentation discussion and practice to understand the concepts and practices found in the teachings of “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. In this workshop we look at how our perceptions along with the agreements we make with ourselves and others can often be unconscious and can cause cycle of suffering that has been passed down for generations. As our awareness grows and evolves, we see that we can choose to make new agreements that work for themselves and others.

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Finding Meaning. In this discover type class we do self-inquiry and contemplate things we find interesting or amazing about this earth or world we live in. Then we look at what we personally find meaningful, interesting or things we enjoy, from our family, our pets, an organization thats doing good works in the world, to riding a bike, playing a guitar or doing some service work for an organization thats doing meaningful works in the world.

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Building Self Esteem as a Skill. In this group workshop we look that an aspect of recovery is rebuilding our self esteem and learning to trust ourselves. We discuss that having a healthy self esteem is actually a practice and a skill that is developed. We discuss starting where we are by honoring ourselves as we are now and knowing that at the same time we are always growing and evolving. We discuss practices that help build self esteem. Including positive affirmations, meditation practices that help us become more familiar with the tendency of our thinking.  Then we focus on developing daily structures and spiritual practices that lead to taking inspired action in our lives in ways that are meaningful, of service. A part of the practice is working towards taking inspired actions things that are meaningful, inspiring and interesting.    

 

G.A.P. Gratitude Awareness Practices. In this group we explore many ways to practice gratitude and acceptance. Through discussion, lecture, video presentations and practices clients develop simple daily practices of gratitude, acceptance and daily affirming and focusing on acceptance and gratitude.  

 

Spirituality in Recovery. Clients participate in a group forum, lecture and discussion and we end the group in a short simple mediation practice that gives the client an experience of what a simple daily practice could look like.

During the group forum we open up a group discussion about words like: Spiritual, God, Higher Power, Prayer, Conscious Contact, Meditation and write them on the white board and break each one down as a group, then we discuss what these words are trying to describe or point towards. We discuss that these words are non-tangible and that probably everyone has a slightly different personal view of what these words mean to us. We discuss that its important to "find a way" so that each person can resonate with spiritual concepts for themselves. So if we are reading in a program of recovery or if we are at a meeting, and we do not resonate with the way someone else relates, or speaks about the words and spiritual concepts, then we can reinterpret the words and concepts in a way that works for ourselves.

PART II

Bridging the Spiritual Gap

The intention for The topic “Bridging the Spiritual Gap” is to create an open discussion/forum on what does the essence of what the word  “spirituality” means and how clients can find their own personal practice to connect with an inner sense of peace, wisdom, and inner guidance. Clients participate in an open forum discussing the essence of what spirituality is with an intention that the client can establish (in their own personal way) a way to connect spiritually in whatever way works for them. In this group we discuss many ways of self-care including a daily meditation and spiritual practices.

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Identity Shift  / Freedom technique practice

 Part I This workshop we discuss the many different aspects of ourselves and we take a look at the many roles we have in our lives. We list the many ways we show up and the many different aspects of ourselves, including our personality. We explore how sometime we may over-identify with particular aspects of ourselves that can cause us and those around us suffering. We can see this example like when we see someone who over-identifies with a particular culture, religion or heritage.

In Part II we look at honoring our past as our great teacher so we can glean the wisdom of our past instead of over identifying with it, or beating ourselves up over and over , so with practice we bring awareness about our past to support us has we grow and move forward in life in a more empowered and wise way.

 

Daily Peace Practices We discuss many different meditation practices and see how we can incorporate “Peace Practices” throughout our days. Through simple consistence daily practices we cultivate a more peaceful way of being in the world. We discuss what it means to be and stay spiritually fit. We find we have a greater capacity to respond verses react to the challenges, changes and dramas of life, and we also look the benefits of daily practice which included being more present more present in the moment when we are having a wonderful day.  

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