Mindfulness Group Therapy Activities

Mindfulness based cognitive therapy is just one of many different approaches to psychotherapy that combines techniques drawn from cognitive therapy, meditation, and the cultivation of mindfulness, which is a non judgmental attitude that is rooted in the present. Mindfulness based cognitive therapy is grounded in the belief that individuals who have a history of struggling with mental illnesses like anxiety or depression will find themselves falling back into old patterns (or cognitive processes) when they experience feelings of distress. This, in turn, runs the risk of the individual dipping back into anxious behaviors or depression.

Experts speculate that mindfulness based cognitive therapy is so effective in treating individuals because it combines mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy, the latter of which encourages people to interrupt their instinctual thought process in favor of working through their feelings in healthy, well adapted ways. Mindfulness encourages people to observe and identify what feelings they are experiencing in the present moment.

If you enroll in mindfulness based cognitive therapy, there are a variety of activities that can be performed whether you decide to enroll in individual or group therapy programs. One such technique you may be taught is known as a “three minute breathing space technique,” which is made up of three steps lasting one minute each:

• Observe your current experience and evaluate how you are doing in the present.
• Focus on your breathing.
• Focus on your physical and bodily sensations.
  

Other mindfulness techniques your therapist teaches you might include:

• General mindfulness practices: mindfulness heavily relies on becoming aware of what is happening in the present moment. And while mindfulness can indeed be practiced during activities such as meditation, individuals can learn to incorporate mindfulness into other day to day activities they engage in.
• Meditation: therapists may ask clients to engage in self directed or guided meditation exercises, which can help clients become more aware of their thoughts, breathing, and body.
• Body scanning exercises: clients may be asked to lie down and become aware of different parts of their bodies, typically starting at their toes and working upwards until they reach the apex of their head.
• Yoga: clients could be encouraged to practice various yoga poses that help orchestrate mindful stretching.
• Mindfulness stretching: this technique asks clients to stretch mindfully, raising their awareness of both their minds and bodies.

According to research conducted over several years, mindfulness based cognitive therapy has been proven to be effective in treating various mental illnesses in addition to anxiety, such as:

• General low mood or unhappiness
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression caused by medical illness
• Depression, including treatment resistant depression

As previously stated, mindfulness based cognitive therapy can be performed in individual or group therapy settings, and in person or online. Grouport offers group therapy that is conducted totally online from the safety of your home, which makes our service a great option for all as we continue to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Once you enroll in our services here at Grouport, you will receive a brief, 20 minute onboarding consultation with a trained mental health professional. Afterwards, you will be matched with a therapy group we feel is best suited to your particular needs. The therapy group you are matched with will meet on the same day and time each week for about an hour per session. 24 hours prior to each appointment, you will receive a unique Zoom code via email. You may find the answer to FAQs you have here.

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