[ruby.lestrange]

So, I've been seeing my DBT therapist for about 7 months now. We've trudged along pretty well, considering that I'm in a country where I don't speak the language well enough to participate in any group DBT, so we're kind of trying one-on-one since going without really wasn't doing me any good.

Right now, we're trying to restructure our sessions, and I've been getting homework other than worksheets (yay!). We're working on mindfulness. She wants me to spend three minutes, three times a day, doing some mindfulness exercises. The problem is, I'm having a really, really hard time with it.

I know it's so basic and is one of the main principles, but I can't seem to focus at all. The only one that appeals to me is one where someone else gives me a letter of the alphabet and I spend three minutes trying to come up with words that start with that letter - but that's the only one that's made an impression.

If anyone here has any experience with DBT and mindfulness, would you mind sharing some of the exercises that have worked for you, or that you've learned? I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

[Maranara]

Go to DBT Self Help and to the section called "instant Mindfulness". That section contains short, guided meditations that fit the bill. It also has an entire series of DBT lessons you could work on your own if you wanted. There is also a social group here specifically for mindfulness. I know a blog address was recently posted there that was filled with mindfulness stuff.

An exercise you can do on your own. Do a chore around the house: vacuuming, the dishes, etc. and stay mindful as you do it. Tell yourself what you are doing as you do if. "Picking up the sponge", "dipping it in the water", etc. Also, pay attention to the physical sentations associated with what you're doing: the warmth of the water, the feel of the soap, the coolness of a glass, the smell of the soap, etc. When your mind wanders, which it WILL do, just a knowledge that it has and draw it back to what you're doing. Don't punish yourself, just return it to the subject at hand.

I hope these help. Feel free to pm me if you'd like more ideas.

[beloiseau]

We do different mindfulness exercises in my DBT group... we spend two minutes on each, but you could easily spend three or however many you wanted to. Sometimes we do mindful breathing, which is just noticing your breath and when your thoughts try to float away, redirecting them to your breath. Another one is noticing things in your environment related to the 5 senses, just noticing and not judging and one sense at a time. We have done one where you sit in a way that in uncomfortable (like with your legs straight out) and just notice the sensation. Another one is describing and noticing an item (a rock, a leaf, a pine cone) and being nonjudgmental towards it. We've done guided muscles relaxation (there are some good one's on itunes). I hope at least one of these tickles your fancy!

[ruby.lestrange]

Thank you both so much! You're great. I'm going to write these down and try to apply them.

Mara, could you link to the blog post or PM it to me?

[Maranara]

Meditation may help with anxiety, depression and pain | Reuters
Imagine That!

The social group can be found at http://forums.psychcentral.com/group...editation.html and the blog is at C PTSD - A Way Out | A place to check in daily. I didn't put the info the first time because I was replying from my phone. . I hope people find them useful.

[Maranara]

This is another one that was recently posted in another forum http://forums.psychcentral.com/discu...trainings.html.