OakHeart, Center for Counseling
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    • Emily Frey
    • Vanessa Osmer
    • Kat Harris
    • Katie Cockrell
    • Erin Mitchell
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    • Pamela Heilman
    • Megan Allegretti
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    • Hillary Gorin
    • Lee Ann Heathcoat
    • Johanna Younce
    • Robyn Ellis
    • Jessica Winder
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Being Present In the New Year

2/17/2020

 
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Being Present in the New Year

​Written by Dr. Lindsay Tobin, PsyD
​

As we find ourselves in month two of 2020 and the winter weather really kicks in we may find ourselves looking back on some of the goals we have resolved to achieve this year. Maybe we want to improve our health and fitness, spend less time on our phones, improve our relationships and deepen our connections. We may even have started out strong in January but find ourselves falling back into old routines and habits. We think to ourselves, “This happens every year. Why can’t I make these changes? What is wrong with me?” From there we spiral down the rabbit hole of self-criticism, reflecting on and reliving all of our perceived failures and short-comings. This year, let’s try something different. 

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) provides us with tools that allow us to be more fully present in our lives, reducing depressive spirals into our pasts and anxious ruminations about our futures. MBCT is an evidence-based practice developed from Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). MBSR was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. MBCT helps individuals develop a different relationship with their thoughts and feelings. 

Lessons in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) :
​
  • We learn that our thoughts and feelings are not ‘truth’ or ‘facts’, but rather passing mental events.
 
  • We learn that we can choose to respond to our thoughts and feelings or allow them to pass.
 
  • We learn the difference between ‘reacting’ and ‘responding’. 
 
  • We learn about the difference between the ‘doing mode’ and the ‘being mode’. In turn, we can stay focused on our goals and develop improved relationships and time-management skills.

For more information or to start your own mindfulness journey following the MBCT approach, I highly recommend the book MIndfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World, by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. Other resources include:

The Mindful Way Workbook: An 8-Week Program to Free Yourself from Depression and Emotional Distress, by John Teasdale, Mark Williams, Zindel Segal, and John Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression, by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale

The Mindful Way THrough Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness, by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and John Kabat-Zinn

The Mindful Catholic: Finding God One Moment at a Time, by Dr. Gregory Bottaro

For more information on the therapeutic services that OakHeart offers, call and speak with her intake specialist at (630) 570-0050 or email us at Contact.OH@OakHeartCenter.com.  ​


    OakHeart 
    ​Center for Counseling, Mediation, and Consultation

    ​​

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    Emily Frey, PsyD
    Kat Harris, PhD
    Brittany Male, MSW
    Vanessa Osmer, MA

    Other Blogs

    Grief

    ​Grieving Through the Holidays
    My Experience with Grief
    Helping Someone Who's Grieving

    Anxiety

    The Trap of Overwhelm
    Dealing with Political and Societal Uncertainty
    OCD and "Unacceptable" Intrusive Thoughts: You Are Not Alone

    Depression

    Managing Seasonal Depression
    5 Tips When You or Someone You Know is Struggling

    Eating Disorders

    Binge Eating Versus Emotional Eating

    General

    How to Find the Right Therapist for You
    Being Present in the New Year
    Adulting Can Suck, But it Doesn't Have To
    Accomplishing Your Goals This Year
    Dear Client...I Want You To Know
    A 2020 Remote Learning Survival Guide: Practical Tips for Success
    Coping vs. Avoiding

    Self CAre

    Surviving Social Distancing
    Practicing Self-Care
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Phone: 630-570-0050
Fax: 630-570-0045
Email: Contact.OH@OakHeartCenter.com
North Aurora, IL Location
​66 Miller Drive, Suite 105
North Aurora, IL 60542
phone: 630-570-0050
​Sycamore, IL Location
240 Edward Street
Sycamore, IL 60178
phone: 779-201-6440
  • Home
  • Services
    • Counseling
    • Group Therapy
    • Divorce Mediation
    • Professional Consultation
    • Telehealth
  • Locations
    • North Aurora
    • Sycamore
  • Specialties
    • Depression
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Grief and Bereavement
    • ADHD
    • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
    • Social Anxiety Disorder
    • Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
    • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (Worry)
    • Health Anxiety
    • Specific Phobias
    • Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)
    • Eating Disorders
    • Substance Use Disorders (SUD)
    • Behavioral Addictions
    • Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
    • Anger Management
    • Insomnia
    • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
    • Trauma
    • Divorce Recovery
    • Self-Esteem
    • Therapy for Therapists
    • LGBTQ Support
  • Providers
    • Emily Frey
    • Vanessa Osmer
    • Kat Harris
    • Katie Cockrell
    • Erin Mitchell
    • Lindsay Tobin
    • Pamela Heilman
    • Megan Allegretti
    • Katie Sheehan
    • Hillary Gorin
    • Lee Ann Heathcoat
    • Johanna Younce
    • Robyn Ellis
    • Jessica Winder
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • FAQ
  • Our Values
  • Employment
  • Why Choose OakHeart?